On this day, March 27 …

1995: “Forrest Gump” wins six Academy Awards, including best picture and a second consecutive best actor Oscar for Tom Hanks; Jessica Lange wins best actress for “Blue Sky.”

Also on this day:

1513: Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon puts his sights on present-day Florida.

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon puts his sights on present-day Florida. 1933: Japan officially withdraws from the League of Nations.

Japan officially withdraws from the League of Nations. 1942: During World War II, Congress grants American servicemen free first-class mailing privileges.

During World War II, Congress grants American servicemen free first-class mailing privileges. 1958: Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party.

Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party. 1964: Alaska is hit by a magnitude 9.2 earthquake (the strongest on record in North America) and tsunamis that together claim about 130 lives.

Alaska is hit by a magnitude 9.2 earthquake (the strongest on record in North America) and tsunamis that together claim about 130 lives. 1968: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, dies at age 34 when his MiG-15 jet crashes during a routine training flight near Moscow.

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, dies at age 34 when his MiG-15 jet crashes during a routine training flight near Moscow. 1975: Construction begins on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which would be completed two years later.

Construction begins on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which would be completed two years later. 1977: In aviation’s worst disaster, 583 people are killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off in heavy fog, crashes into a Pan Am 747 on an airport runway on the Canary Island of Tenerife.