April 12 is the 102nd day of the year. There are 263 days remaining until the end of the year. This date is slightly more likely to fall on a Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday (58 in 400 years each) than on Friday or Saturday (57), and slightly less likely to occur on a Monday or Wednesday (56).
+ 1861 – American Civil War: Battle of Fort Sumter. The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
+ 1927 – Rocksprings, Texas was hit by an F5 tornado that destroyed 235 of the 247 buildings in the town and killed 72 townspeople and injured 205; third deadliest tornado in Texas history.
+ 1934 – The strongest surface wind gust in the world at the time of 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. It has since been surpassed.
+ 1945 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office; Vice President Harry S. Truman becomes President upon Roosevelt's death.
+ 1955 – The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
+ 1999 – United States President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a civil lawsuit; he is later fined and disbarred.
( Births )
+ 1925 – Ned Miller, American country music singer and songwriter (d. 2016)
+ 1932 – Tiny Tim, American singer and ukulele player (d. 1996)
+ 1940 – Herbie Hancock, American pianist, composer, and bandleader
+ 1946 – Ed O'Neill, American actor and comedian
+ 1947 – Tom Clancy, American historian and author (d. 2013)
+ 1950 – David Cassidy, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2017)
+ 1957 – Vince Gill, American singer-songwriter and guitarist