First execution by lethal gas, 1924

THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB. 8TH

Americans secure Guadalcanal, 1943

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Former POW Timothy Bigelow is named colonel, 1777

AUTOMOTIVE

Jaguar founder dies,1985

CIVIL WAR

Yankees capture Roanoke Island, 1862

COLD WAR

Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary sentenced, 1949

CRIME

Irish race horse stolen,1983

DISASTER

New England digs out after blizzard, 1978

GENERAL INTEREST

Mary Queen of Scots beheaded, 1587

Peter the Great dies,1725

The Russo-Japanese War begins, 1904

Birth of a Nation opens,1915

First execution by lethal gas, 1924

HOLLYWOOD

Jack Nicholson smashes windshield in episode of road rage, 1994

LITERARY

John Grisham, author of legal thrillers, is born,1955

MUSIC

Del Shannon dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, 1990

OLD WEST

Cleveland signs the Dawes Severalty Act,1887

PRESIDENTIAL

Cleveland signs devastating Dawes Act into law, 1887

SPORTS

Spud Webb wins dunk contest, 1986

VIETNAM WAR

MACV established, 1962

Operation Lam Son 719 begins, 1971

WORLD WAR I

U.S. Army resumes publication of Stars and Stripes, 1918

WORLD WAR II

Britain's Indian Brigade begins guerrilla operations in Burma,1943