On this day in1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan dubbed the Soviet Union "an evil empire" and proposed a "Star Wars" defense system.
On this day in 2005, a fire and explosion at the third-largest oil refinery in the United States killed 15 workers and kicked off process safety programs throughout the world.
On this day in 2011, legendary Oscar-winning actress Elizabeth Taylor died at a hospital in Los Angeles at the age of 79.