On this day in history...

John Paul Jones

1779 - American Revolution: A squadron commanded by John Paul Jones on board the USS Bonhomme Richard wins the Battle of Flamborough Head, off the coast of England, against two British warships.

1780 - American Revolution: British Major General John Andre' is arrested as a spy by American soldiers exposing Benedict Arnold's change of sides.

1806 - Lewis and Clark return to St. Louis after exploring the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

1845 - The Knickerbockers Baseball Club, the first baseball team to play under the modern rules, is founded in New York.

1941 - World War II: The first gas chamber experiments are conducted at Auschwitz.

1942 - World War II:  First day of the September Matanikau action on Guadalcanal as United States Marines Corps forces attack Imperial Japanese units along the Matanikau River.

1943 - World War II - The so-called Salo' Republic is born.

1952 - Richard Nixon gives his famous "Checkers speech".

1962 - The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City opens with the completion of the first building, the Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) home of the New York Philharmonic.

1969 - The Chicago Eight trial opens in Chicago.

1972 - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos announces over television and radio the implementation of martial law.

1973 - Juan Peron returns to power on Argentina.

1983 - Gulf Air Flight 771 is bombed, killing all 117 people on board.

1999 - Quantas Flight 1 overruns the runway in Bangkok during a storm.  Although some passengers only receive minor injuries, it is still the worst crash in Quantas's history since 1960.

2004 - Flooding caused by Hurricane Jeanne are reported to have killed at least 1,070 people in Haiti.