Historical Events
- Aug 1 American Federation of Musicians labor union begins a strike over royalty payment disagreements, refusing to perform on commercial recordings. ban lasts over two years
- Aug 1 Nazi German occupiers demand listing of all Dutch telephone subscribers
- Aug 1 Race riots in Harlem, New York City
Event of Interest
Aug 4 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Cairo, Egypt
Event of Interest
Aug 4 Colonel general Jeremenko arrives in Stalingrad and welcomed by Nikita Khrushchev
- Aug 4 German occupier orders all Dutch homing pigeons killed
- Aug 5 British government cancels agreement of Munich
- Aug 5 German troops cross Russian Kuban River in Western Caucasus
- Aug 6 -8] Riots by Dutch Jews
- Aug 6 Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine sinks U-210
- Aug 6 Churchill fires Gen Auchinlek as Middle-East commander
Event of Interest
Aug 6 Hermann Goering proclaims occupied areas "thoroughly empty to plunder"
- Aug 7 1st American offensive in Pacific in WW2, Guadalcanal, Solomon Island
- Aug 7 Dutch resistance bombs Rotterdam railway
- Aug 7 Transport 16 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 8 "Monty" appointed commander of British 8th Army at Alamein
- Aug 8 6 convicted Nazi saboteurs who landed in US executed in Washington, D.C.
- Aug 8 British Flower class corvette HMS Dianthus sinks U-379
- Aug 8 Soviet anti-offensive of Voronezh under Marshal Timosjenko
- Aug 9 CBS radio broadcasts the debut of wartime series "Our Secret Weapon"
Historic Siege
Aug 9 Dmitri Shostakovich's 7th Symphony, dedicated to city of Leningrad, performed in Leningrad by starving musicians and broadcast to German forces over loudspeakers during siege by Nazi forces
Event of Interest
Aug 9 Mahatma Gandhi and 50 others arrested in Bombay after passing of a "quit India" motion and campaign by the All-India Congress
- Aug 9 Vice-Adm Mikawa lands at Guadalcanal, Solomon Island
- Aug 10 200 Jews escape Mir Ghetto in Poland
Appointment of Interest
Aug 10 General Bernard Montgomery appointed commander British 8th Army in North Africa
Event of Interest
Aug 10 Henry J. Kaiser opens the Kaiser Richmond Field Hospital for Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, California, pioneering the Kaiser Permanente health care model
- Aug 11 - Sept 30] SS begins exterminating 3,500 Jews in Zelov Lodz Poland
- Aug 11 999 Jews are taken from Mechelen transit camp in Belgium
- Aug 11 British aircraft carrier HMS Eagle hit by 4 German torpedoed and sinks in the Mediterranean Sea, 81 miles south of Mallorca
- Aug 11 Lt Gen Montgomery makes landing on Gibraltar
- Aug 12 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Moscow for a conference with Joseph Stalin and US representative W. Averrell Harriman
- Aug 12 German 1st tank leader captures Elista, Kalmukkensteppe
- Aug 12 Lt General Bernard Montgomery arrives in Cairo
Manhattan Project
Aug 13 The 'Manhattan Project' commences, under the direction of US General Leslie Groves: its aim - to deliver an atomic bomb
Event of Interest
Aug 14 Dwight D. Eisenhower named commander for invasion of North Africa
- Aug 15 5 hostages executed by Nazis in St-Michielsgestel
- Aug 16 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill travels back to Cairo from Moscow
- Aug 17 Task Force 17 leaves Pearl Harbor under Admiral George Murray on USS Hornet
- Aug 17 Transport #20 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 17 US 8th Air Force bombers stage first independent raid on Europe, attack Rouen, France
- Aug 18 Carlson's Raiders land on Makin, Gilbert islands, kill 350 Japanese
- Aug 19 -20] Winston Churchill visits Field Marshal Montgomery's headquarter in Burg-al-Arab
Event of Interest
Aug 19 World War II: General Friedrich Paulus orders the German 6th Army to conquer Stalingrad
- Aug 19 World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers killed, wounded or captured raiding Dieppe, France
- Aug 20 Dim-out regulations implemented in San Francisco
- Aug 21 Transport #22 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 21 Walt Disney's animated movie "Bambi", based on the book by Felix Salten, is released
- Aug 21 World War II: German soldiers plant the Nazi flag on Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus
- Aug 22 Brazil declares war on Germany, Japan & Italy
- Aug 23 1st US flights to land on Guadalcanal
- Aug 23 Battle of Stalingrad: 600 Luftwaffe planes bomb Stalingrad (40,000 die)
- Aug 23 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill flies back to London from Cairo, Egypt
Johnson Pitches to Ruth
Aug 23 Walter Johnson pitches to Babe Ruth in pregame attraction that draws 69,000 for NYY-Washington MLB doubleheader at Yankee Stadium; raises $80,000 for Army-Navy relief
- Aug 23 World War II: last cavalry charge in history takes place at Isbushenskij, Russia; the Italian Savoia Cavalleria charges Soviet infantry
- Aug 24 Sea battle off Eastern Solomon Islands between United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy
- Aug 24 Transport #23 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 25 SS begins transporting Jews of Maastricht
- Aug 26 7,000 Jews are rounded up in Vichy-France
- Aug 26 Japanese troops land on Milne Bay, New Guinea
- Aug 26 Soviet counter offensive begins in Moscow
- Aug 26 Transport #24 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 27 Cuba declares war on Germany, Japan & Italy
Event of Interest
Aug 27 Soviet woman sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko arrives in Washington D.C., the 1st Soviet citizen welcomed at the White House, by Eleanor Roosevelt
- Aug 28 9th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Chicago Bears 21, All-Stars 0 (101,100)
- Aug 28 Gunther Hagg (Sweden) sets world record for 3,000m (8:01.2)
- Aug 28 Transport #25 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
- Aug 30 Nazi-Germany annexes Luxembourg
- Aug 31 Battle at Alam Halfa: German & Italians assault
- Aug 31 U-boats sink and damage 131 allied ships this month (639,946 tons)
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 André Gagnon, French Canadian pianist and composer, born in Saint-Pacôme-de-Kamouraska, Quebec (d. 2020)
- Aug 1 Giancarlo Giannini, Italian actor (Love and Anarchy), born in La Spezia, Italy
Jerry Garcia (1942-1995)
Aug 1 American rock and bluegrass guitarist, singer-songwriter (Grateful Dead - "Uncle John's Band"; "Ripple"; "Brokedown Palace"), and painter, born in San Francisco, California
Isabel Allende (81 years old)
Aug 2 Chilean-American author (The House of the Spirits, City of the Beasts), born in Lima, Peru
- Aug 2 Leo Beenhakker, Dutch soccer trainer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Aug 3 Mary Ann Esposito, American chef and TV host (Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito), born in Buffalo, New York
- Aug 4 Cleon Jones, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star, World Series 1969; New York Mets), born in Mobile, Alabama
David Lange (1942-2005)
Aug 4 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand (Labour: 1984-89), born in Otahuhu, Auckland
- Aug 5 Chuck Day (also known as "Bing" Day), American session guitarist, bassist and blues performer, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2008)
- Aug 5 Rick Huxley, British rock guitarist (Dave Clark Five - "Glad All Over"), born in Dartford, England (d. 2013)
- Aug 6 George Jung [Boston George], American convicted drug felon whose story was portrayed in the biopic "Blow", born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Aug 7 B.J. Thomas, American singer ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"; "Hooked On A Feeling"; "Growing Pains Theme"), born in Hugo, Oklahoma (d. 2021)
- Aug 7 Caetano Veloso, Brazilian Tropicalismo singer-songwriter, and guitarist, born in Santo Amaro, Brazil
- Aug 7 Carlos Monzón, Argentine boxer (Undisputed world middleweight champion 1970-74, 76-77), born in San Javier, Argentina (d. 1995)
- Aug 7 David Rubinson, American sound engineer, record producer (Herbie Hancock; Santana; The Pointer Sisters; The Clancy Brothers), and film producer, born in Brooklyn, New York
- Aug 7 Garrison Keillor, American writer, humorist and radio personality (A Prairie Home Companion), born in Anoka, Minnesota
- Aug 7 Masa Saito, Japanese wrestler (AWA/WWF/NJPW/CWFI), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2018)
- Aug 7 Tobin Bell, American actor, born in Queens, New York
- Aug 8 Henery Hawk [misspelled as Henry], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "The Squawkin' Hawk"
- Aug 8 Jay David, American musician (Dr Hook & Medicine Show)
- Aug 8 Vardo Rumessen, Estonian classical pianist, musicologist, politician, and independence advocate, born in Pärnu, Estonian SSR, USSR (d. 2015)
- Aug 9 David Steinberg, Canadian comedian and director (End), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Aug 9 Jack DeJohnette, American Jazz drummer (Skyline), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Aug 9 Miguel Littín, Chilean film director (Promised Land, Alsino & Condor), born in Palmilla, Chile
- Aug 9 Tommie Agee, American baseball player (d. 2001)
- Aug 10 Betsey Johnson, American fashion designer (1971 Winnie Award), born in Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Aug 10 Giovanni Lodetti, Italian soccer midfielder (17 caps; AC Milan, Sampdoria, Foggia, Novara), born in Caselle Lurani, Italy (d. 2023)
- Aug 10 Norbert Putnam, American session bassist (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section), and record producer (Jimmy Buffett; Dan Fogelberg; Joan Baez), born in Florence, Alabama
- Aug 10 Speedy Duncan, American football cornerback (Pro Bowl 1971; AFL All-Star 1965, 66, 67; SD Chargers, Washington Redskins), born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (d. 2021)
- Aug 11 Mike Hugg, British rock drummer (Manfred Mann - "Mighty Quinn"), and film composer (Up The Junction), born in Gosport, Hampshire, England
- Aug 11 Otis Taylor, American football wide receiver (Super Bowl IV Kansas City Chiefs; First-team All-Pro & Pro Bowl 1971, 72), born in Houston, Texas (d. 2023)
- Aug 13 (Frank) "Son" Seals, American electric blues guitarist and singer (Nothing But the Truth), born in Osceola, Arkansas (d. 2004)
Hissène Habré (1942-2021)
Aug 13 Dictator of Chad (1982-90) and convicted war criminal, born in Faya-Largeau, Chad, French Equatorial Africa [1]
- Aug 13 Robert Lee Stewart, American Brigadier General and astronaut (STS 41B, 51J), born in Washington, D.C.
- Aug 13 Sheila Armstrong, English soprano, born in Ashington, Northumberland
- Aug 14 Sandy Gilmour, newscaster (Prime Time Sunday), born in Montclair, New Jersey
- Aug 15 Gary Woollard, New Zealand rugby league five eighth (10 Tests; Wellington), born in Waiuku, New Zealand (d. 2021)
- Aug 15 Larry Hartsell, American martial artist, bodyguard, trainer, student of Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto, born in Charlotte, North Carolina (d. 2007)
- Aug 15 Peter York, British rock drummer (Spencer Davis Group), born in Redcar, Yorkshire
- Aug 16 John Challis, British stage and screen actor (Only Fools and Horses - "Boycie"; Green Green Grass), born in Chiswick, England (d. 2021)
- Aug 16 John Meulendijks, Dutch cryptogram maker (People's Daily)
- Aug 16 Les Hunter, American basketball center (NCAA C'ship 1963, Loyola Ramblers; NBA: Baltimore Bullets; ABA All Star 1968, 69; Miami Floridians), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2020)
- Aug 17 John Tyrrell, British musicologist (Leoš Janáček; The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians), born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) (d. 2018)
- Aug 17 Tommy West [Picardo], American record producer (Jim Croce; Anne Murray), and singer-songwriter, born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2021)
- Aug 18 Tommy Carroll, Irish soccer defender (17 caps, Republic of Ireland; Ipswich Town), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2020)
- Aug 19 Fred Thompson, US senator (R-Tenn)/actor (In the Line of Fire), born in Sheffield, Alabama (d. 2015)
- Aug 19 Michiel Patijn, Dutch asst sect of state of Foreign affairs, born in The Hague, Netherlands
- Aug 20 Bernd Kannenber, German race walker (Olympic gold FRG 50k 1972), born in Kaliningrad, Russia (d. 2021)
- Aug 20 Fred Norman, American baseball player (Cincinnati Reds), born in San Antonio, Texas
- Aug 20 Hans-Joachim Klein, German 100m swimmer (Olympic bronze 1964), born in Darmstadt, Germany
Isaac Hayes (1942-2008)
Aug 20 American Southern soul musician, singer-songwriter, Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer ("Theme from Shaft"), and actor (The Rockford Files - "Gandolf Fitch"; South Park -"Chef"), born in Covington, Tennessee
Nancy Richey (81 years old)
Aug 23 American tennis player (Australian Open 1967, French Open 1968), born in San Angelo, Texas
- Aug 23 Patricia McBride, American ballerina (New York City Ballet, 1959-89), artistic director and ballet master (Charlotte Ballet), born in Teaneck, New Jersey
- Aug 24 Howard Jacobson, British novelist (The Finkler Question) and newspaper columnist, born in Manchester, England
- Aug 24 Joe Chambers, American rock guitarist and vocalist (Chambers Brothers), born in Los Angeles, California
- Aug 24 Karen Uhlenbeck, American mathematician and founder of modern geometric analysis (Abel Prize), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- Aug 24 Max Cleland, American politician (U.S. Senator from Georgia, 1997-2003), born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Aug 25 Imogen Hassall, English actress (Countess of Cleavage-Carry on Loving), born in Surrey England (d. 1980)
- Aug 25 Margaret L. Thompson Murdock, American army and first woman to win medal for small bore rifle (Olympic silver 1976), born in Topeka, Kansas
- Aug 25 Nathan Deal, American attorney and politician (Rep-D-Georgia), born in Millen, Georgia
- Aug 25 Walter Williams, American rock vocalist (O'Jays - "Love Train"; Use Ta Be My Girl"), born in Canton, Ohio
- Aug 26 John E. Blaha, American USAF/astronaut (STS 29, 33, 43, 58, 79/81), born in San Antonio, Texas
- Aug 26 Keith Alison, American session and touring guitarist (Paul Revere and The Raiders, 1968-75), and songwriter, born in Coleman, Texas (d. 2021)
- Aug 26 Vic Dana [Samuel Mendola], American singer and dancer ("Red Roses For A Blue Lady"), born in Buffalo, New York
- Aug 26 Yevgeniy Zagorulko, Russian high jump coach (Andrey Silnov, Yelena Yelesina, Anna Chicherova), born in Tyrma, Russia (d. 2021)
- Aug 27 "Chip" Douglas [Hatlelid], American songwriter, arranger, bassist (The Turtles, 1966-67 -"Happy Together"), and record producer (The Monkees), born in San Francisco, California
- Aug 27 Brian Peckford, Canadian politician
- Aug 27 Daryl Dragon, American keyboardist (Captain & Tennille - "Love Will Keep Us Together"), born in Pasadena, California (d. 2019)
- Aug 29 James Glennon, American cinematographer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2006)
- Aug 29 John Heuser, American electron microscopist, born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
- Aug 29 Sterling Morrison, American rock guitarist (Velvet Underground - "Sweet Jane"), born in East Meadow, New York (d. 1995)
- Aug 30 Jonathan Aitken, English politician (Conservative MP), born in Dublin, Ireland
- Aug 30 Pervez Sajjad, Pakistani cricket left-arm spinner (19 Tests 1964-73), born in Lahore, Pakistan
- Aug 31 Barnyard Dawg [George P Dog], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Robert McKimson (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Walky Talky Hawky"
- Aug 31 Carole Wells, American actress (Pistols 'n' Petticoats), born in Shreveport, Louisiana
- Aug 31 Eugenio Trías Sagnier, Spanish philosopher, born in Barcelona, Spain (d. 2013)
- Aug 31 Isao Aoki, Japanese golfer (World Matchplay C'ship 1978), born in Abiko, Chiba, Japan,
Famous Weddings
Janet Leigh
Aug 1 Future American actress Janet Leigh (15) weds childhood sweetheart John Kenneth Carlisle (18) in Reno, Nevada; annulled in December
Ben Bradlee
Aug 8 Journalist Ben Bradlee (20) weds Jean Saltonstall
Famous Deaths
- Aug 2 Friedrich Aereboe, German landlord and agricultural economist, dies at 77
- Aug 3 Richard Willstätter, German chemist (Nobel 1915), dies at 69
- Aug 4 Alberto Franchetti, Italian composer, dies at 81
- Aug 7 Janusz Korczak [Henryk Goldszmit], Polish-Jewish educator and pedagogue (ran an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto), is gassed at Treblinka extermination camp along with the residents of his orphanage at 64
- Aug 7 Richard Gott, British general (commandant of 8th Army), dies in battle at 43
- Aug 9 Edith Stein, German philosopher and Discalced Carmelite nun (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), dies at 50 [1]
- Aug 11 Richard Heinrich Stein, German composer, and music theorist (La musica moderna), dies at 60
- Aug 18 Erwin Schulhoff, Czech-Russian composer and pianist (Ogelala), dies of tuberculosis at 48 in a German concentration camp in Wülzburg, Bavaria
- Aug 21 Kiyoano Ichiki, Japanese colonel (WWII), dies during Battle of Tenaru at 49
- Aug 22 Henry Eichheim, American violinist, composer, organologist, and ethnomusicologist dies at 72
- Aug 22 Mikhail Fokine, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer, dies at 62
- Aug 25 George Edward Alexander Windsor, British nobleman (Duke of Kent), and RAF officer, dies in battle at 39
- Aug 25 Panayot Pipkov, Bulgarian bandmaster, composer, pedagogue, and (with his son) Antarctic glacier namesake, dies at 70
- Aug 25 W van Daalen, opposition leader on Celebes, beheaded
- Aug 31 Georg Von Bismarck, German major general, (Africa Corps), dies in Battle of Alam el Halfa at 51
