What Happened on September 17, 1939

Historical Events

  • German U-29 sinks British aircraft carrier Courageous, 519 die
  • Poland's President Ignacy Mościck and Prime Minister Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski flee to Romania
  • Soviet Union invades Eastern Poland allowing Germans to advance West, taking 217,000 Poles prisoner, without a formal declaration of war
  • Taisto Mäki of Finland becomes first man to run 10,000 metres in under 30 minutes, in a time of 29:52.6 in Helsinki

US Men's Tennis Open

US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Reigning Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs beats fellow American Welby van Horn 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

US Open Women's Tennis

US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Dual champion Alice Marble beats Helen Jacobs 6-0, 8-10, 6-4


1939 History

Famous Birthdays

  • David Souter, American retired 107th Supreme Court Justice (1990-2009), born in Melrose, Massachusetts
  • Joseph Mosikili, American-born South African broadway actor and singer, born in Amarillo, Texas
  • Lamonte McLemore, American champagne soul vocalist (5th Dimension, 1966-2006 - "Up, Up and Away"; "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"), born in St Louis, Missouri
  • Shelby Flint, American singer-songwriter ("Angel on My Shoulder"; "Cast Your Fate to the Wind"), born in North Hollywood, California
Born in 1939

Famous Deaths

  • Ethel M. Dell, English author (Storm Drift), dies at 58
1939 Highlights

About September 17, 1939

Day of the Week: Sunday
How Long Ago? 84 years, 6 months and 12 days
Leap Year: No

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit
Star Sign: Virgo