Today in History: August 30, Shackelton’s Endurance crew rescued

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Today is Sunday, Aug. 30, the 242nd day of 2026. There are 123 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Aug. 30, 1916, on his fourth attempt, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton rescued all 22 remaining crew members stranded for more than four months on Elephant Island in Antarctica after the sinking of their ship, the Endurance.

Also on this date:

In 1941, during World War II, German forces approaching Leningrad cut off the remaining rail line out of the city.

In 1945, U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan to set up Allied occupation headquarters.

In 1963, the “Hot Line” communications link between Washington and Moscow went into operation.

In 1967, the Senate confirmed the appointment of Thurgood Marshall as the first Black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2005, a day after Hurricane Katrina hit, floods covered 80% of New Orleans, looting continued to spread and rescuers in helicopters and boats picked up hundreds of stranded people.

In 2021, the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war with the Taliban back in power as Air Force transport planes carried a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport. After watching the last U.S. planes disappear into the sky over Afghanistan, Taliban fighters fired their guns into the air, celebrating victory after a 20-year insurgency.

In 2022, Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the last leader of the Soviet Union, and waged a losing battle to salvage a crumbling empire but produced extraordinary reforms that led to the end of the Cold War, died at age 91.

In 2023, mutinous soldiers in Gabon proclaimed their republican guard chief the country’s new leader after placing the just-reelected President Ali Bongo Ondimba under house arrest, alleging massive embezzlement was committed during his longtime rule over the oil-rich Central African nation.

Today’s Birthdays: Investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet is 96. Actor Elizabeth Ashley is 87. Actor John Kani is 84. Cartoonist Robert Crumb is 83. Olympic gold medal skier Jean-Claude Killy is 83. Comedian Lewis Black is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Robert Parish is 73. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is 66. Actor Michael Chiklis is 63. Actor Cameron Diaz is 54. TV personality/journalist Lisa Ling is 53. Former MLB pitcher Adam Wainwright is 45. Former professional tennis player Andy Roddick is 44. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha is 37. Actor Sean Ryan Fox is 25. Singer Capri Everitt is 22.