Today in History - December 21st
1124: Pope Honorius I confirmed in office
1620: Pilgrims aboard the "Mayflower" went ashore for the first time at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts. (following a 63-day voyage)
1804: British statesman Benjamin Disraeli born
1862: U.S. Congress authorizes the Medal of Honor to be awarded to Navy personnel that have distinguished themselves by their gallantry in action
1911: Professional baseball player Josh Gibson born
1937: Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" opened in Los Angeles, the first full-length animated feature film
1945: General George S. Patton died in Heidelberg, Germany, of injuries from a car accident.
1988: 270 people were killed when a terrorist bomb exploded aboard a Pam Am Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland
1989: Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu delivered what turned out to be his final public speech. The hard-line Communist ruler was visibly stunned as his listeners began booing. (Ceausescu fled from power and was executed four days later.)