A Blast from the Past

Today is April 21.

With "Remember the Alamo!" as their stirring battle cry, Texas forces under Sam Houston defeated the army of Mexican General Santa Anna at San Jacinto on this date in 1836, setting the stage for the birth of the Republic of Texas. Santa Anna's army had overrun the band of Texas defenders at the Alamo mission in San Antonio on March 6 after a 13-day siege, killing the entire garrison in one of history's most famous battles.

A couple of milestones in the war in Indochina, later known as the Vietnam War. On this date in 1954, U.S. Air Force planes began flying French troops to Indochina to reinforce Dien Bien Phu. At that time, the country was a French colony. The city later fell to communist Viet Minh forces.

And on this date in 1975, Nguyen Van Thieu resigned as president of South Vietnam after denouncing the United States as untrustworthy. His replacement, Tran Van Huong, prepared for peace talks with North Vietnam as communist forces advanced on Saigon.

Timothy McVeigh, 27, arrested 90 minutes after the Oklahoma City explosion because he'd been driving without license plates, was formally charged in the bombing on this date in 1995. He'd later be convicted and sentenced to death. Two brothers -- Terry and James Nichols -- also were taken into federal custody in connection with the bombing. Terry Nichols eventually was charged and convicted of lesser charges.

The man known as "The Red Baron" was killed on this date in 1918. The notorious World War I German flying ace, whose real name was Manfred von Richthofen, was shot down over Vauz sur Somme, France.

And on this date in 1963, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones met for the first time at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, West London, England -- where the Stones were playing.

We now return you to the present, already in progress.