Historical Events
- Finnish counter offensive at Petsamo
- Freight train and passenger train head-on collision kills 101 at Markdorf, Germany
- Genthin, Germany rail disaster - 186 die in train wreck as an express has a rear-end collision with a train stopped at the station
Famous Birthdays
- James Gurley, American rock lead guitarist (Big Brother and the Holding Company - "Piece Of My Heart"), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2009)
- Valentin Afonin, Russian soccer defender (42 caps; SKA Rostov-on-Don, CSKA Moscow), born in Vladimir, Russia (d. 2021)
Famous Deaths
- Ma Rainey [Gertrude Pridgett], American singer "Mother of the Blues", dies at 53
Died in 1939 1939 Highlights
About December 22, 1939
Day of the Week: Friday
How Long Ago? 84 years, 4 months and 4 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit
Star Sign: Capricorn
