Today in History - April 16

In 1947, the French ship Grandcamp blew up at the harbor in Texas City, Texas; another ship, the High Flyer, exploded the following day. The blasts and resulting fires killed nearly 600 people.

In 1947, financier and presidential confidant Bernard Baruch said in a speech at the South Carolina statehouse: "Let us not be deceived we are today in the midst of a cold war."

In 1972, Apollo 16 blasted off on a voyage to the moon.

In 1996, Britain's Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York, announced they were in the process of getting a divorce.

Ten years ago: Paula Jones announced she would ask an appeals court to reinstate her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton after it was thrown out by a federal judge. Tornadoes claimed 11 lives in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Five years ago: The Bush administration lowered the terror alert level from orange to yellow, saying the end of heavy fighting in Iraq has diminished the threat of terrorism in the United States. During a visit to a fighter jet factory in St. Louis, President Bush called for lifting economic sanctions against Iraq as commanders of both the U.S. military and the reconstruction effort prepared to move into the country. Michael Jordan played his last NBA game with the Washington Wizards, who lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 107-87.

One year ago: Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya won the Boston Marathon for the third time; Russia's Lidiya Grigoryeva captured the women's race. Carrie Underwood's dark hit "Before He Cheats" won video of the year, female video and best video director at the fan-voted CMT Music Awards.

Today's Birthdays: Pope Benedict XVI is 81. Actor Peter Mark Richman is 81. Actress-singer Edie Adams is 81. Singer Bobby Vinton is 73. Denmark's Queen Margrethe II is 68. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is 61. Singer Gerry Rafferty is 61. Football coach Bill Belichick is 56. Rock singer-turned-politician Peter Garrett is 55. Actress Ellen Barkin is 54. Rock musician Jason Scheff (Chicago) is 46. Singer Jimmy Osmond is 45. Rock singer David Pirner (Soul Asylum) is 44. Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence is 43. Actor Jon Cryer is 43. Rock musician Dan Rieser is 42. Actor Peter Billingsley is 37. Actor Lukas Haas is 32.

Thought for Today: "Only the vanquished remember history." Marshall McLuhan, Canadian communications theorist (1911-1980).