The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The BATTLE OF SUNDA STRAIT - 1942 - Jan 10th, 2003

http://www.microworks.net/pacific/battles/sunda_strait.htm ^ | Vincent P. O'Hara

[SAMWolf]

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The Lonely Ships

This battle was not at all like the battles that had been fought in the previous month, when there were organized squadrons with a general objective facing the enemy. This battle consisted of several of the bigger warships that had survived the Battle of the Java Sea and now tried to escape the trap before it closed. Unfortunately, none of these ships would succeed and all went down, usually with heavy loss of life.

The Battle of the Java Sea marked the collapse of Allied seapower in the Dutch East Indies. After the two Dutch cruisers were torpedoed and sunk around midnight the American heavy cruiser Houston and the Australian light cruiser Perth, complying with Admiral Doorman's final order, broke off and fled east making for Tandjungpriok, the port of Batavia. The exhausted crews remained at battle (or action) stations all night, but contrary to expectations, the Java Sea was clear of enemy forces at dawn. Perth, followed by Houston (Captain Waller of the Australian cruiser being senior to Rooks, captain of Houston) made port about noon, but when they tied up at the main dock, the port authorities advised that only 1,000 tons of fuel oil remained and this was being reserved for Dutch ships. After being told that few Dutch ships remained afloat, the authorities permitted Perth to take on 300 tons, bringing her to about 50% of capacity. They determined that Houston had enough fuel to make Australia. The two cruisers were also short on ammunition. Houston had about 50 rounds each for her six operative 8" guns while Perth had only 20 rounds for each of her 6" guns. There was no replenishment available at Tankjungpriok for this critical need.

HMAS Perth

At about 1400 Admiral Helfrich, the Dutch admiral in command of Allied naval forces, ordered the two cruisers to proceed to Tjilatjap on the south coast of Java along with the Dutch destroyer Evertsen. There the Admiral unrealistically hoped to gather the remnants of the ABDA fleet (less the Royal Navy contingent of the Western Strike Force which had been permitted to withdraw to Columbo the day before) and continue the battle. Aerial reconnaissance made as late as 1500 hours on the 28th indicated the western route via the Sunda Strait was clear and that the Japanese invasion fleet was still ten hours steaming time away.

The Western Strike Force (light cruises Danae, Dragon, Hobart and destroyers Scout, Tenedos and Evertsen) had already navigated the Sunda Strait bound for Ceylon after an unsuccessful sweep of the waters north of Batavia on the night of February 27-28. Only Evertsen returned to Batavia after being separated from her British and Australian companions by a storm.

The two cruisers cast off at 1900 on the evening of February 28. Evertsen apparently failed to receive orders instructing her to accompany the cruisers; accordingly she was forced to follow about an hour behind. The cruisers cleared the channel and reached the open sea by 1930 and set course west for the straits and, hopefully, safety.

This was a realistic expectation but for one thing: the intelligence regarding Japanese movements received by Waller and Rooks was faulty. The invasion fleet of 56 transports and a powerful escort that was supposed to arrive off the Straits at approximately 0100 hours on the 1st, several hours after the Allied exit, was actually about four hours ahead of this schedule.



Japanese scout planes observed the Allied cruisers throughout the day on the 28th so their presence close to the invasion beaches should have come as no surprise; yet, the Japanese dispositions seemed to discount the possibility of opposition. The invasion fleet divided into three groups. Ten transports escorted by light cruiser Yura and the 22nd DD DIV (Satsuki, Minatsuki, Fumitsuki and Nagatsuki) sailed for Ajner Lor west of Sunda Strait. The second group, light cruiser Sendai and the 20th DD DIV (Amagiri, Asagiri and Yugiri) split off and made for Semarang, well east of Batavia in central Java. The main force arrived off St. Nicolaas Point, the extremity of Java marking the entrance to Sunda Strait, on the evening of the 28th. Six transports deployed at Merak on the western side of the Point while 27 transports landed the main body of the 2nd Infantry Division at Bantam Bay east of St. Nicolaas Point. Heavy cruisers Mikuma and Mogami,light cruiser Natori and destroyers Shiratsuyu, Shirakumo, Murakumo, Shirayuki, Hatsuyuki, Asakaze and Shikinami deployed at various points north and west of the landing zones, up to a half hour's steaming time away. Fubuki patrolled the eastern approaches while Harukaze and Hatakaze remained in the bay with the transports along with the 1st minesweeper DIV (W1, W2, W3 and W4). Further north and beyond the battle zone the light carrier Ryujo, the seaplane carrier Chiyoda, the heavy cruisers Kumano and Suzuya and the destroyers Isonami, Shikinami and Uranami provided distant cover.

At 2215 Fubuki was about 2,500 yards east of Babi Island (13 miles east and slightly north of St. Nicolaas Point) when she sighted strange ships rounding the island to the east. She shaped a course that took her north of the island and then turned to follow these suspected intruders. Conditions favored a battle. The sea was calm, visibility good and the moon full. As the Allied cruisers rounded Babi, Houston, the lead ship, spotted the lights of Point St. Nicolaas marking the path to safety, and then the dark shape of ships maneuvering dead ahead. Forewarned of the possible presence of Dutch patrol boats, Rooks concluded they were moving too quickly to be friendly and sounded the general alarm. Shortly after at 2244, Perth detected Fubuki which had been following behind for almost a half hour and challenged her by blinker. Fubuki replied with a series of green flashes that Perth correctly interpreted as unfriendly whereupon she opened fire. Fubuki turned, made smoke and launched nine type 90 torpedoes from a range of 3,000 yards. The time was 2245. The Allies realized they had unintentionally stumbled onto the main Japanese landing and opened fire on the ships in the bay.


IJN Mogami

The rest of the Japanese forces were scattered, mostly to the north and west. Once Fubuki fired her torpedo salvo and withdrew north, only Harukaze and Hatakaze were immediately available to shield the transports and their initial activities were passive in nature. Harukaze got under way at 2231 and covered the entrance to the bay with smoke.

Hatakaze plunged into this smoke heading north. The Allied cruisers sidestepped Fubuki's torpedoes by making a tight full circle and resumed their course toward the light that marked the entrance to Sunda Strait and, hopefully, escape, shooting at targets they could only imperfectly see. At 2252 Hatakaze began to return fire. For the first fifteen minutes after the first torpedoes were launched, Houston and Perth were the superior force, but at 2300 this position dramatically changed. Shiratsuyu arrived from the northwest and engaged from a position roughly 3,000 to 4,000 yards due north of St.Nichaalos Point. Light cruiser Natori, with Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki opened fire from about 5,000 yards north of the point, charging southwest and rapidly closing range. Asakaze had been cruising north of the point. She joined Hatakaze and Harukaze in a column about 5,000 yards northeast of the point. The heavy cruisers Mikuma, and Mogami followed by Shikinami were still on their way, sailing south were about 10,000 yards north and just east of the point. Finally Shirakumo and Murakumo were steaming hard from the west, but were still 7,000 yards west and north of the point. Houston and Perth were about 5,000 yards directly east of the point and only a few thousand yards northeast of the transports. They turned south, southeast at 2300 under pressure from the increased tempo of Japanese fire and sailed parallel to the transports for about eight minutes inflicting some damage and remaining undamaged themselves. This condition was to rapidly change.


Captain Hector Waller DSO
He was perhaps onr of the Royal Australian Navy's greatest fighting Captains. When the Perth sank, he tried to save as many lives as possible and was last seen in the glare of flames giving orders from the bridge.

At 2308 the Allied cruisers turned northeast as they neared Penang Island. The major portion of the Japanese light forces was heading southeast in three columns: Natori, Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki and finally Hatakaze, Asakaze and Harukaze. Between 2310 and 2319 they laced the waters around the cruisers with 28 torpedoes. The Allies replied with everything they had from 8" to .50 c machine guns and, in the case of Perth, even four torpedoes. The nature of the battle from both perspectives was close and confused. Gun flashes seemed to erupt from all quarters while the waters boiled with phosphorescent torpedo wakes. Houston suffered the first damage, a hit on her bridge that started a small fire. Perth remained unscathed despite the constant illumination and heavy fire. Finally, she took three light hits, but remained essentially undamaged. . She returned fire with 6"guns under independent control and the 4" pumping out star shell, damaging Harukaze on her rudder and Shirayuki on her bridge.

At 2319 the Japanese heavy cruisers finally entered the fray sailing west well off the bay. They fired six torpedoes each at Perth from an estimated distance of about 9,300 yards and then reversed course as they neared Babi Island. At about the same time the Allied cruisers turned back toward the St Nicholaas Point. They were both about out of main battery ammunition and, perhaps, held a final hope of forcing the straits to safety. But this hope grew even fainter at 2322: geysers began to erupt around Houston as the Japanese heavy cruisers opened fire from about 12,000 yards, assisted by the searchlights of their destroyers. Mikuma had to cease fire at 2325 due to a defect in her electric circuits, but was able to resume several minutes later.


Captain Albert H. Rooks, USN, commanding officer of U.S.S. Houston. For his valiant service at the head of his ship until he was slain at midnight on 1st March by shrapnel, Rooks was awarded the Medal of Honor

At 2326 the battle entered its decisive phase. Harukaze and Hatakaze fired five and six torpedoes respectively followed at 2330 by nine each from Shirakumo and Murakumo. Harukaze was probably the agent of the first torpedo to hit Perth. She was making 28 knots when it struck killing all but one of the forward engine crew. . By this time her main batteries were reduced to firing practice shells and her 4" guns star shells. Two more torpedoes, probably from Shirakumo and Murakumo followed at 2335. These hit the forward magazine and aft under X turret. At this point Waller ordered abandon ship, but a fourth torpedo found her before she sank at 2342. Waller went down with his ship. 351 other member of the complement of 686 were lost with their captain. Another 106 crew died as prisoners of war.

While Perth was engaged by the destroyers, Mogami fired six long lances at Houston at 2327. This was one of the most effective torpedo salvos of the entire war. They sped pass their intended target at 48 knots directly into Bantum Bay. At 2335 five explosions erupted almost simultaneously. The army transports Sakura Maru (7,149 tons gross), Horai Maru (9,162 tons) Tatsuno Maru (6,960 tons) and the special vessel Ryujo (Shinshu) Maru (8,160) tons all sank in shallow water, although the later two were subsequent raised. Mogami also sank minesweeper W2 (807 tons full load displacement) in this barrage, although her loss is also credited to action by Houston and a mine.

Houston continued the fight alone. Rooks gave up on the idea of escape and turned his ship back toward the transports. At 2340 Houston suffered her first major damage, a hit in her engine room which massacred the entire crew. Her first torpedo hit, again from the salvo fired by Shirakumo and Murakumo followed shortly after. Nonetheless, she fought on. The action was so close and furious a Houston sailor actually shot out a Japanese searchlight with a rifle. The Japanese appeared to have some trouble separating their target from their own ships. Houston benefited as Japanese ships illuminated each other and their own transports and she was able to damage three destroyers. Harukaze, Shirakumo and Shikinami. But the end was inevitable. At 2250 she was hit on her #2 turret, starting a fire; both magazine were flooded. Finally three torpedo hits followed in quick succession. At 2355 Rooks ordered abandon ship. Five minutes later a bursting shell killed the Captain. In all Houston took 4 to 6 torpedoes, three entire salvos, eleven individual hits and additional hits that may have been shells or torpedoes. Every source mentions her flag was flying as she sank, perhaps quoting an account by a crewman: " . . .a sudden breeze picked up the Stars and Stripes still firmly two blocked on the mainmast, and waved them in one last defiant gesture. Then with a tired shudder she vanished beneath the Java Sea." Only 368 of her crew of 1,061 survived.



On the Japanese side Harukaze was hit by both Houston and Perth suffering 3 KIA and 15 WIA as well as minor damage to her bridge, engine room and rudder . Houston hit Shirakumo. Perth landed a 6" shell on Shirayuki's bridge, inflicting 1 KIA and 11 WIA, Shikinami had minor damage to her prop due to a near miss that reduced her speed to 24 kts.

The Allied cruisers do not appear to have severely punished the transports, certainly not to the extent Mogami did, but it is hard to believe they didn't inflict some damage during their two relatively close range passes against the anchored transports. The Allied survivors of the battle in particular champion the point of view that the Japanese grossly understated their damage and that as many as 15 ships were sunk. The Ryujo Maru was the flag of the commander in chief of the 16th Army, General Imamura. He was directing the landing of the second wave when the explosion from the torpedo hit threw him into the water. He was three hours struggling ashore, but when his aide finally found him sitting on a pile of bamboo, face blacked with oil, he congratulated the general on his successful landing. Regardless of whether four or fourteen transports were sunk, of the disruption and delay caused by Houston and Perth the aide's congratulations were essentially deserved. Imamura accepted the surrender of Java just eight days after he swam ashore. Any landing that resulted in such a swift and decisive result must be considered successful.

In an aftermath to the battle the Dutch destroyer Evertsen, originally ordered to accompany Houston and Perth didn't clear Batavia until 2045. Well behind the Allied cruisers (and unsuccessful in her attempts to contact them) she saw the gun flashes from the battle and attempted to detour around it. She made it into the strait, but, at 0130 Murakumo and Shirakumo, vigilance no doubt enhanced by the events of the previous few hours, caught the Dutch ship in their searchlights. They opened fire and rapidly scored seven hits. The Dutch captain didn't appear to fight very enthusiastically, beaching his command on Sebuku Besar.

Evertsen had only been in commission since December, so her crew as not fully trained, for some reason had only two of her three boilers in operation and she certainly seemed - at best - an unlucky ship.

[SAMWolf]

Aftermath

The battle of Sunda Strait was an unknown one for most of the war. The crews of the ships were taken prisoner and initially, the allies had no idea what happened to them. Only of the Evertsen was known she was beached, as she signalled it to Helfrich, but of the Perth and Houston, no such signal went out. Only the fact that several years later a Japanese transport with Australian survivors of the Perth was torpedoed, and the Australians rescued, shed some light over what happened to the Perth. There was no account of what happened to Houston at that time.

The battle of Sunda Strait is one that symbolizes the whole Netherlands East Indies campaign. It was a battle of struggle against a superior enemy and with the same outcome: the destruction of the allies. The Japanese didn't suffer much damage: no ships were sunk except those by own hands: a minesweeper was hit by a torpedo from heavy cruiser Mogami and was blown to pieces, along with a transport ship, the Sakura Maru. Three other transports were damaged by own torpedoes. Again, the Imperial Japanese Navy triumphed over the Allied navies in a battle, but it would be one of her last

[SAMWolf]

The final act in the slaughter of ABDA occurred off western Java, as the Houston and Perth, fleeing from the debacle in the Java Sea, tried to break out through the Sunda Strait. And as it happened they came upon a Japanese landing force at Bantam Bay, covered by widely dispersed force of cruisers and destroyers. Houston and Perth immediately charged the exposed transports, which were protected at first by the destroyer Fubuki alone. The Allied cruisers were quickly mobbed by the various converging Japanese warships, which fired an unprecedented eighty-seven torpedoes at the two unexpected interlopers. Hit by gunfire and torpedoes, they both were sunk in relatively short order. The Japanese, however, paid the price for their profligate use of torpedoes, because they managed to sink two of their own vessels (a minesweeper and a transport), and severely damaged three more transports with friendly torpedo fire.

[SAMWolf]

'The battle for the "Malay Barrier" reached its climax in the Java Sea. In the opening hours of March 1, 1942, the American cruiser Houston and the Australian cruiser Perth, outnumbered and outgunned by the Japanese, fought to the last in the Sunda Strait. They went down with their guns still firing and were followed hours later by the British cruiser Exeter. The remaining Allied ships were then ordered to make their way to Australia. The Asiatic Fleet was no more, but its heritage of courage and selfless dedication helped spur our Navy to victory in World War II. '

-- President GEORGE W. BUSH,
Proclamation by the President: Asiatic Fleet Memorial Day 6/7/2001

[SAMWolf]

Thanks, Doughty!

[SAMWolf]

[Pippin]

Good Morning, Sam!

[SAMWolf]

Current Military News

.S. Army Sgt. Justin Bryce, 10, (center) was all smiles alongside his brother Pvt. Raymond Bryce (left) of Battery E, 7th Field Artillery Regiment from Fort Drum, N.Y., moments after being presented with a special memento from Capt. Aaron Hill (right), commander of the Fort Belvoir-based Military District of Washington Engineer Company and Spc. Juan Ferero of Headquarters Battalion (top center). Photo by Staff

Youngest Soldier Leaves Huge Impact

By U.S. Army Spc. Casondra Brewster
Fort Belvoir, Va., Public Affairs

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — On Christmas morning in Greene, N.Y., instead of opening gifts, Justin Bryce died. With his death, the Army lost a good soldier. He was a soldier’s soldier. A hero among heroes. And he was only 10 years old.

“Sgt. Justin,” as his Army family lovingly dubbed him, fought an arduous battle with liver cancer. The cancer spread to his brain, but not before he had fulfilled a life-long desire to become a soldier.

In early October the Army and the Make-A-Wish Foundation joined forces to help make Justin’s wish come true.

For just three short days, one of which was spent here at Fort Belvoir, Justin was a soldier. He was enlisted in the Army by top brass at the Pentagon and promoted to sergeant by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack Tilley. He was a natural-born leader, assuming the command of a “top-secret mission” which recovered “sensitive and classified” equipment and information.

“Let’s move out!” he commanded, just moments after being briefed on his mission. And before the day was over, he easily responded with the Army’s traditional, tried-and-true positive answer of “Hooah!”

During his tour of duty, Justin managed to be awarded a Meritorious Service Medal and collect a couple dozen “challenge coins” from every leader he met. Additionally, he was loaded down with certificates of appreciation and achievement, plaques and other keepsakes from his Army “career.”

He also took away a piece of heart from everyone who met him that day. He certainly made me blink back a few tears.

Perhaps more importantly, he made me extra proud to wear “U.S. Army” across my chest. To think that this child could have literally chosen to do anything with his dying wish -- go to Disneyland, take a cruise with his family, or anything else his heart desired. But he wanted to be a “freedom fighter,” he told me when he was here.

Justin followed in the footsteps of his eldest brother, Army Pfc. Raymond Bryce, who is assigned to Battery E, 7th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Drum, N.Y.

During their visit to Belvoir, Sgt. Justin’s mom, Mary Bryce, said she wasn’t completely convinced that Raymond’s career choice was the reason Justin chose his Make-A-Wish wish. However, she said she was proud of both of her “soldiers.” “Besides, soldiers get to do cool things, and they get such awesome equipment,” Justin said.

You know what, Sergeant, you’re absolutely right!

Sgt. Justin embodied the teaching spirit of any good Army noncommissioned officer, too. He taught me quite a few things during our short tour of duty together.

Besides giving me that added sense of pride in being a soldier, he taught me that our missions are crucial to the entire nation and that without the Army so many dreams, wishes and desires would never have an opportunity to come true.Sgt. Justin taught me that even the smallest person can have a big impact. He showed me that no matter how awful you feel, you can still smile and carry on.

He reminded me that life is short, and you need to do what you love to do and be close to those you love. Fortunately, unlike some soldiers during times of battle, Justin died with his family surrounding him. He also will be wearing his custom set of battle dress uniform, identification tags, and highly polished boots to his final resting place.

Now, because up-state New York resembles a quasi-frozen tundra, little Justin will not be buried until the spring. As his fellow comrade-in-arms, I’d like to go and show an Army family face at his burial.

However, other missions will probably pull me out of the continental United States before the ground thaws. So, I’d like to invite other members of the Belvoir Army family to stay close to the Bryce situation and show support for Sgt. Justin’s family at his burial this spring. At a minimum, I’d like to invite all of you to send cards, letters or memorial donations. Correspondence for the Bryce family may be sent to: The Bryce Family, P.O. Box 104, Oxford, NY 13830. Justin’s mom can be contacted via e-mail at MaryBryce2002@aol.com .

Memorial donations can be made to any of the following: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central New York, Suite 900, Money Tower #2120 Madison St., Syracuse, NY 13202; or Ronald McDonald House of Delaware,1901 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Del., 19803.

Other memorial requests can be found on Justin’s Web site at www.caringbridge.org/ny/justinbryce/index.htm. Currently, there’s a posting on the Web site that says Justin has earned his “Angel Wings.” I say he earned them a long time ago. When Taps plays tonight, I’ll be thinking of little-but-strong and big-hearted Sgt. Justin Bryce.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Pippin.

[GailA]

Morning ALL

[Fiddlstix]

Good Morning Everybody.

You Know The Drill
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Coffee & Donuts J

[SAMWolf]

Good morning GailsA, Fiddlstix.

Always a pleasure to see you visit the Foxhole.

[SAMWolf]

Flags crown memorial to sunken ship
Monument honors USS Houston crew

By LISA M. CHMIOLA
1997 Houston Chronicle

Five American flags flew high over Sam Houston Park in downtown Saturday, signaling the completion of the USS Houston memorial.

The $38,000 addition of red granite pavement and flagpoles surrounding the 15-foot-tall monument completed the memorial, which honors the 1,065-man crew aboard the Houston when it was sunk by the Japanese March 1, 1942.

"The monument represents a place for (the survivors) to come and be with their families," said retired Navy Capt. Carl Ragsdale, chairman of the USS Houston Foundation.

The foundation is a voluntary 10-person committee of Texas Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States members and was responsible for seeing the memorial project to its completion.

About 102 of the Houston's 368 survivors are still alive. When sunk, the ship was attempting to slip through the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

Survivors of the Houston were held as Japanese prisoners "in forced labor, without medicine or care (and) near starvation," Ragsdale said.

Saturday's completion ceremony consisted of a short prayer for members of the Houston crew.

The monument, dedicated Nov. 11, 1995, is also a place for families to honor loved ones lost when the Houston sunk, said retired Navy Capt. Carter Conlin, a foundation member who was responsible for writing the historical information about the Houston appearing on the monument.

Fellow member retired Navy Capt. Rodney Koenig said, "It's a very visible monument to a very brave group of people."

The monument is not only important for survivors and families to visit, but also for hundreds of Houston-area schoolchildren, since children were instrumental in raising funds to construct the Houston's replacement ship, Ragsdale said.

Eventually, four of the five American flags will be replaced with flags honoring those from Texas, Australia, Britain and the Netherlands "who fought with the USS Houston crew," Ragsdale said.

[Fiddlstix]

Thanks SAM J

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[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on January 10:
1502 Hendrik Niclaes German/Dutch merchant/cult leader (Children of God)
1628 Jan Theunisz Blanckerhoff [Jan Maet], seascape painter)
1635 Willem à Brakel Frisian theologist (Reasonable religion)
1638 Niels Stensen Danish astronomer
1644 Louis Boufflers marshall of France
1683 Gasparo Visconti composer
1701 Johann Caspar Simon composer
1738 Ethan Allen Revolutionary War fighter (led the Green Mountain Boys)
1747 Abraham L Breguet French clock maker
1760 Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg composer
1766 Louis Massonneau composer
1768 James Varicick 1st AME Zion Bishop
1769 Michel Ney French marshal (Waterloo)
1780 M Heinrich C Lichtenstein German zoologist
1797 A V Droste-Hülshoff writer
1814 Aubrey de Vere Irish writer (Victorian Observer)
1815 Alexander Brydie Dyer Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1874
1815 Thomas Williams Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
1825 Alexander Travis Hawthorn Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1899
1834 John Acton English historian/MP
1854 Peter Gast composer
1855 Peter J Blok Dutch historian (History of the Dutch People)
1858 Heinrich Zille German cartoonist (Cheerful Blätter, Simplicissimus)
1864 George Washington Carver agricultural scientist (estimate date - actual birthdate unknown)
1867 Gerhard Anschütz German MP
1871 Enrica Freiin von Handel-Manzetti Austrian author (Jesse & Maria)
1876 Johannes W "Jan" Eisenloeffel Dutch goldsmith
1877 Frederick Gardner Cottrell inventor (electrostatic precipitator)
1880 Eduard M Meijers Dutch lawyer (Short Cause)
1880 French van Cauwelaert Flemish minister/mayor of Antwerp
1880 Grock [Adrien Wettach], Swiss clown/circus director
1880 Manuel Azaña y Díaz PM/President of 2nd Spanish republic (1936-39)
1882 Charles Trowbridge Vera Cruz Mexico, actor (Fatal Hour)
1883 Aleksei Tolstoi Russian poet/writer (Pjotr Peroyj)
1883 Florence Reed Philadelphia PA, silent film actress (Dancing Girl)
1883 Francis X Bushman Norfolk VA, silent film actor (Ben Hur, Spy's Defeat)
1884 James Philip Dunn composer
1886 Jose Antonio de Donostia composer
1887 Robinson Jeffers US, poet/playwright (Tamar & Other Poems, Medea)
1888 Emile van Bosch Dutch revue/operetta-artist (Fair Folks)
1890 Douglas MacLean Philadelphia PA, silent film comedian/producer (Going Up)
1890 Ernest Milton San Francisco CA, actor (Cat Girl, Fiddler's Three)
1891 Jos Speybrouck Flemish painter
1892 Dumas Malone Mississippi, historian (Jefferson & His Time)
1894 Reginald Denham London England, Broadway director (Obsession, The Bad Seed)
1897 Albert Moeschinger composer
1898 Sergei M Eisenstein Russian director (Alexandr Nevski)
19-- Bonnie Hellman San Francisco CA, actress (Penny Brooks-Nurse)
1901 Pauline Starke Joplin MO, actress (Dante's Inferno, Dance Magic)
1903 Jean Morel Abbeville France, conductor
1903 Barbara Hepworth English abstract sculptor/actress (Rescued by Rover)
1903 Jens A Schade Danish writer (Schadebogen, Losses Højsang)
1904 Ray Bolger Dorchester MA, actor/dancer (Wizard of Oz)
1904 Jesus Garcia Leoz composer
1908 Paul Henreid Trieste, actor (Casablanca, 4 Horsemen of Apocalypse)
1908 Bernard Lee London England, actor (M in James Bond movies)
1909 Grace Mitchell educator
1909 Rudolf Kubin composer
1910 Dorothy Stroud garden historian
1910 Galina Ulanova St Petersburg Russia, ballerina (Bolshoi)
1910 Jean Martinon Lyons France, conductor/composer
1911 Jan Boon [Tjalie Robinson], Dutch East Indies publicist (Tong Tong)
1913 Gustav Husak President of Czechoslovakia (1975-89)
1913 Haywood Frank Henry sax player
1914 Polly Rowles Philadelphia PA, actress (Aunt Laurie-Jamie)
1914 Claude Gallimard France, publisher
1915 Dean Dixon Zug Switzerland, conductor
1917 Jerry Wexler music producer (Aretha Franklin/Bob Dylan)
1920 Georges Marchal Nancy France, actor (Evil Eden, Gina, Milky Way)
1923 Ingeborg Drewitz writer
1924 Ludmilla Chiraeff ballet dancer
1925 Maxwell Roach composer
1926 June Haver Mrs Fred MacMurray/actress (Dolly Sisters)
1927 Gisele MacKenzie Winnipeg Manitoba, singer/actress (Your Hit Parade)
1927 Lee Philips Brooklyn NY, actor (Ellery Queen)
1927 Johnnie Ray Dallas OR, pop singer (Cry)
1928 Donald Brooks fashion designer (Emmy 1983)
1928 Wallace Berry composer
1930 Byron "Wild Child" Gipson blues singer
1930 Roy E Disney CEO (Disney)
1931 Alexander L "Alex" Boraine South Africa vicar/MP
1931 Ron Galella celebrity photographer (sued by Jackie O)
1933 Akira Miyoshi composer
1933 Leonard John Coldwell cricket bowler (England medium-fast in 7 Tests 1962-64)
1935 Ronnie Hawkins Ark, rocker (The Band-Who Do You Love?)
1935 Sherrill Milnes Hinsdale IL, baritone
1935 Georg Katzer composer
1938 Francis W "Frank" Mahovlich NHL Hall of Famer (Montréal Canadiens)
1938 Ivan Twigden English contractor/multi-millionaire (Twigden PLC)
1938 Willie "Stretch" McCovey 1st baseman (San Francisco Giant #44)
1939 Bill Toomey Philadelphia PA, decathlon champ (Olympics-gold-1968)
1939 Sal Mineo New York City NY, actor (Exodus, Rebel Without a Cause)
1940 Harry Gant NASCAR driver
1942 Aleksandr Yakovlevich Petrushenko Russia, cosmonaut
1942 Jack Regan broadcaster
1942 Walter Hill director (48 Hours, Extreme Prejudice)
1943 Jim Croce Philadelphia PA, singer/songwriter (Time in a Bottle, Bad Bad Leroy Brown)
1945 Frank Sinatra Jr Jersey City NJ, singer/bandleader (Golddiggers)
1945 Rod Stewart London England, singer (Maggie Mae, Da Ya Think I'm Sexy)
1946 Alexis Nihon Jr Bahamas, wrestler (Olympics-1968)
1946 Aynsley Dunbar rocker (Journey, Jefferson Starship)
1946 Bob Lang rock bassist (Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders)
1947 George Alec Effinger US, sci-fi author (Nick of Time)
1948 Cyril Neville US singer/percussionist (Neville Bros-Yellow Moon)
1948 Donald Fagen Passaic NJ, rock vocalist/keyboardist (Steely Dan-Peg)
1948 William Sanderson Memphis TN, actor (Larry-Newhart, Deuce-Babylon 5, Blade Runner)
1949 Teresa Graves Houston TX, actress (Laugh-in, Get Christie Love)
1949 Walter S Browne US chess champion (1974-78, 1980-84)
1949 George Foreman Marshall TX, world heavyweight boxing champ (1973-74, 95)
1951 Kathleen Bradley Youngstown Oh, model (Price is Right)
1952 Scott Thurston keyboardist/guitarist (Motels-Only the Lonely)
1953 Bobby Rahal Indy-car racer (over 15 wins)
1953 Pat Benatar [Andrezejewski], Brooklyn NY, singer (Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Hell Is for Children)
1955 Luci Martin rocker vocalist (Chic)
1955 Michael Schenker heavy metal rocker (McAuley Schenker Groups-Coming on Strong, Scorpions)
1957 Robert Thompson Houston TX, Nike golfer (1990 Boise Open-2nd)
1958 Shawn Colvin singer/guitarist
1959 Chandra Cheesborough Jacksonville FL, 4X100 runner (Olympics-gold-84)
1959 Don Letts rocker (Big Audio Dynamite)
1959 Kirk & Curtwood musician (Meat Puppets)
1961 Nadja Salerni-Sonnenberg Rome Italy, concert violinist
1961 Evan Handler New York City NY, actor (Dear Mr Wonderful)
1961 Janet Jones Bridgeton MO, actress (American Anthem, Flamingo Kid)
1962 Jim Lindeman US baseball outfielder (New York Mets)
1963 Frank Wijnhoven Dutch soccer player (NEC, Treffers)
1964 Krista Tesreau St Louis MO, actress (Mindy-Guiding Light, Tina-OLTL, Silk Stalkings)
1965 Nathan rocker (Brother Beyond-Can You Keep a Secret)
1965 James Washington NFL safety (Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins)
1967 Mick Hankers Dutch dancer (Josephine, Sound of Motown)
1967 Micky Michelle [Ingrid Hankers], Dutch dancer (Josephine)
1967 Trini Alvarado actor (Frighteners)
1968 Lyle Menendez NY, accused of killing his parents (Menendez Brothers)
1968 Malcolm Showell WLAF defensive end (Amsterdam Admirals)
1969 Doug E Doug rapper/comedian (Operation Dumbo Drop, Jungle Fever)
1969 Juanita Clayton Manitou Manitoba, softball catcher (Olympics-96)
1970 Cameron MacKenzie Australian 100m/200m/400m (Olympics-96)
1970 Deon Figures NFL cornerback/PR (Pittsburgh Steelers)
1970 James Wilson WLAF defensive end (Rhein Fire)
1971 Guylaine Cloutier Levis Québec Canada, 100m breast stroke swimmer (Olympics-4-92, 96)
1971 Sergi Bruguera Italy, tennis star
1972 Thomas Lewis NFL wide receiver (New York Giants)
1973 Berry Radstraat Dutch soccer player (NEC, SCH)
1973 Glenn Robinson Gary IN, NBA forward (Milwaukee, Olympics-gold-96)
1973 Travis Davis NFL strong safety (New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars)
1974 Andre Kirwan CFL receiver (Toronto Argonauts)
1974 Hollis Thomas defensive tackle (Philadelphia Eagles)
1975 Shannon Kavanaugh Boston MA, rocker (Ivory Soul)
1979 Chris H E Smith [Daddy Mack], Atlanta, rapper (Kris Kross-Warm it Up)
2418 8 Henry King US, director (Jesse James, 12 O'Clock High)

---

Deaths which occurred on January 10:
0681 Agatho Sicilian pope (678-81), dies
0866 Lin-chi I-hsuan [J Rinzai Gigen], Zen teacher, dies
0976 John I Tzimisces co-emperor of Byzantium (969-76), dies at 51
1271 Otto II the Lame, Earl of Gelre, dies
1276 Gregorius X [Tedaldo Visconti], pope, dies
1542 Gerardus Noviomagus [Gerrit Geldenhauer], Dutch theologist, die at 59
1645 William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, beheaded for treason at 71
1674 Jacob de Witt Dutch mayor (Dordrecht)/MP, dies at 84
1754 Daniel Raap Dutch porcelain salesman/politician, dies at about 51
1768 Charles Cressent French court furniture maker, dies at 82
1775 Jemeljan Pugatshov Russian kosak leader/"czar Peter III", dies
1778 Carolus Linnæus "Carl von Linné" Swedish botanist/explorer/"Father of Taxonomy", dies at 70
1780 Francesco Antonio Vallotti Italian organist/composer, dies at 82
1789 Pierre Lyonet Dutch zoologist/cryptologist, dies at 82
1792 Jean-Louis Laruette composer, dies at 60
1800 Johan Wikmanson composer, dies at 46
1811 Marie-Joseph de Chénier French poet (Chant du Départ), dies at 46
1824 Victor Emanuel I king of Sardinia (1802-21), dies at 64
1833 Adrien Marie Legendre dies
1833 Antoinio da Silva Leite composer, dies at 73
1846 Etienne P de Senancour French writer (De l'Amour), dies at 75
1855 Mary Russell Mitford English playwright/poet (Julian), dies at 67
1862 Samuel Colt inventor (6 shot revolver), dies at 47
1871 Pierre A du Terrail French writer, dies at 41
1876 Charles EH de Coussemaker Belgian musicologist/historian, dies at 70
1889 Martin Andreas Udbye composer, dies at 68
1892 Heinrich Ludwig Egmont Dorn composer, dies at 91
1895 Benjamin Louis Paul Godard composer, dies at 45
1899 Gerard Keller Dutch writer (Vlugmaren), dies at 69
1908 Anna S Barbiers Dutch actress (Klaasje Zevenster), dies at 65
1917 Buffalo Bill Cody army scout & Indian fighter, dies
1927 August(us) Allebé Dutch painter/lithograph, dies at 88
1934 Marinus van der Lubbe Dutch communist, beheaded in Berlin at 24
1935 Charlie McGahey cricket (MCC tour of Australia 1901-02 cured his tuberculosis), dies
1935 Edwin H Flack English 800/1500m runner (Olympics-gold-1896), dies at 60
1936 Charles Wright cricketer (3 Tests England vs South Africa 1895-96), dies
1938 Willem de Vreese Flemish linguist, dies at 68
1939 Jameson Thomas actor (Piccadilly, Farmer's Wife), dies at 50
1939 Julius Bittner Austria composer (Missa Austriaca, Little Violet), dies at 64
1941 Frank Bridge English violinist/composer (Sea), dies at 61
1941 Joseph Schmidlin German church historian, murdered at 67
1943 Agustin P Justo y Rolon President of Argentina (1931-38), dies at 66
1943 J Arthur S Berson Austrian meteorologist, dies at 83
1945 Rudolf Borchardt writer, dies at 67
1951 Athos Palma composer, dies at 59
1951 Harry Sinclair Lewis US writer (Nobel 1930), dies at 65
1953 Theo Mackeben German pianist/composer (Golden Cage), dies at 56
1954 Fred Raymond composer, dies at 53
1956 Henricus P Bremmer Dutch art historian (Beeldende Kunst), dies at 84
1956 Karl L Schmidt German/Swiss theologist (Urchristentum), dies at 64
1957 Gabriela Mistral Chilean poet (Nobel Prize 1945), dies at 67
1958 Charles de Trooz Belgian writer, dies at 52
1961 Dashiell Hammett author (Maltese Falcon, Thin Man), dies from throat cancer at 66
1963 Tadeusz Szeligowski composer, dies at 66
1964 A Marja Dutch author (Man of Day & Night), dies at 46
1966 George Cresswell cricketer (Took 13 wickets in 3 Tests for New Zealand), suicide
1966 Hermann Kasack writer, dies at 69
1967 Emerson Treacy actor (Prowler), dies after surgery at 66
1967 Vilem Petrzelka composer, dies at 77
1968 Howard Smith actor (Harvey Griffin-Hazel), dies at 74
1968 Basil Sydney actor (Hamlet, Simba), dies of pleurisy at 73
1968 Josue Teofilo Wilkes composer, dies at 85
1968 Louis-François-Marie Aubert French composer (La Momie), dies at 90
1968 Theophilus E Dönges South African Internal minister, dies at 69
1970 Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev USSR, cosmonaut (Voskhod II), dies at 44
1971 Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel French fashion designer, dies at 87
1972 Al Goodman Russian/US orchestra leader (NBC Comedy Hour), dies at 81
1972 Georg Rendl Austrian miner/bee-keeper (Satan on Earth), dies at 68
1972 Sverre Jordan composer, dies at 82
1976 Chester Arthur Burnett US blues pianist/harmonica player, dies at 65
1976 Howlin' Wolf singer/guitarist, dies following brain surgery at 65
1978 Don Gillis US composer (Symphony #5½), dies at 65
1978 John D Rockefeller III US billionaire/philanthropist, dies at 71
1978 Pedro Joaquín Chamorro of La Prensa, assassinated in Managua
1978 Zeb Turner country-rock performer (Chew Tobacco Rag), dies at 62
1980 George Meany labor leader, dies at 85
1981 Richard Boone actor (Paladin-Have Gun Will Travel), dies at 63
1982 Paul Lynde comedian/actor (Uncle Arthur-Bewitched, Bye Bye Birdie, Bewitched), dies at 55
1982 Lazar Weiner composer, dies at 84
1984 Suvanna Phuma premier of Laos, dies at 82
1986 Joseph Kraft US columnist, dies at 61
1990 Juliet Berto screenwriter/actress (Bastienne Bastien), dies at 42
1990 Yvonne Peattie Marquard actress (Donovan's Reef), dies
1991 Dimitris Myrat dies of cancer at 62
1992 Barbara Couper British actress (Last Days of Dolwyn), dies at 89
1993 Diana Adams ballerina, dies
1993 Noorjahan Begum "adulterous" wife in Bangladesh, stoned to death
1994 Catharina I "Ien" Dales minister of Internal affairs (1989-94), dies at 62
1994 Charles "Chub" Feeney baseball president (National League), dies at 72
1994 Michael Aldridge actor (Murder in the Cathedral), dies at 73
1995 Elaine Greene literary Agent, dies at 74
1995 Halton Kathleen Tynan writer, dies at 57
1996 Alexander Robertus organic chemist, dies at 88
1996 Arthur Sydney Martin spycatcher, dies at 81
1997 Alvinio Misciano Italian tenor, killed in a fall from a window
1997 Elspeth Josceline Huxley writer, dies at 96
1997 George Young footballer, dies at 74
1997 Hilary Grover Barratt Brown conservationist, dies at 71

---

On this day...
0049 -BC- Julius Cesar crosses the Rubicon, invades Italy
0069 Roman emperor Galba adopts Marcus Piso Licinianus as Cæsar
0236 St Fabian begins his reign as Catholic Pope
0681 St Agatho ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1072 Robert Guiscard conquers Palermo
1356 German emperor Charles I delegates Golden Degree
1429 Order of the Golden Fleece established in Austria-Hungary & Spain
1430 Duke Philip the Good marries Isabella of Portugal
1430 Order of the Guilder forms
1514 Complutensian New Testament in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek & Latin finished
1550 1st sitting of "Vurige Chamber" in Paris
1642 King Charles I & family flee London for Oxford
1663 King Charles II affirms charter of Royal African Company
1731 Charles Farnese becomes duke of Parma/Piacenza
1776 "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, published
1799 Friedrich von Schiller's "Die Piccolomini" premieres in Weimar
1806 Dutch in Cape Town, South African surrender to the British
1808 Herman Daendels succeeds A Wiese as Governor-General of Netherlands Indies
1810 French church annuls marriage of Napoleon I & Joséphine
1811 Louisiana slaves rebel in 2 parishes
1833 Felix Mendelssohn's "Die erste Walpurgisnacht" premieres in Berlin
1839 Tea from India 1st arrives in UK
1840 Penny Post mail system started
1845 Poets Elizabeth Barrett & Robert Browning begin corresponding
1853 Charles Reade's "Gold" premieres in London
1861 US forts & property seized by Mississippi
1861 Florida becomes 3rd state to secede from US
1861 Fort Jackson & Fort Philip are taken over by Los Angeles state troops
1862 Battle of Big Sandy River KY (Middle Creek)
1862 Battle of Romney WV
1863 1st underground railway opens in London
1863 General McClernand's Union troops surround Fort Hindman AR
1863 January-uprising begins in Poland
1870 Georgia legislature reconvenes
1870 John D Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil
1878 US Senate proposes female suffrage
1883 Fire at uninsured Newhall Hotel in Milwaukee WI kills 71; General Tom Thumb of P T Barnum fame, escapes unhurt
1889 Ivory Coast declared a protectorate of France
1890 Edward Macdowell's "Lancelot & Elaine" premieres
1890 Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Sapientiae Christianae
1893 Richard Drigo's ballet "The Magic Flute" premieres, St Petersburg
1897 Henrik Ibsen's "John Gabriel Borkman" premieres in Helsingfors
1897 Vincent d'Indy's "Istar" premieres in Amsterdam & Brussels
1900 Lord Roberts & Lord Kitchener reach Capetown
1901 Oil discovered at Spindletop claim near Beaumont, Texas
1902 Alphons Diepenbrock's "Te Deum" premieres (Amsterdam)
1910 1st international air meet in US held, in Los Angeles
1910 Lunt-Fontanne Theater (Globe) opens at 205 W 46th St New York City NY
1911 1st photo in US taken from an airplane, San Diego
1911 Honduras signs treaty turning over customs to US (not ratified)
1911 Trumper scored double cricket ton vs South Africa, goes on to get 214
1912 Caillaux government in France resigns
1912 World's 1st flying boat's maiden flight, (Glenn Curtiss in NY)
1914 1st edition of Hague's Post under SF van Oss, published
1914 Oscar Mathisen skates world record 500 minutes in 43.7 seconds in Oslo
1916 Russian offensive in Kaukasus
1920 League of Nations' 1st meeting, Treaty of Versailles in effect
1920 Montréal Canadiens (14) & Toronto St Patricks (7) score NHL record 21 goals
1920 Silver reaches record $1.37 an ounce
1923 Last US troops leave Rhineland (Germany)
1923 Lithuania seizes & annexes country of Memel
1925 Miriam (Ma) Ferguson sworn in as Texas Governor, nation's 2nd woman governor
1925 France-Saarland forms
1927 Fritz Lang's Metropolis premieres
1928 Soviet Union orders exile of Leon Trotsky
1928 G/I Gershwin/Romberg/Wodehouse's musical "Rosalie" premieres in New York City NY
1929 Elmer Rice's "Street Scene" premieres in New York City NY
1930 Mordovian Autonomous Region in RSFSR constituted
1930 Commencement of New Zealand's 1st Test, vs England Christchurch
1930 Maurice Allom takes Test hat-trick England vs New Zealand Christchurch
1931 Philadelphia Quakers defeat Montréal, ends NHL-record 15-game losing streak
1932 "Mickey Mouse" & "Silly Symphony" comics syndicated
1932 "Pete the Tramp" cartoon strip by C D Russell debuts
1935 Actress Mary Pickford marries actor Douglas Fairbanks
1938 Eduard van Beinum becomes world's 1st conductor at Concert Hall
1938 Jean Anouilh's "La Sauvage" premieres in Paris
1938 Paul Vincent Carroll's "White Seed" premieres in New York City NY
1939 Bradman hits 186 South Africa vs Queensland before Christ catches him at short-leg
1941 Joseph Kesselring's "Arsenic & Old Lace" premieres in New York City NY
1941 Seyss-Inquart begins registration of Jews
1942 Japan invades North-Celebes, Dutch East Indies
1943 1st US President to visit a foreign country in wartime-FDR leaves for Casablanca, Morocco
1943 Russian offensive against German 6th/4th Armies near Stalingrad
1944 1st mobile electric power plant delivered, Philadelphia
1944 British troops conquer Maungdaw, Burma
1945 Los Angeles Railway (with 5 streetcar lines) forced to close
1945 Baseball writers again fail to elect a new Hall of Famer
1946 UN General Assembly convenes for 1st time (London)
1946 US Army establishes 1st radar contact with Moon, Belmar NJ
1947 Greek steamer "Himara" strikes a wartime mine in Saronic Gulf south of Athens with loss of 392 of 637 aboard
1947 "Finian's Rainbow" opens at 46th St Theater New York City NY for 725 performances
1947 British stop ships Independence & In-Gathering from landing in Israel
1948 "Call Me Mister" closes at National Theater New York City NY after 734 performances
1949 1st Jewish family show "The Goldbergs" premieres on CBS
1949 RCA introduces 45 RPM record
1951 1st jet passenger trip made
1951 UN headquarters opens in Manhattan NY
1952 Jean Anouilh's "La valse des toréadors" premieres in Paris
1953 "My Darlin' Aida" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City NY after 89 performances
1953 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Archibald MacLeish
1953 NFL Pro Bowl National Conference beats American Conference 27-7
1954 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to W H Auden
1956 Elvis records "Heartbreak Hotel"
1957 Anthony Eden resigns & Harold Macmillan becomes PM Britain
1957 Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick rules Bing Crosby can keep token stock in the Detroit Tigers, even though he owns part of Pittsburgh Pirates
1958 Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" reaches #1 on the country and r&b charts, #2 on the pop chart
1960 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Delmore Schwartz
1962 4,000 die in avalanche, Ranrahirca, Perú
1962 Eruptions on Mount Huascaran in Peru destroy 7 villages & kill 3,500
1964 US version of "That Was The Week That Was" premieres
1964 Battles between moslems & hindus in Calcutta
1964 Panama severs diplomatic relations with US
1965 Bollingen prize for poetry awarded to Horace Gregory
1965 NFL Pro Bowl West beats East 34-14
1965 WKBD TV channel 50 in Detroit MI (IND) begins broadcasting
1966 Julian Bond denied seat in Georgia legislature for opposing Vietnam War
1966 India & Pakistan sign peace accord
1967 Edward Brooke, takes (Senator-R-MA) seat as 1st popular elected black
1967 PBS (the National Educational TV) begins as a 70 station network
1967 Dutch Princess Margret marries Pieter van Vollenhoven
1967 Lester Maddox inaugurated as Governor of Georgia
1968 US Surveyor 7 lands near lunar crater Tycho
1969 Pirate Radio Station Free Derby begins operation by Northern Ireland
1969 USSR's Venera 6 launched for parachute landing on Venus
1969 Sweden (1st Western country) recognizes North Vietnam
1970 Preview Center Opens
1971 "Light, Lively & Yiddish" closes at Belasco Theater New York City NY after 87 performances
1971 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Richard Wilbur
1972 Los Angeles Lakers 33 straight win streak snapped, losing to Bucks 120-104
1972 Triple album set "Concert for Bangladesh" released in UK
1972 Sheik Mujib ur-Rahman arrives in Dacca, East-Pakistan
1973 Gas tank on Staten Island explodes, 40 die
1977 20th hat trick in Islander history - Bobby Nystrom
1978 Soyuz 27 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station
1979 1st brother Billy Carter makes allegedly anti-Semitic remarks
1979 Entertainer of the Year Awards
1980 Jim Stewart, Bruin's rookie goalie allows 3 goals in his 1st 4 minutes & a total of 5 in 1st period; he never again plays in the NHL
1980 Last broadcast of "Rockford Files" on NBC
1981 John Severin sets 100-mile unicycle speed record, 9 h 21 m
1981 El Salvador guerrilla group FMLN opens "general offensive"
1982 -17ºF (27.2ºC) in Braemar Grampian (equals UK record)
1982 Bengals beat Chargers in -59ºF (-51ºC) to win AFC championship
1982 Petra Schneider swims world record 1500 meter freestyle (15 43.31)
1983 New York Supreme Court issues a preliminary injunction barring New York Yankees from playing season-opening series against Tigers in Denver
1984 Argentine ex-president/General Bignone arrested
1984 Bulgarian Tupolev 134 crashes at Sofia airport in Bulgaria, 50 die
1984 Clara Peller 1st asks, "Where's the Beef?"
1984 Luis Aparicio, Harmon Killebrew, & D Drysdale elected to Hall of Fame
1984 US establishes full diplomatic relations with Vatican after 117 years
1985 Daniel Ortega Saavedra inaugurated as President of Nicaragua
1986 STS 61-C mission scrubbed T -9m because of bad weather at Kennedy
1986 Palau signs Compact of Free Association with US
1988 "Don't Get God Started" closes at Longacre Theater New York City NY after 86 performances
1990 NCAA approves random drug testing for college football players
1990 "Les Miserables" opens at Mechanic Theatre, Baltimore MD
1990 China lifts martial law (imposed after Tiananmen Square massacre)
1991 US Congress begins debate on Persian Gulf crisis
1991 Japan ends routine fingerprinting of all adult ethnic Koreans
1992 8th Soap Opera Digest Awards
1993 "My Favorite Year" closes at Vivian Beaumont New York City NY after 37 performances
1993 "Sea Gull" closes at Lyceum Theater New York City NY after 48 performances
1993 Maiden flight of Ultrair (Houston to Los Angeles)
1994 Trial of Lorena Bobbitt who cut off her husband's penis, begins
1994 Ukraine says it will give up world's 3rd largest nuclear arsenal
1994 Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan agrees to abolish trade tariffs
1995 "Late Late Show" with Tom Snyder premieres on CBS at 12 30 AM
1996 Israel frees hundreds of Palestinian prisoners
1996 Jimmy Johnson announced as new coach of Miami Dolphins
1997 "Rehearsal" closes at Criterion Theater New York City NY
1997 1st Comet of 1997 Discovered Comet 1997 A1
1997 4,000th episode of "Entertainment Tonight"
1997 Dow Corning provides $2.95 billion to settle breast implant suits
1997 Italy's new 1,000 lire coin shows divided Germany on map
1997 Right-winger Arnoldo Aleman sworn in as President of Nicaragua
1998 18th United Negro College Fund raises (re-broadcasted Jan 17th)

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Switzerland : Meitlisunntig Festival-Woman in Villmergen War (1712) - - - - - ( Sunday )

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Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Feast of St Gonzalvo
Roman Catholic : Feast of St Agatho, Roman Catholic pope (678-81)
Roman Catholic : Feast of St Gregory X, Roman Catholic pope (1271-76)
Anglican : Commemoration of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury
Moslem : 1st day of Ramadan, (1417 AH)

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Religious History
1514 The first section of the Complutensian Polyglot (the world's first multi-language Bible) was printed at Alcala, Spain. (The complete translation was published in 6 volumes in 1517.)
1538 Regarding the doctrine of purgatory, German Reformer Martin Luther reported in a "Table Talk": 'God has placed two ways before us in His Word: salvation by faith, damnation by unbelief (Mark 16:16). He does not mention purgatory at all. Nor is purgatory to be admitted, for it obscures the benefits and grace of Christ.'
1772 Pioneer American Methodist bishop and circuit rider Francis Asbury penned this prayer in his journal: 'Let me sooner choose to die than sin against thee, in thought, word, or deed.'
1858 English poet Frances Ridley Havergal, 21, while on a visit in Germany, penned the verses which later became her first popular hymn: "I Gave My Life for Thee."
1947 U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall prayed: 'May we resolve, God helping us, to be part of the answer, and not part of the problem.'

---

Thought for the day :
"The art of war is simple enough.
Find out where your enemy is.
Get at him as soon as you can.
Strike him as hard as you can,
and keep moving."

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Fiddlstix, I can see the tagline thread is gonna be a "Classic"

[SAMWolf]

1964 US version of "That Was The Week That Was" premieres

I loved the Tom Lehrer songs on that show!

[Soaring Feather]

Wonderful History SAM and all.

[SAMWolf]

Good morning Bentfeather.

[Valin]

You're dating yourself buddy.

That Was The Week That Was (popularly known as TW3, and occasionally as TWTWTW) was a program of topical satire expressed through one-liners, skits, songs, etc. The show aired in the United States on the NBC television network, beginning with a one-hour special in late 1963. The program was picked up as a midseason replacement in the 1963-64 season and ran through the 1964-65 season.
http://pages.prodigy.net/achimes/tw3.htm

[SAMWolf]

I'm a proud member of the "Old Farts Club"