As we speak in Historical past: March 9, ‘Operation Meetinghouse’ firebombing devastates Tokyo

As we speak is Sunday, March 9, the 68th day of 2025. There are 297 days left within the yr. Daylight saving time returns at 2 a.m. native time.

As we speak in historical past:

On March 9, 1945, throughout World Battle II, over 300 U.S. B-29 bombers started Operation Meetinghouse, a large firebombing raid on Tokyo. The raid killed an estimated 100,000 civilians, left 1 million homeless and destroyed 16 sq. miles (41 sq. kilometers) of town.

Additionally on this date:

In 1796, the long run emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, married Josephine de Beauharnais.

In 1862, through the U.S. Civil Battle, the ironclad warships USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (previously USS Merrimac) clashed for 5 hours to a draw at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In 1916, greater than 400 Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 People.

In 1959, the Barbie doll was launched on the American Worldwide Toy Honest in New York.

In 1997, rapper The Infamous B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace) was killed in a still-unsolved drive-by taking pictures in Los Angeles at age 24.

In 2022, a Russian airstrike devastated a maternity hospital within the besieged Ukrainian port metropolis of Mariupol, killing 4 folks and wounding no less than 17.

As we speak’s birthdays:
Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 77.
Actor Linda Fiorentino is 67.
Actor Juliette Binoche is 61.
Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 54.
Actor Oscar Isaac is 46.
Comic Jordan Klepper (TV: “The Daily Show”) is 46.
Rapper Chingy is 45.
Actor Matthew Grey Gubler is 45.
Soccer participant Clint Dempsey is 42.
Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Julia Mancuso is 41.
Actor Brittany Snow is 39.
Rapper Bow Wow is 38.
Rapper YG is 35.
Social media persona Khaby Lame is 25.
Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Sunisa Lee is 22.