1. On April 13, 1749, the town of Marion was founded in South Carolina. Named after Revolutionary War general Francis Marion, the town played an important role in the war for independence.

2. The deadliest tornado outbreak in South Carolina history occurred on April 13, 1978. The outbreak produced 26 tornadoes that killed 12 people and injured hundreds more.

3. On April 13, 1943, the USS Luce, a Fletcher-class destroyer named after Admiral Stephen B. Luce, was commissioned in Charleston. The ship served in World War II and the Korean War before being decommissioned in 1960.

4. The Palmetto State Quartet, a popular gospel group, was formed in Columbia on April 13, 1946. The group performed for over 60 years and was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2010.

5. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed a bill into law on April 13, 2016, that removed the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds. The controversial flag had flown there for over 50 years and was a source of ongoing debate and protest.