Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th President of the United States on this day.

On the same day, and almost at the same moment, the 52 American hostage held by Iran were freed.

Reagan found out at a luncheon after the inaugural, and said, “With thanks to Almighty God, I have been given a tag line, the get-off line, that everyone wants for the end of a toast or a speech, or anything else. Some 30 minutes ago, the planes bearing our prisoners left Iranian air space, and they’re now free of Iran.”