On This Day in History — June 8

Highlights of June 8

• 2009 — Two American journalists, having been arrested for illegal entry into North Korea, were sentenced to twelve years hard labor before being pardoned two months later. Read more
• 2008 — Seven people were killed and 10 others were injured in a vehicle and knife attack in Tokyo, Japan. Read more
• 2007 — A major storm caused the bulk carrier Pasha Bulker to run aground in New South Wales, Australia. Read more
• 1982 — Falklands War: The Argentine Air Force attacked the neutral oil tanker Hercules while she was traversing the South Atlantic. Read more
• 1982 — Falklands War: The Argentine Air Force attacked British transport ships (damaged ship pictured) while unloading supplies off Bluff Cove in the Falkland Islands, killing 56 British servicemen and wounding 150 others. Read more
• 1972 — Vietnam War: Associated Press photographer Nick Ut took a Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph of a naked nine-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc fleeing after being burned by napalm. Read more
• 1967 — The Israeli Air Force attacked the U.S. Navy intelligence ship USS Liberty in international waters, killing 34 people and wounding 171 others. Read more
• 1953 — An F5 tornado struck Flint and Beecher, Michigan, causing 116 fatalities, 844 injuries and $19 million in damage during a larger tornado outbreak sequence. Read more
• 1950 — Thomas Blamey became the only Australian to attain the rank of field marshal. Read more
• 1949 — Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian political novel by the English writer George Orwell about life under a fictional totalitarian government, was published. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: The Allies commenced the Syria–Lebanon campaign against Vichy French possessions in the Levant. Read more
• 1929 — Margaret Bondfield became the first female member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom when she was named Minister of Labour by Ramsay MacDonald. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: The Confederate Army won a resounding victory at the Battle of Cross Keys, one of the two decisive battles in Jackson's Valley campaign. Read more
• 1826 — In York, Upper Canada, members of the Family Compact destroyed William Lyon Mackenzie's printing press in the Types Riot after Mackenzie accused them of corruption. Read more
• 1783 — Laki, a volcanic fissure in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption, triggering a major famine and causing widespread fluoride poisoning. Read more
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: British forces defeated the Continental Army at the Battle of Trois-Rivières, the last battle of the American invasion of Quebec. Read more
• 218 — Led by the inexperienced Gannys, Elagabalus's legions defeated the forces of Roman emperor Macrinus at the Battle of Antioch. Read more

Events

• 2023 — Former US President Donald Trump is indicted on federal charges of misusing classified information. Read more
• 2008 — Seven people are killed and 11 more are injured in a massacre in Akihabara. Read more
• 2007 — Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is hit by the State's worst storms and flooding in 30 years, resulting in the death of nine people and the grounding of a trade ship, the MV Pasha Bulker. Read more
• 2007 — Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on STS-117 carrying two truss segments and solar arrays to the International Space Station. Read more
• 2004 — The first Venus Transit in well over a century takes place, the previous one being in 1882. Read more
• 2001 — Mamoru Takuma kills eight and injures 15 in a mass stabbing at an elementary school in the Osaka Prefecture of Japan. Read more
• 1995 — Downed U.S. Air Force pilot Captain Scott O'Grady is rescued by U.S. Marines in Bosnia. Read more
• 1992 — The first World Oceans Day is celebrated, coinciding with the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Read more
• 1992 — GP Express Airlines Flight 861 crashes on approach to Anniston Regional Airport in Anniston, Alabama, killing three. Read more
• 1987 — New Zealand's Labour government establishes a national nuclear-free zone under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987. Read more
• 1984 — Homosexuality is decriminalized in the Australian state of New South Wales. Read more
• 1983 — Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 loses one of its propellers in flight resulting in damage to the flight controls. The Lockheed L-188 Electra makes an emergency landing at Anchorage International Airport and there are no injuries. Read more
• 1982 — Bluff Cove Air Attacks during the Falklands War: Fifty-six British servicemen are killed by an Argentine air attack on two landing ships, RFA Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristram. Read more
• 1982 — VASP Flight 168 crashes in Pacatuba, Ceará, Brazil, killing 128 people. Read more
• 1972 — Vietnam War: Nine-year-old Phan Thị Kim Phúc is burned by napalm, an event captured in a photograph moments later while the young girl is seen running naked down a road, in what would become an iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning photo. Read more
• 1968 — James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. is arrested at London Heathrow Airport. Read more
• 1967 — Six-Day War: The USS Liberty incident: A United States Navy spy ship is attacked by the Israeli Air Force and Navy, resulting in 34 deaths and 171 wounded. Read more
• 1966 — An F-104 Starfighter collides with XB-70 Valkyrie prototype no. 2, destroying both aircraft during a photo shoot near Edwards Air Force Base. Joseph A. Walker, a NASA test pilot, and Carl Cross, a United States Air Force test pilot, are both killed. Read more
• 1966 — Topeka, Kansas, United States is devastated by a tornado that registers as an "F5" on the Fujita scale, exceeding US$200 million in damages. Seventeen people are killed, over five hundred more injured, and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed. Read more
• 1961 — Marriage of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent to Katharine Worsley at York Minster. Read more
• 1959 — USS Barbero and the United States Postal Service attempt the delivery of mail via Missile Mail. Read more
• 1953 — An F5 tornado hits Beecher, Michigan, United States, killing 116, injuring 844, and destroying 340 homes. Read more
• 1953 — The United States Supreme Court rules in District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co. that restaurants in Washington, D.C., cannot refuse to serve black patrons. Read more
• 1949 — George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is published in the United States Read more
• 1943 — World War II: The two-day Battle of Porta between the Royal Italian Army and the Greek People's Liberation Army begins. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy submarines I-21 and I-24 shell the Australian cities of Sydney and Newcastle. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: The Allies commence the Syria–Lebanon Campaign against the possessions of Vichy France in the Levant. Read more
• 1940 — World War II: The completion of Operation Alphabet, the evacuation of Allied forces from Narvik at the end of the Norwegian campaign. Read more
• 1929 — Margaret Bondfield is appointed Minister of Labour. She is the first woman appointed to the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Read more
• 1928 — Second Northern Expedition: The National Revolutionary Army captures Beijing, whose name is changed to Beiping ("Northern Peace"). Read more
• 1924 — British Mount Everest expedition: British mountaineers Andrew Irvine and George Mallory go missing. Read more
• 1906 — Theodore Roosevelt signs the Antiquities Act into law, authorizing the President to restrict the use of certain parcels of public land with historical or conservation value. Read more
• 1887 — Herman Hollerith applies for US patent #395,781 for the 'Art of Compiling Statistics', which was his punched card calculator. Read more
• 1867 — Coronation of Franz Joseph as King of Hungary following the Austro-Hungarian compromise (Ausgleich). Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: A Confederate victory by forces under General Stonewall Jackson at the Battle of Cross Keys, along with the Battle of Port Republic the next day, prevents Union forces from reinforcing General George B. McClellan in his Peninsula campaign. Read more
• 1861 — American Civil War: Tennessee secedes from the Union. Read more
• 1856 — A group of 194 Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the mutineers of HMS Bounty, arrives at Norfolk Island, commencing the Third Settlement of the Island. Read more
• 1794 — Maximilien Robespierre inaugurates the French Revolution's new state religion, the Cult of the Supreme Being, with large organized festivals all across France. Read more
• 1789 — James Madison introduces twelve proposed amendments to the United States Constitution in Congress. Read more
• 1783 — Laki, a volcano in Iceland, begins an eight-month eruption which kills over 9,000 people and starts a seven-year famine. Read more
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: Continental Army attackers are driven back at the Battle of Trois-Rivières. Read more
• 1772 — Alexander Fordyce flees to France to avoid debt repayment, triggering the credit crisis of 1772 in the British Empire and the Dutch Republic. Read more
• 1663 — Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese victory at the Battle of Ameixial ensures Portugal's independence from Spain. Read more
• 1191 — English forces under King Richard I arrive in Acre, joining the already arrived French and German forces of the Third Crusade. Read more
• 1057 — The Byzantine general Isaac Komnenos is proclaimed Byzantine Emperor in opposition to reigning emperor Michael VI Bringas. Read more
• 1042 — Edward the Confessor becomes King of England – the country's penultimate Anglo-Saxon king. Read more
• 793 — Vikings raid the abbey at Lindisfarne in Northumbria, commonly accepted as the beginning of Norse activity in the British Isles. Read more
• 536 — Election of pope Silverius following the death of pope Agapetus I earlier that year. Read more
• 452 — Attila leads a Hun army in the invasion of Italy, devastating the northern provinces as he heads for Rome. Read more
• 218 — Battle of Antioch: With the support of the Syrian legions, Elagabalus defeats the forces of emperor Macrinus. Read more

Born on June 8

• 2004 — Francesca Capaldi, American actress Read more
• 2000 — Jan Paul van Hecke, Dutch footballer Read more
• 1997 — Jeļena Ostapenko, Latvian tennis player Read more
• 1995 — Jean Butez, French footballer Read more
• 1995 — Ferland Mendy, French footballer Read more
• 1994 — Liv Morgan, American professional wrestler Read more
• 1989 — Timea Bacsinszky, Swiss tennis player Read more
• 1986 — Keith Gill, American financial analyst and investor Read more
• 1985 — Alexandre Despatie, Canadian diver, twice Olympic silver 3m springboard silver medallist Read more
• 1984 — Javier Mascherano, Argentine footballer and manager Read more
• 1983 — Kim Clijsters, Belgian tennis player; winner of six Grand Slam tournament titles. Read more
• 1982 — Nadia Petrova, Russian tennis player Read more
• 1981 — Rachel Held Evans, American Christian author (died 2019) Read more
• 1981 — Sara Watkins, American fiddle, ukulele, and guitar player Read more
• 1979 — Derek Trucks, American guitarist, former member of the Allman Brothers band Read more
• 1978 — Maria Menounos, American television personality, professional wrestler, author, and actress Read more
• 1977 — Kanye West, American rapper, producer, director, and fashion designer Read more
• 1976 — Lindsay Davenport, American tennis player Read more
• 1975 — Mark Ricciuto, Australian footballer and sportcaster Read more
• 1974 — Lauren Burns, Australian taekwondo practitioner Read more
• 1971 — Bernard Grech, Maltese lawyer and politician Read more
• 1970 — Gabby Giffords, American politician and advocate for ending gun violence in the United States Read more
• 1970 — Steve Renouf, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1970 — Kelli Williams, American actress and director Read more
• 1969 — David Barnhill, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1967 — Russell E. Morris, Welsh chemist and academic Read more
• 1967 — Kathryn Tickell, English traditional folk musician, Northumbrian smallpipe bagpiper Read more
• 1966 — Julianna Margulies, American actress Read more
• 1965 — Kevin Farley, American screenwriter Read more
• 1964 — Butch Reynolds, American runner and coach Read more
• 1961 — Mary Bonauto, American lawyer and gay rights activist Read more
• 1960 — Neil Baker, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1960 — Mick Hucknall, English singer-songwriter Read more
• 1960 — Thomas Steen, Swedish ice hockey player and coach Read more
• 1959 — Mohsen Kadivar, Iranian philosopher Read more
• 1958 — Louise Richardson, Irish political scientist and academic Read more
• 1957 — Scott Adams, American author and illustrator (died 2026) Read more
• 1957 — Dimple Kapadia, Indian actress Read more
• 1955 — Tim Berners-Lee, English computer scientist, invented the World Wide Web Read more
• 1955 — José Antonio Camacho, Spanish footballer and manager Read more

Died on June 8

• 2024 — Ramoji Rao, Indian businessman, media proprietor and film producer (born 1936) Read more
• 2024 — Chet Walker, American basketball player (born 1940) Read more
• 2023 — Pat Robertson, American televangelist (born 1930) Read more
• 2022 — Paula Rego, Portuguese-British visual artist (born 1935) Read more
• 2019 — Andre Matos, Brazilian heavy metal musician (born 1971) Read more
• 2018 — Anthony Bourdain, American chef and travel documentarian (born 1956) Read more
• 2015 — Chea Sim, Cambodian commander and politician (born 1932) Read more
• 2014 — Alexander Imich, Polish-American chemist, parapsychologist, and academic (born 1903) Read more
• 2014 — Yoshihito, Prince Katsura of Japan (born 1948) Read more
• 2013 — Paul Cellucci, American soldier and politician, 69th Governor of Massachusetts (born 1948) Read more
• 2013 — Yoram Kaniuk, Israeli painter, journalist, and critic (born 1930) Read more
• 2013 — Taufiq Kiemas, Indonesian politician, 5th First Spouse of Indonesia (born 1942) Read more
• 2012 — Charles E. M. Pearce, New Zealand-Australian mathematician and academic (born 1940) Read more
• 2012 — Ghassan Tueni, Lebanese journalist, academic, and politician (born 1926) Read more
• 2010 — Denise Narcisse-Mair, Canadian musician (born 1940) Read more
• 2009 — Omar Bongo, Gabonese captain and politician, President of Gabon (born 1935) Read more
• 2006 — Jaxon, American illustrator and publisher, co-founded Rip Off Press (born 1941) Read more
• 2006 — Matta El Meskeen, Egyptian monk, theologian, and author (born 1919) Read more
• 2004 — Charles Hyder, American astrophysicist and academic (born 1930) Read more
• 2004 — Mack Jones, American baseball player (born 1938) Read more
• 2001 — Alex de Renzy, American director and producer (born 1935) Read more
• 2000 — Frédéric Dard, French author and screenwriter (born 1921) Read more
• 1998 — Sani Abacha, Nigerian general and politician, 10th President of Nigeria (born 1943) Read more
• 1998 — Maria Reiche, German mathematician and archaeologist (born 1903) Read more
• 1997 — George Turner, Australian author and critic (born 1916) Read more
• 1997 — Karen Wetterhahn, American chemist and academic (born 1948) Read more
• 1995 — Juan Carlos Onganía, Argentine general and politician, 35th President of Argentina (born 1914) Read more
• 1987 — Alexander Iolas, Egyptian-American art collector (born 1907) Read more
• 1984 — Gordon Jacob, English composer and academic (born 1895) Read more
• 1982 — Satchel Paige, American baseball player (born 1906) Read more
• 1976 — Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe, Norwegian zoologist and psychologist (born 1894) Read more
• 1971 — J. I. Rodale, American author and playwright (born 1898) Read more
• 1970 — Abraham Maslow, American psychologist and academic (born 1908) Read more
• 1969 — Arunachalam Mahadeva, Sri Lankan politician and diplomat (born 1885) Read more
• 1969 — Robert Taylor, American actor (born 1911) Read more
• 1968 — Elizabeth Enright, American author and illustrator (born 1909) Read more
• 1968 — Ludovico Scarfiotti, Italian racing driver (born 1933) Read more
• 1966 — Anton Melik, Slovenian geographer and academic (born 1890) Read more
• 1956 — Marie Laurencin, French painter and sculptor (born 1883) Read more
• 1951 — Eugène Fiset, Canadian physician, general, and politician, 18th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (born 1874) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Chlodulf of Metz; Christian feast day: Jacques Berthieu, S.J.; Christian feast day: Jadwiga (Hedwig) of Poland; Christian feast day: Mariam Thresia Chiramel; Christian feast day: Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart (Droste zu Vischering); Christian feast day: Medard; Christian feast day: Melania the Elder; Christian feast day: Roland Allen (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day: Thomas Ken (Church of England); Christian feast day: William of York; Christian feast day: June 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); First Indochina War day (France); Bounty Day (Norfolk Island); Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; Engineer's Day (Peru); Primož Trubar Day (Slovenia); World Brain Tumor Day; World Oceans Day

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