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On This Day in History — August 13
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Highlights of August 13
- 2010 — After being boarded by Canadian authorities, MV Sun Sea docked in British Columbia and the 492 Sri Lankan Tamil refugee claimants on board were placed in detention. Read more
- 2004 — Merely 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck the U.S. state of Florida, Hurricane Charley inflicted further damage to the region (example pictured). Read more
- 1999 — The Act on National Flag and Anthem was adopted, formally establishing the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" as the Japanese national flag and anthem, respectively. Read more
- 1940 — World War II: The German Luftwaffe launched an air operation, codenamed Adlertag, to destroy the British Royal Air Force; its failure indefinitely postponed the German invasion of the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1918 — Opha May Johnson became the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Read more
- 1906 — Members of the U.S. Army's all-black 25th Infantry Regiment were accused of killing a white bartender and wounding a white police officer in Brownsville, Texas, despite exculpatory evidence. Read more
- 1876 — A performance of Das Rheingold (scene pictured) opened the first performance of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle at the inaugural Bayreuth Festival, attended by emperors and other composers. Read more
- 1868 — A major earthquake near Arica, Peru (now in Chile), caused an estimated 25,000 casualties; the subsequent tsunami caused considerable damage as far away as Hawaii and New Zealand. Read more
- 1762 — Anglo-Spanish War: The United Kingdom captured Havana after a five-week siege, holding it until the Treaty of Paris the following year. Read more
- 1724 — Bach led the Thomanerchor in Leipzig in the first performance of the chorale cantata, Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BWV 101. Read more
- 1704 — War of the Spanish Succession: The Duke of Marlborough led Allied forces to a crucial victory at the Battle of Blenheim. Read more
- 1650 — General George Monck founded Monck's Regiment of Foot, the predecessor to the Coldstream Guards, the oldest regular regiment of the British Army in continuous active service. Read more
- 582 — Maurice was crowned as Byzantine emperor, succeeding Tiberius II Constantine. Read more
Events
- 2020 — Israel–United Arab Emirates relations are formally established. Read more
- 2015 — At least 76 people are killed and 212 others are wounded in a truck bombing in Baghdad, Iraq. Read more
- 2014 — A Cessna Citation Excel crashes in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil killing all seven people aboard, including Brazilian Socialist Party presidential candidate Eduardo Campos. Read more
- 2008 — Russo-Georgian War: Russian units occupy the Georgian city of Gori. Read more
- 2004 — One hundred fifty-six Congolese Tutsi refugees are massacred at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi. Read more
- 1997 — The animated TV comedy South Park airs its very first episode. Read more
- 1990 — A mainland Chinese fishing boat Min Ping Yu No. 5202 is hit by a Taiwanese naval vessel and sinks in a repatriation operation of mainland Chinese immigrants, resulting in 21 deaths. This is the second tragedy less than a month after Min Ping Yu No. 5540 incident. Read more
- 1978 — One hundred fifty Palestinians in Beirut are killed in a terrorist attack during the second phase of the Lebanese Civil War. Read more
- 1977 — Members of the British National Front (NF) clash with anti-NF demonstrators in Lewisham, London, resulting in 214 arrests and at least 111 injuries. Read more
- 1973 — Aviaco Flight 118 crashes on approach to A Coruña Airport in A Coruña, Spain, killing all 85 people on the plane and one other one the ground. Read more
- 1969 — The Apollo 11 astronauts enjoy a ticker-tape parade in New York City. That evening, at a state dinner in Los Angeles, they are awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Richard Nixon. Read more
- 1968 — Alexandros Panagoulis attempts to assassinate the Greek dictator Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos in Varkiza, Athens. Read more
- 1967 — Two young women became the first fatal victims of grizzly bear attacks in the 57-year history of Montana's Glacier National Park in separate incidents. Read more
- 1964 — Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans are hanged for the murder of John Alan West becoming the last people executed in the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1961 — Cold War: East Germany closes the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin to thwart its inhabitants' attempts to escape to the West, and construction of the Berlin Wall is started. The day is known as Barbed Wire Sunday. Read more
- 1960 — The Central African Republic declares independence from France. Read more
- 1954 — Radio Pakistan broadcasts the "Qaumī Tarāna", the national anthem of Pakistan for the first time. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: German troops begin the pillage and razing of Anogeia in Crete that would continue until September 5. Read more
- 1942 — Major General Eugene Reybold of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorizes the construction of facilities that would house the "Development of Substitute Materials" project, better known as the Manhattan Project. Read more
- 1940 — World War II: The German Luftwaffe launches an air operation, codenamed Adlertag, during the Battle of Britain in an attempt to destroy the British Royal Air Force. Read more
- 1937 — Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Shanghai begins. Read more
- 1920 — Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Warsaw begins and will last till August 25. The Red Army is defeated. Read more
- 1918 — Women enlist in the United States Marine Corps for the first time. Opha May Johnson is the first woman to enlist. Read more
- 1918 — Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is established as a public company in Germany. Read more
- 1913 — First production in the UK of stainless steel by Harry Brearley. Read more
- 1906 — The all black infantrymen of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Regiment are accused of killing a white bartender and wounding a white police officer in Brownsville, Texas, despite exculpatory evidence; all are later dishonorably discharged. (Their records were later restored to reflect honorable discharges but there were no financial settlements.) Read more
- 1905 — Norwegians vote to end the union with Sweden. Read more
- 1900 — The steamer Deutschland of Hamburg America Lines sets a new record for the eastward passage when it docks in Plymouth, England, five days, 11 hours and 45 minutes after sailing from New York, breaking by three hours, six minutes its previous mark in its maiden voyage in July. Read more
- 1898 — Spanish–American War: Spanish and American forces engage in a mock battle for Manila, after which the Spanish commander surrendered in order to keep the city out of Filipino rebel hands. Read more
- 1898 — Carl Gustav Witt discovers 433 Eros, the first near-Earth asteroid to be found. Read more
- 1889 — William Gray of Hartford, Connecticut is granted United States Patent Number 408,709 for "Coin-controlled apparatus for telephones." Read more
- 1876 — A performance of Wagner's Das Rheingold opens the first Ring cycle at the first Bayreuth Festival. Read more
- 1868 — The 8.5–9.0 Mw Arica earthquake strikes southern Peru with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), causing 25,000+ deaths and a destructive basin-wide tsunami that affected Hawaii and New Zealand. Read more
- 1814 — The Convention of London, a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United Netherlands, is signed in London, England. Read more
- 1806 — Battle of Mišar during the Serbian Revolution begins. The battle ends two days later with a Serbian victory over the Ottomans. Read more
- 1792 — King Louis XVI of France is formally arrested by the National Tribunal, and declared an enemy of the people. Read more
- 1779 — American Revolutionary War: The Royal Navy defeats the Penobscot Expedition with the most significant loss of United States naval forces prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Read more
- 1724 — Johann Sebastian Bach leads the first performance of Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BWV 101, a chorale cantata on a famous tune. Read more
- 1704 — War of the Spanish Succession: Battle of Blenheim: English and Imperial forces are victorious over French and Bavarian troops. Read more
- 1650 — Colonel George Monck of the English Army forms Monck's Regiment of Foot, which will later become the Coldstream Guards. Read more
- 1645 — Sweden and Denmark sign the Peace of Brömsebro. Read more
- 1624 — The French king Louis XIII appoints Cardinal Richelieu as prime minister. Read more
- 1553 — Michael Servetus is arrested by John Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland as a heretic. Read more
- 1536 — Buddhist monks from Kyoto, Japan's Enryaku-ji temple set fire to 21 Nichiren temples throughout Kyoto in what will be known as the Tenbun Hokke Disturbance. Read more
- 1532 — Union of Brittany and France: The Duchy of Brittany is absorbed into the Kingdom of France. Read more
- 1521 — After an extended siege, forces led by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés capture Tlatoani Cuauhtémoc and conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Read more
- 1516 — The Treaty of Noyon between France and Spain is signed. Francis I of France recognizes Charles's claim to Naples, and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, recognizes Francis's claim to Milan. Read more
- 1415 — The English invasion of France begins when English king Henry V lands in France. Read more
- 1099 — Election of Pope Paschal II following the death of pope Urban II in the previous month. Read more
- 900 — Count Reginar I of Hainault rises against Zwentibold of Lotharingia and slays him near present-day Susteren. Read more
- 871 — Emperor Louis II of Italy and Empress Engelberga are captured by Prince Adelchis of Benevento. Read more
- 582 — Maurice is crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire by the dying emperor Tiberius. Read more
- 554 — Emperor Justinian I issues a Pragmatic Sanction in which he organises the renewed Roman rule over the recently re-conquered Italy. All privileges granted to Romans under the Gothic rule until 538 are confirmed, confiscated estates restored and the participation of the Roman Church in civil government increased. Read more
- 523 — John I becomes the new Pope after the death of Pope Hormisdas. Read more
- 29 BC — Octavian holds the first of three consecutive triumphs in Rome to celebrate the victory over the Dalmatian tribes. Read more
Born on August 13
- 2000 — Na Jaemin, South Korean rapper, singer, dancer and actor Read more
- 1999 — Lennon Stella, Canadian singer and actress Read more
- 1998 — Dalma Gálfi, Hungarian tennis player Read more
- 1996 — Antonia Lottner, German tennis player Read more
- 1994 — Filip Forsberg, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
- 1993 — Johnny Gaudreau, American ice hockey player (died 2024) Read more
- 1993 — Moses Mbye, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1992 — Katrina Gorry, Australian football player Read more
- 1992 — Lucas Moura, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1992 — Alicja Tchórz, Polish swimmer Read more
- 1992 — Taijuan Walker, American baseball player Read more
- 1991 — Dave Days, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1991 — Lesley Doig, Scottish lawn bowler Read more
- 1990 — DeMarcus Cousins, American basketball player Read more
- 1990 — Benjamin Stambouli, French footballer Read more
- 1989 — Greg Draper, New Zealand footballer Read more
- 1989 — Justin Greene, American basketball player Read more
- 1989 — Israel Jiménez, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1988 — Keith Benson, American basketball player Read more
- 1988 — Jerry Hughes, American football player Read more
- 1988 — Brandon Workman, American baseball player Read more
- 1987 — Jose Lorenzo Diokno, Filipino director, producer, and screenwriter Read more
- 1987 — Devin McCourty, American football player Read more
- 1987 — Jason McCourty, American football player Read more
- 1987 — Jamie Reed, Welsh footballer Read more
- 1986 — Demetrious Johnson, American mixed martial artist Read more
- 1985 — Gerrit van Look, German rugby player and coach Read more
- 1984 — Alona Bondarenko, Ukrainian tennis player Read more
- 1984 — Niko Kranjčar, Croatian footballer Read more
- 1984 — Boone Logan, American baseball player Read more
- 1984 — James Morrison, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1983 — Dallas Braden, American baseball player Read more
- 1983 — Aleš Hemský, Czech ice hockey player Read more
- 1983 — Ľubomír Michalík, Slovak footballer Read more
- 1983 — Christian Müller, German footballer Read more
- 1982 — Ibram X. Kendi, American author and antiracist activist Read more
- 1982 — Christopher Raeburn, English fashion designer Read more
- 1982 — Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas, American political consultant and press secretary Read more
- 1982 — Sebastian Stan, Romanian-American actor Read more
- 1979 — Román Colón, Dominican baseball player Read more
Died on August 13
- 2026 — Prichard Colón, Puerto Rican boxer (born 1992) Read more
- 2024 — Richard Alatorre, American politician (born 1943) Read more
- 2024 — Wally Amos, American entrepreneur, founder of Famous Amos (born 1936) Read more
- 2024 — Sergio Donati, Italian screenwriter (born 1933) Read more
- 2024 — Greg Kihn, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1949) Read more
- 2024 — Frank Selvy, American basketball player and coach (born 1932) Read more
- 2021 — Nanci Griffith, American singer-songwriter (born 1953) Read more
- 2018 — Jim Neidhart, American wrestler (born 1955) Read more
- 2016 — Kenny Baker, English actor and musician (born 1934) Read more
- 2016 — Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Indian Hindu leader (born 1921) Read more
- 2015 — Watban Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Iraqi politician, Iraqi Minister of Interior (born 1952) Read more
- 2015 — Bob Fillion, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (born 1920) Read more
- 2015 — Om Prakash Munjal, Indian businessman and philanthropist, co-founded Hero Cycles (born 1928) Read more
- 2014 — Frans Brüggen, Dutch flute player and conductor (born 1934) Read more
- 2014 — Eduardo Campos, Brazilian politician, 14th Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology (born 1965) Read more
- 2014 — Martino Finotto, Italian race car driver (born 1933) Read more
- 2014 — Süleyman Seba, Turkish footballer and manager (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Lothar Bisky, German politician (born 1941) Read more
- 2013 — Aaron Selber, Jr., American businessman and philanthropist (born 1927) Read more
- 2013 — Jean Vincent, French footballer and manager (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Hugo Adam Bedau, American philosopher and academic (born 1926) Read more
- 2012 — Helen Gurley Brown, American journalist and author (born 1922) Read more
- 2012 — Ray Jordon, Australian cricketer and coach (born 1937) Read more
- 2012 — Johnny Pesky, American baseball player and manager (born 1919) Read more
- 2012 — Joan Roberts, American actress and singer (born 1917) Read more
- 2011 — Tareque Masud, Bangladeshi director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1957) Read more
- 2011 — Mishuk Munier, Bangladeshi journalist and cinematographer (born 1959) Read more
- 2010 — Panagiotis Bachramis, Greek footballer (born 1976) Read more
- 2010 — Lance Cade, American wrestler (born 1981) Read more
- 2010 — Edwin Newman, American journalist and author (born 1919) Read more
- 2009 — Lavelle Felton, American basketball player (born 1980) Read more
- 2008 — Henri Cartan, French mathematician and academic (born 1904) Read more
- 2008 — Bill Gwatney, American politician (born 1959) Read more
- 2008 — Jack Weil, American businessman (born 1901) Read more
- 2007 — Brian Adams, American wrestler (born 1964) Read more
- 2007 — Brooke Astor, American philanthropist and socialite (born 1902) Read more
- 2007 — Phil Rizzuto, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1917) Read more
- 2006 — Tony Jay, English actor and singer (born 1933) Read more
- 2006 — Jon Nödtveidt, Swedish musician (born 1975) Read more
- 2006 — Kermit L. Hall, American legal historian and university president (born 1944) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Benedetto Sinigardi; Christian feast day:
Benildus Romançon; Christian feast day:
Cassian of Imola; Christian feast day:
Clara Maass (Lutheran Church); Christian feast day:
Florence Nightingale, Octavia Hill (Lutheran Church); Christian feast day:
Blessed Gertrude of Aldenberg; Christian feast day:
Hippolytus of Rome; Christian feast day:
Blessed Jakob Gapp; Christian feast day:
Jeremy Taylor (Anglican Communion); Christian feast day:
John Berchmans; Christian feast day:
Junian of Mairé; Christian feast day:
Blessed Marco d'Aviano; Christian feast day:
Maximus the Confessor; Christian feast day:
Nerses Glaietsi (Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
Pope Pontian; Christian feast day:
Radegunde; Christian feast day:
Wigbert; Christian feast day:
August 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Central African Republic from France in 1960.; International Lefthanders Day (International); Women's Day, commemorates the enaction of Tunisian Code of Personal Status in 1956. (Tunisia); World Organ Donation Day
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “August 13”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.