On This Day: Joseph P. Kennedy dies at 81

Nov. 18 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1883, the United States adopted Standard Time and set up four zones -- Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific.

In 1928, Mickey Mouse appeared for the first time, with Walt Disney doing the voice of his soon-to-be-famous creation, in Steamboat Willie, the first fully synchronized sound cartoon produced. The beloved character's birthday is regularly celebrated at Disneyland and Disney World.

In 1936, the fascist governments of Germany and Italy recognized rebel Gen. Francisco Franco as leader of Spain amid the Spanish Civil War. Franco ruled the country until he died in 1975.

In 1961, weary of ordering a full-scale deployment of troops, President John F. Kennedy sends 18,000 military advisers to South Vietnam.

In 1963, push-button telephones made their debut.

File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI

In 1969, Kennedy clan patriarch, Joseph P. Kennedy, died at his Hyannis Port home at the age of 81.

In 1978, more than 900 people died in a mass suicide-murder led by the Rev. Jim Jones at the People's Temple commune in Guyana following the slaying of U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan, D-Calif. It was the worst tragedy of its kind in modern history.

File Photo by Nancy Wong/Wikimedia

In 1987, a fire under a wooden escalator in London's King's Cross subway station killed 30 people and injured dozens others. Debris under the escalator caused the blaze.

In 1991, the Lebanese Shiite Muslim faction Islamic Jihad freed Church of England envoy Terry Waite and U.S. professor Thomas Sutherland. Waite had been held for nearly five years, Sutherland for more than six.

In 1999, 12 people died in the collapse of the Aggie Bonfire at Texas A&M University. It was a tradition at the school to construct the bonfire before A&M played Texas in football.

In 2004, Britain outlawed fox hunting in England and Wales.

In 2013, the Dow Jones industrial average topped 16,000 for the first time.

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI