This Day In 1970's History: Tuesday February 9, 1971
- Los Angeles was hit by an earthquake that registered nearly 7 on the Richter scale. Some buildings and bridges were destroyed, and 26 people are known to be dead. Eleven people were killed at the V.A. hospital in San Fernando. The dam on Van Norman Lake was severely damaged, causing the area below the dam to be evacuated. President Nixon has declared Los Angeles a disaster area, and Vice President Agnew will view the disaster tomorrow. [CBS]
- Apollo 14 landed in the Pacific Ocean. It was revealed that astronaut Edgar Mitchell conducted an ESP experiment during the flight; results are not yet known. The astronauts return to Texas on Friday, but will remain in quarantine until the end of the month. Apollo 15 is scheduled for July. [CBS]
- Little information was received pertaining to South Vietnam's attack in Laos. Bad weather today limited U.S. air support. U.S. bases in South Vietnam were shelled by mortars; 14 soldiers have been killed and 40 wounded since the start of the Laotian operation. South Vietnam Vice President Ky warned that his country's forces could become bogged down in Laos if the campaign becomes extended. [CBS]
- Secretaries Rogers and Laird testified before congressional committees concerning the situation in Laos. They maintained that the Laos operation will save American lives and speed up troop withdrawal. Rogers said that the U.S. will be out of a combat role by mid-year, but between 40,000 and 45,000 American troops will remain in South Vietnam until next February. [CBS]
- The Nixon administration mailed reprints of Joseph Alsop's editorial praising the President's handling of the Vietnam war and criticizing doves to 600 editorial writers throughout the country. [CBS]
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