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On This Day in History — September 18
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Highlights of September 18
- 1981 — While posing as an aristocrat, Belgian serial killer Nestor Pirotte murdered an antiques dealer in Brussels, for which crime he was sentenced to death. Read more
- 1964 — The wedding of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark took place in Athens. Read more
- 1962 — Aeroflot Flight 213 crashed into a mountain near Chersky Airport, killing 32 people. Read more
- 1961 — An aircraft crashed near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including United Nations secretary-general Dag Hammarskjöld. Read more
- 1950 — Korean War: The Korean People's Army retreated from the Battle of the Pusan Perimeter after six weeks of fighting, marking the farthest that the KPA would advance in the war. Read more
- 1948 — The Australian cricket team's Invincibles tour of England concluded; they had played 34 matches, including five Tests, without defeat. Read more
- 1918 — World War I: The Central Powers' defeat at the Battle of Dobro Pole played a role in the Bulgarian withdrawal from the war and led to the subsequent liberation of Vardar Macedonia. Read more
- 1885 — Five Chinese people were lynched outside of Pierce City in the Idaho Territory. Read more
- 1879 — The Blackpool Illuminations (example pictured) in the English seaside town of Blackpool were switched on for the first time. Read more
- 1875 — The Indianola hurricane dissipated over Mississippi after killing around eight hundred people in Texas. Read more
- 1873 — Panic of 1873: The American bank Jay Cooke & Company declared bankruptcy, setting off a chain reaction of bank failures. Read more
- 1870 — Nathaniel P. Langford of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition first observed a geyser in the Wyoming Territory erupting at regular intervals, naming it Old Faithful (video featured). Read more
- 1851 — The New York Times, the largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, was founded. Read more
- 1850 — The United States Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, decreeing that all escaped slaves be brought back to their masters. Read more
- 1796 — War of the First Coalition: General Franz Petrasch's Austrian and Imperial troops stormed the French-held bridgehead over the Rhine river. Read more
- 1048 — Byzantine–Seljuk wars: Byzantine forces defeated their Seljuk opponents in the flanks of the nocturnal Battle of Kapetron, but learned of their Georgian allies' defeat in the centre the next morning. Read more
- 324 — Constantine the Great decisively defeated Licinius in the Battle of Chrysopolis, establishing Constantine's sole control over the Roman Empire and ending the Tetrarchy. Read more
- 96 — Nerva (depicted), the first of the "Five Good Emperors" of ancient Rome, came to power following the assassination of his predecessor Domitian. Read more
Events
- 2016 — The 2016 Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India by terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed results in the deaths of nineteen Indian Army soldiers and all four attackers. Read more
- 2015 — Two security personnel, 17 worshippers in a mosque, and 13 militants are killed during a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan attack on a Pakistan Air Force base on the outskirts of Peshawar. Read more
- 2014 — Scotland votes against independence from the United Kingdom, by 55% to 45%. Read more
- 2013 — A VIA Rail train crashes into a double-decker bus at a train station in Ottawa, Canada, killing six people and injuring 35 others. Read more
- 2011 — The 2011 Sikkim earthquake is felt across northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and southern Tibet. Read more
- 2007 — Buddhist monks join anti-government protesters in Myanmar, starting what some call the Saffron Revolution. Read more
- 2001 — First mailing of anthrax letters from Trenton, New Jersey in the 2001 anthrax attacks. Read more
- 1997 — The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is adopted. Read more
- 1990 — Liechtenstein becomes a member of the United Nations. Read more
- 1989 — An attempted coup d'état against Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaoré is uncovered and foiled. Read more
- 1988 — The 8888 Uprising in Myanmar comes to an end. Read more
- 1988 — General Henri Namphy, president of Haiti, is ousted from power in a coup d'état led by General Prosper Avril. Read more
- 1988 — The Magna Charta Universitatum, asserting key principles essential to the free operation of universities, is signed in Bologna by the rectors of 388 institutions of higher learning, to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna. Read more
- 1980 — A fuel leak from a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile at a USAF base near Damascus, Arkansas, results in an explosion in a missile silo, killing one person and injuring 21 others. Read more
- 1974 — Hurricane Fifi strikes Honduras with 110 mph winds, killing 5,000 people. Read more
- 1964 — The wedding of Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark takes place in Athens. Read more
- 1964 — The first television adaptation of Charles Addams's "The Addams Family" premieres on ABC Television. Read more
- 1962 — Burundi, Jamaica, Rwanda and Trinidad and Tobago are admitted to the United Nations. Read more
- 1962 — Aeroflot Flight 213 crashes into a mountain near Chersky Airport, killing 32 people. Read more
- 1961 — United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld dies in an air crash while attempting to negotiate peace in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more
- 1954 — Finnish president J. K. Paasikivi becomes the first Western head of state to be awarded the highest honor of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin. Read more
- 1950 — Korean War: U.S. Eighth Army and United Nations forces break out of the Pusan Perimeter in southeast Korea. Read more
- 1950 — TV Tupi Difusora, the first television station to broadcast in Brazil, begins transmissions on Channel 3 in São Paulo. Read more
- 1948 — Operation Polo is terminated after the Indian Army accepts the surrender of the army of Hyderabad. Read more
- 1948 — Margaret Chase Smith of Maine becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate without completing another senator's term. Read more
- 1947 — The National Security Act reorganizes the United States government's military and intelligence services. Read more
- 1945 — General Douglas MacArthur moves his general headquarters from Manila to Tokyo. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The British submarine HMS Tradewind torpedoes Jun'yō Maru, killing 5,600, mostly slave labourers and POWs. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: Operation Market Garden results in the liberation of Eindhoven. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The Battle of Arracourt begins. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: Adolf Hitler orders the deportation of Danish Jews. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: The Soviet Union introduces conscription for all males between the ages of 16 and 50.
- 1939 — World War II: The Polish government of Ignacy Mościcki flees to Romania. Read more
- 1939 — World War II: The radio show Germany Calling begins transmitting Nazi propaganda. Read more
- 1934 — The Soviet Union is admitted to the League of Nations. Read more
- 1932 — The body of actress Peg Entwistle is discovered by police, two days after her suicide by jumping off of the Hollywoodland sign. Read more
- 1931 — Imperial Japan instigates the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade and occupy Manchuria. Read more
- 1928 — Juan de la Cierva makes the first Autogyro crossing of the English Channel. Read more
- 1927 — The Columbia Broadcasting System goes on the air. Read more
- 1926 — A hurricane devastates Miami, Florida, killing 372 people. Read more
- 1924 — The U.S. ends its military occupation of the Dominican Republic, after invading in May 1916 to force the Dominican government to pay its debts to European creditors. Read more
- 1922 — The Kingdom of Hungary is admitted to the League of Nations. Read more
- 1921 — Rif War: In Ajdir, Spanish Morocco, a secessionist group of Berbers led by Abd el-Krim proclaim the Republic of the Rif, in rebellion against the Sultan of Morocco and the Spanish Army. French and Spanish forces suppress the Republic by May 1926. Read more
- 1919 — Fritz Pollard becomes the first African American to play professional football for a major team, the Akron Pros. Read more
- 1919 — In the Netherlands, a law granting full voting rights to women is granted royal assent by Queen Wilhelmina. Read more
- 1915 — The Saturday Evening Post publishes the short story "Extricating Young Gussie" by P.G. Wodehouse, featuring the first appearance of Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. Read more
- 1914 — The Irish Home Rule Act becomes law, but is delayed until after World War I. Read more
- 1910 — In Washington, D.C., George Owen Squier demonstrated the first system to allow multiplexing of telephone transmissions, sending a message between two laboratories of the U.S. Signal Corps. Read more
- 1906 — The 1906 Hong Kong typhoon kills an estimated 10,000 people. Read more
- 1898 — The Fashoda Incident triggers the last war scare between Britain and France. Read more
- 1885 — Five Chinese people were lynched outside of Pierce City in the Idaho Territory of the United States. Read more
- 1882 — The Pacific Stock Exchange opens. Read more
- 1873 — The U.S. bank Jay Cooke & Company declares bankruptcy, contributing to the Panic of 1873. Read more
- 1870 — During an expedition to the Wyoming Territory, Henry D. Washburn observes and names the Old Faithful Geyser. Read more
- 1867 — The first provincial election for the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly after Canada's Confederation returns a large majority for the Anti-Confederation Party, led by William Annand, who becomes Premier. Read more
- 1867 — The fourth and current State Constitution of Maryland is ratified by voters. Read more
- 1864 — American Civil War: John Bell Hood begins the Franklin–Nashville Campaign in an unsuccessful attempt to draw William Tecumseh Sherman back out of Georgia. Read more
- 1863 — American Civil War: The Battle of Chickamauga begins between Confederate and Union forces. It involves the second highest amount of casualties for any American Civil War battle apart from Gettysburg. Read more
- 1862 — The Confederate States celebrate for the first and only time a Thanksgiving Day. Read more
- 1860 — Second Opium War: Battle of Zhangjiawan: Now heading towards Beijing after having recently occupied Tianjin, the allied Anglo-French force engages and defeats a larger Qing Chinese army at Zhangjiawan. Read more
Born on September 18
- 2008 — Jackson Robert Scott, American actor Read more
- 2004 — Santiago Castro, Argentine footballer Read more
- 2003 — Aidan Gallagher, American actor and musician Read more
- 2002 — Hugo Bueno, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1998 — Christian Pulisic, American soccer player Read more
- 1998 — Conor Timmins, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1997 — Viktor Hovland, Norwegian professional golfer Read more
- 1995 — Max Meyer, German footballer Read more
- 1995 — Matt Targett, English footballer Read more
- 1993 — Patrick Schwarzenegger, American-Austrian actor and model Read more
- 1990 — Lewis Holtby, German footballer Read more
- 1989 — Serge Ibaka, Congolese-Spanish basketball player Read more
- 1987 — Marwin Hitz, Swiss footballer Read more
- 1987 — Seiko Oomori, Japanese singer-songwriter Read more
- 1985 — Mirza Teletović, Bosnian basketball player Read more
- 1984 — Anthony Gonzalez, American football player and politician Read more
- 1984 — Travis Outlaw, American basketball player Read more
- 1984 — Dizzee Rascal, British hip hop musician Read more
- 1982 — Peter Budaj, Slovak ice hockey player Read more
- 1982 — Alessandro Cibocchi, Italian footballer Read more
- 1982 — Arvydas Eitutavičius, Lithuanian basketball player Read more
- 1982 — Leono, Mexican wrestler Read more
- 1982 — Alfredo Talavera, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1981 — Elke Hanel-Torsch, Austrian politician Read more
- 1981 — Lasse Kukkonen, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
- 1981 — Jennifer Tisdale, American actress and singer Read more
- 1981 — Kristaps Valters, Latvian basketball player Read more
- 1981 — Han Ye-seul, South Korean actress Read more
- 1980 — Mickey Higham, English rugby league player Read more
- 1980 — Avi Strool, Israeli footballer Read more
- 1980 — Petri Virtanen, Finnish basketball player Read more
- 1979 — Daniel Aranzubia, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1979 — Robert Pruett, American criminal (died 2017) Read more
- 1978 — Billy Eichner, American actor and comedian Read more
- 1978 — Iain Lees-Galloway, New Zealand politician Read more
- 1978 — Augustine Simo, Cameroonian footballer Read more
- 1977 — Barrett Foa, American actor, singer, and dancer Read more
- 1977 — Kieran West, English rower Read more
- 1976 — Sophina Brown, American actress Read more
- 1976 — Gabriel Gervais, Canadian soccer player Read more
Died on September 18
- 2026 — Stephanie Cole, English actress (born 1941) Read more
- 2026 — Richard Harrison, American actor (born 1936) Read more
- 2024 — Kesaria Abramidze, Georgian blogger, actress and model (born 1987) Read more
- 2024 — Nick Gravenites, American singer-songwriter (born 1938) Read more
- 2024 — Salvatore Schillaci, Italian footballer (born 1964) Read more
- 2023 — Brereton C. Jones, American politician, 58th Governor of Kentucky (born 1939) Read more
- 2021 — Jolidee Matongo, South African politician, 97th Mayor of Johannesburg (born 1975) Read more
- 2021 — Chris Anker Sørensen, Danish road bicycle racer (born 1984) Read more
- 2020 — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, United States Supreme Court justice (born 1933) Read more
- 2017 — Afzal Ahsan Randhawa, Pakistani writer, poet, translator and playwright (born 1937) Read more
- 2015 — Eduardo Bonvallet, Chilean footballer and manager (born 1955) Read more
- 2015 — James R. Houck, American astrophysicist and academic (born 1940) Read more
- 2015 — Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Argentinian general and politician (born 1930) Read more
- 2014 — Milan Marcetta, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1936) Read more
- 2014 — Earl Ross, Canadian racing driver (born 1941) Read more
- 2014 — Hirofumi Uzawa, Japanese economist and academic (born 1928) Read more
- 2014 — Kenny Wheeler, Canadian-English trumpet player and composer (born 1930) Read more
- 2013 — Veliyam Bharghavan, Indian politician (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Lindsay Cooper, English composer, bassoon and oboe player (born 1951) Read more
- 2013 — Arthur Lamothe, French-Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Ken Norton, American boxer (born 1943) Read more
- 2013 — Marcel Reich-Ranicki, Polish-German author and critic (born 1920) Read more
- 2013 — Richard C. Sarafian, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Santiago Carrillo, Spanish theorist and politician (born 1915) Read more
- 2012 — Haim Hefer, Polish-Israeli songwriter and poet (born 1925) Read more
- 2012 — Jack Kralick, American baseball player (born 1935) Read more
- 2012 — Steve Sabol, American director and producer, co-founded NFL Films (born 1942) Read more
- 2011 — Jamey Rodemeyer, American teenage activist (born 1997) Read more
- 2008 — Leo de Berardinis, Italian actor and director (born 1940) Read more
- 2008 — Mauricio Kagel, Argentinian-German composer and educator (born 1931) Read more
- 2008 — Ron Lancaster, American-Canadian football player and coach (born 1938) Read more
- 2007 — Pepsi Tate, Welsh bass player and producer (born 1965) Read more
- 2006 — Edward J. King, American football player, lawyer, and politician, 66th Governor of Massachusetts (born 1925) Read more
- 2005 — Michael Park, English racing driver (born 1966) Read more
- 2005 — Clint C. Wilson, Sr., American cartoonist (born 1914) Read more
- 2004 — Norman Cantor, Canadian-American historian and educator (born 1929) Read more
- 2004 — Russ Meyer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1922) Read more
- 2003 — Emil Fackenheim, German rabbi and philosopher (born 1916) Read more
- 2003 — Bob Mitchell, English educator and politician (born 1927) Read more
- 2002 — Bob Hayes, American sprinter and football player (born 1942) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Ariadne of Phrygia; Christian feast day:
Constantius (Theban Legion); Christian feast day:
Edward Bouverie Pusey (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day:
Eustorgius I; Christian feast day:
Joseph of Cupertino; Christian feast day:
Józef Kut; Christian feast day:
Methodius of Olympus; Christian feast day:
Richardis; Christian feast day:
September 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of National Music (Azerbaijan); Island Language Day (Okinawa Prefecture, Japan); National Day or Dieciocho (Chile); National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (United States); Navy Day (Croatia); World Water Monitoring Day
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “September 18”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.