Important Events From This day in History – 13th December

Today in History

• 2003 Saddam Hussein Captured

  Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s fifth president, was discovered hiding in a well-hidden hole in the ground and apprehended by American forces near Tikrit, Iraq. Operation Red Dawn was the military operation that led to his capture. He was later turned over to the interim Iraqi government. He was executed in December 2006, three years after his capture, following a trial in which he was found guilty of crimes against humanity.

• 2001 Attack on Indian parliament

  Terrorists attacked India’s parliament, the Sansad. During the attack, 15 people were killed, including the terrorists.

• 1972 Last human landing on the Moon

  The final mission of the United States’ Apollo lunar landing program was Apollo 17. It was also the sixth and final time humans set foot on the Moon.

• 1795 Meteorite crashes into Wold Newton in Yorkshire, England.

  Major Edward Topham was the owner of the land where the meteorite landed. He later displayed it, which is now housed in the Natural History Museum in London.

• 1642 First European to Reach New Zealand

  Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer and merchant, discovered and named Staten Landt on New Zealand’s South Island. Tasman was also the first European recorded to set foot on Tasmania, an Australian island state. Tasman claimed the island for the Dutch crown. It is also named after him.