On This Day in History — June 6

Highlights of June 6

• 2021 — A man rammed a pickup truck into Muslim Pakistani Canadian pedestrians in Ontario, Canada, killing four members of the same family. Read more
• 2017 — Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces opened the Second Battle of Raqqa, the final phase of the Raqqa campaign, capturing the de facto capital of the Islamic State four months later. Read more
• 1985 — The remains of Josef Mengele, a Nazi physician notorious for performing human experiments on Auschwitz inmates, were exhumed in Embu das Artes, Brazil. Read more
• 1982 — Falklands War: The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Cardiff engaged and destroyed a British Army helicopter in a friendly-fire incident. Read more
• 1976 — A plane crashed near Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Malaysia, killing politicians Fuad Stephens (pictured) and Peter Joinud Mojuntin, along with nine others. Read more
• 1971 — Hughes Airwest Flight 706 collided with a US Marine Corps jet near Duarte, California, killing 50 people. Read more
• 1971 — Vietnam War: Australian forces attacked a heavily fortified North Vietnamese base camp at the Battle of Long Khánh. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history, began with Allied troops landing on the beaches of Normandy in France. Read more
• 1912 — The largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century began, forming the volcano Novarupta in the Alaska Peninsula. Read more
• 1894 — Governor Davis Hanson Waite ordered the Colorado state militia to protect and support miners engaged in a five-month strike in Cripple Creek. Read more
• 1882 — The Shewan army defeated Gojjame forces at the Battle of Embabo, an event that contributed to the supremacy of Shewa within the Ethiopian Empire. Read more
• 1822 — Alexis St. Martin, a Canadian voyageur, was accidentally shot in the stomach; medical investigations of his injury led to a greater understanding of the processes of digestion. Read more
• 1813 — War of 1812: The British ambushed an American encampment near present-day Stoney Creek, Ontario, capturing two senior officers. Read more
• 1749 — A plot by Muslim slaves in Malta to assassinate Manuel Pinto da Fonseca of the Knights Hospitaller was uncovered. Read more
• 1674 — Shivaji, who led a resistance to free the Maratha from the Bijapur Sultanate and the Mughal Empire, was crowned the first chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire. Read more
• 1513 — War of the League of Cambrai: Milanese forces with Swiss mercenaries defeated the French in Novara, forcing them to withdraw from the Duchy of Milan and Italy. Read more

Events

• 2024 — The launch of SpaceX Starship integrated flight test 4 (IFT-4) Read more
• 2023 — Russo-Ukrainian war: The Kakhovka Dam is destroyed. Read more
• 2017 — Syrian civil war: The Battle of Raqqa begins with an offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to capture the city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Read more
• 2002 — Eastern Mediterranean event. A near-Earth asteroid estimated at ten meters in diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. The explosion is estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, slightly more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb. Read more
• 1994 — China Northwest Airlines Flight 2303 crashes near Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, killing all 160 people on board. Read more
• 1993 — Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat wins the first presidential election in Mongolia. Read more
• 1992 — Copa Airlines Flight 201 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes into the Darién Gap in Panama, killing all 47 aboard. Read more
• 1985 — The grave of "Wolfgang Gerhard" is opened in Embu, Brazil; the exhumed remains are later proven to be those of Josef Mengele, Auschwitz's "Angel of Death"; Mengele is thought to have drowned while swimming in February 1979. Read more
• 1982 — 1982 Lebanon War: The war begins as forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon during Operation Peace for the Galilee, eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut. Read more
• 1976 — Chief Minister of Sabah Faud Stephens, Peter Joinud Mojuntin, and several other politicians are killed in a plane crash near Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia. Read more
• 1975 — British referendum results in continued membership of the European Economic Community, with 67% of votes in favour. Read more
• 1971 — Soyuz 11 is launched. The mission ends in disaster when all three cosmonauts, Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, and Viktor Patsayev are suffocated by uncontrolled decompression of the capsule during re-entry on 29 June. Read more
• 1971 — Hughes Airwest Flight 706 collides with a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II of the United States Marine Corps over the San Gabriel Mountains, killing 50. Read more
• 1966 — March Against Fear: African-American civil rights activist James Meredith is wounded in an ambush by white sniper James Aubrey Norvell. Meredith and Norvell are photographed by Jack R. Thornell, whose photo will receive the 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Photography, the last one to be awarded in the category. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Commencement of Operation Overlord: The Allied invasion of Normandy begins with the execution of Operation Neptune—commonly referred to as D-Day—the largest seaborne invasion in history. Nearly 160,000 Allied troops cross the English Channel with about 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. By the end of the day, the Allies have landed on five invasion beaches and are pushing inland. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges by British paratroopers, also known as Operation Coup de Main (incorrectly referred to as Operation Deadstick.) Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The United States Navy's victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway is a major turning point in the Pacific Theater. All four Japanese fleet carriers taking part—Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū and Hiryū—are sunk, as is the heavy cruiser Mikuma. The American carrier Yorktown and the destroyer Hammann are also sunk. Read more
• 1934 — New Deal: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 into law, establishing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Read more
• 1933 — The first drive-in theater opens in Camden, New Jersey. Read more
• 1925 — The original Chrysler Corporation is founded by Walter Chrysler from the remains of the Maxwell Motor Company. Read more
• 1918 — World War I: U.S. Marine Corps suffers its worst single day's casualties during the Battle of Belleau Wood while attempting to recapture the wood at Château-Thierry (the losses are exceeded at the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943). Read more
• 1912 — The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Read more
• 1894 — Governor Davis H. Waite orders the Colorado state militia to protect and support the miners engaged in the Cripple Creek miners' strike. Read more
• 1892 — The Chicago "L" elevated rail system begins operation. Read more
• 1889 — The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle. Read more
• 1882 — The Shewan forces of Menelik II of Ethiopia defeat the Gojjame army in the Battle of Embabo. The Shewans capture Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and their victory leads to a Shewan hegemony over the territories south of the Abay River. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: The First Battle of Memphis, a naval engagement fought on the Mississippi River, results in the capture of Memphis, Tennessee by Union forces from the Confederates. Read more
• 1859 — Queensland is established as a separate colony from New South Wales. The date is still celebrated as Queensland Day. Read more
• 1844 — The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London. Read more
• 1832 — The June Rebellion in Paris is put down by the National Guard. Read more
• 1822 — Alexis St Martin is accidentally shot in the stomach, leading to William Beaumont's studies on digestion. Read more
• 1813 — War of 1812: In the Battle of Stoney Creek, considered a critical turning point in the war, a British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats an American force twice its size under William Winder and John Chandler. Read more
• 1762 — Seven Years' War: British forces begin the Siege of Havana and temporarily capture the city. Read more
• 1674 — Shivaji is crowned as the first Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire at Raigad Fort. Read more
• 1654 — Swedish Queen Christina abdicates her throne in favour of her cousin Charles Gustav and converts to Catholicism. Read more
• 1523 — Swedish regent Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden and, marking a symbolic end to the Kalmar Union, 6 June is designated the country's national day. Read more
• 1513 — War of the League of Cambrai: In the Battle of Novara, Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis II de la Trémoille, forcing them to abandon Milan; Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored. Read more
• 1505 — The M8.2–8.8 Lo Mustang earthquake affects Tibet and Nepal, causing severe damage in Kathmandu and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain. Read more
• 913 — Constantine VII, the eight-year-old illegitimate son of Leo VI the Wise, becomes nominal ruler of the Byzantine Empire under the regency of a seven-man council headed by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos, appointed by Constantine's uncle Alexander on his deathbed. Read more

Born on June 6

• 2001 — Rayan Aït-Nouri, French-Algerian footballer Read more
• 2000 — Haechan, South Korean singer Read more
• 1998 — Kenny Pickett, American football player Read more
• 1996 — Jack Hetherington, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1995 — Julian Green, American soccer player Read more
• 1994 — Yvon Mvogo, Swiss footballer Read more
• 1993 — Vic Mensa, American rapper and singer Read more
• 1992 — DeAndre Hopkins, American football player Read more
• 1990 — Gavin Hoyte, English born footballer who represented Trinidad and Tobago Read more
• 1990 — Anthony Rendon, American baseball player Read more
• 1990 — Pape Souaré, Senegalese footballer Read more
• 1989 — Jeanna Giese, American rabies survivor Read more
• 1988 — Anthony Pilkington, Irish footballer Read more
• 1986 — Gin Wigmore, New Zealand singer and songwriter Read more
• 1985 — Sebastian Larsson, Swedish footballer Read more
• 1985 — Drew McIntyre, Scottish professional wrestler Read more
• 1985 — Becky Sauerbrunn, American footballer; twice a winner of the FIFA Women's World Cup, also an Olympic gold medallist Read more
• 1983 — Michael Krohn-Dehli, Danish footballer Read more
• 1980 — Pete Hegseth, American author, political commentator and 29th United States Secretary of Defense Read more
• 1979 — Roberto De Zerbi, Italian football manager Read more
• 1978 — Mirko Šarić, Argentine footballer (died 2000) Read more
• 1977 — David Connolly, Irish footballer Read more
• 1974 — Uncle Kracker, American musician Read more
• 1974 — Sonya Walger, British-American actress Read more
• 1973 — Jackie Arklöv, Swedish mercenary and convicted murderer Read more
• 1972 — Natalie Morales, American television journalist and NBC News anchor Read more
• 1967 — Paul Giamatti, American actor and producer Read more
• 1966 — Sophie Jamal, Canadian endocrinologist involved in scientific misconduct Read more
• 1966 — Tony Yeboah, Ghanaian footballer Read more
• 1963 — Jason Isaacs, English actor Read more
• 1962 — Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japanese director Read more
• 1960 — Steve Vai, American musician Read more
• 1960 — Raudin Anwar, Indonesian diplomat Read more
• 1959 — Colin Quinn, American comedian and actor Read more
• 1956 — Björn Borg, Swedish tennis player; winner of eleven Grand Slam singles titles including five consecutive Wimbledons Read more
• 1955 — Sam Simon, American director, producer and screenwriter; co-developer of The Simpsons (died 2015) Read more
• 1955 — Sandra Bernhard, American stand-up comic and actress Read more
• 1955 — Lee Smolin, American theoretical physicist Read more
• 1954 — Władysław Żmuda, Polish footballer and manager; 91 caps for Poland and voted Best Young Player at the 1974 FIFA World Cup Read more
• 1952 — Harvey Fierstein, American actor and playwright; winner of four Tony Awards Read more

Died on June 6

• 2016 — Viktor Korchnoi, Russian chess grandmaster; arguably the best player never to become World Chess Champion (born 1931) Read more
• 2016 — Peter Shaffer, English playwright and screenwriter; works included Equus and Amadeus (born 1926) Read more
• 2015 — Vincent Bugliosi, American lawyer and author; prosecuting attorney in the Tate–LaBianca murders case (born 1934) Read more
• 2015 — Ludvík Vaculík, Czech journalist and author; noted for The Two Thousand Words which inspired the Prague Spring (born 1926) Read more
• 2014 — Lorna Wing, English psychiatrist and physician; pioneered studies of autism (born 1928) Read more
• 2013 — Jerome Karle, American crystallographer and academic; awarded the 1985 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research into the molecular structure of chemical compounds (born 1918) Read more
• 2013 — Esther Williams, American swimmer and actress (born 1921) Read more
• 2012 — Vladimir Krutov, Russian ice hockey player; together with Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov, formed the famed KLM Line. (born 1960) Read more
• 2009 — Jean Dausset, French-Spanish immunologist and academic; awarded the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his studies of the genetic basis of immunological reaction (born 1916) Read more
• 2006 — Billy Preston, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor (born 1946) Read more
• 2005 — Anne Bancroft, American film actress; winner of the 1963 Academy Award for Best Actress for The Miracle Worker (born 1931) Read more
• 1996 — George Davis Snell, American geneticist and immunologist; awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1980 for his studies of histocompatibility (born 1903) Read more
• 1994 — Mark McManus, Scottish actor (born 1935) Read more
• 1994 — Barry Sullivan, American film actor (born 1912) Read more
• 1991 — Stan Getz, American saxophonist and jazz innovator (born 1927) Read more
• 1983 — Hans Leip, German author, poet, and playwright who wrote the lyrics of Lili Marleen (born 1893) Read more
• 1982 — Kenneth Rexroth, American poet and academic (born 1905) Read more
• 1979 — Jack Haley, American actor (born 1897) Read more
• 1976 — J. Paul Getty, American businessman, founded the Getty Oil Company (born 1892) Read more
• 1968 — Robert F. Kennedy, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 64th United States Attorney General (born 1925) Read more
• 1963 — William Baziotes, American painter and academic (born 1912) Read more
• 1962 — Yves Klein, French painter (born 1928) Read more
• 1962 — Tom Phillis, Australian motorcycle racer (born 1934) Read more
• 1961 — Carl Gustav Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist (born 1875) Read more
• 1955 — Max Meldrum, Scottish-Australian painter and educator (born 1875) Read more
• 1948 — Louis Lumière, French film director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1864) Read more
• 1947 — James Agate, English author and critic (born 1877) Read more
• 1946 — Gerhart Hauptmann, German novelist, poet, and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1862) Read more
• 1941 — Louis Chevrolet, American race car driver and businessman, founded Chevrolet and Frontenac Motor Corporation (born 1878) Read more
• 1939 — Constantin Noe, Megleno-Romanian editor and professor (born 1883) Read more
• 1935 — Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, English field marshal and politician, 12th Governor General of Canada (born 1862) Read more
• 1922 — Lillian Russell, American actress and singer (born 1860) Read more
• 1916 — Yuan Shikai, Chinese general and politician, 2nd President of the Republic of China (born 1859) Read more
• 1891 — John A. Macdonald, Scottish-Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Canada (born 1815) Read more
• 1881 — Henri Vieuxtemps, Belgian violinist and composer (born 1820) Read more
• 1878 — Robert Stirling, Scottish minister and engineer, invented the stirling engine (born 1790) Read more
• 1865 — William Quantrill, American Confederate guerrilla band leader (born 1837) Read more
• 1861 — Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Italian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Italy (born 1810) Read more
• 1832 — Jeremy Bentham, English jurist and philosopher (born 1748) Read more
• 1813 — Antonio Cachia, Maltese architect, engineer and archaeologist (born 1739) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Bessarion of Egypt; Christian feast day: Claudius of Besançon; Christian feast day: Iarlaithe mac Loga; Christian feast day: Ini Kopuria (Anglican Church of Melanesia, Church of England, Episcopal Church); Christian feast day: Blessed Innocent Guz; Christian feast day: Marcellin Champagnat; Christian feast day: Blessed Maria Laura Mainetti; Christian feast day: Rafael Guízar y Valencia; Christian feast day: Norbert; Christian feast day: June 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); D-Day Invasion Anniversary; Engineer's Day in Taiwan; Korean Children's Union Foundation Day in North Korea; Memorial Day in South Korea; National Day of Sweden, marking the end of the Kalmar Union and the coronation of King Gustav Vasa; National Huntington's Disease Awareness Day in the United States; Queensland Day; UN Russian Language Day

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