February 9

On February 9, 1942 daylight savings time was instituted. It was created to save fuel and was used as far back as World War 1. The idea was proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. When it was used in World War 1 it was called the Standard Time Act, and was discontinued after the war. Yet people continued to set the clocks ahead one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall. So Congress made it the permanent standard time.
Also on this day the Normandie, France's largest and most luxurious ocean liner catches on fire while being converted for military use by the United States.