• George Herbert Walker Bush inaugurated as 41st US President (Jan. 20).
  • Ruptured tanker Exxon Valdez sends 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound (March 24).
  • US jury convicts Oliver North in Iran-Contra affair (May 4).
  • Army Gen. Colin R. Powell is first black Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (Aug. 9).
  • A San Francisco Bay area earthquake measuring 7.1 in magnitude, killed 67 and injured over 3,000. Over 100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. (Oct. 17)