On This Day — February 3

🕰️ Notable Events on February 3

• 2014 — Two people are shot and killed and 29 students are taken hostage at a high school in Moscow, Russia. Wikipedia ↗
• 2007 — A Baghdad market bombing kills at least 135 people and injures a further 339. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Cavalese cable car disaster: a United States military pilot causes the death of 20 people when his low-flying plane cuts the cable of a cable-car near Trento, Italy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Astronaut Eileen Collins becomes the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle as mission STS-63 gets underway from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — After a stroke two weeks previously, South African President P. W. Botha resigns as leader of the National Party, but stays on as president for six more months. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — A military coup overthrows Alfredo Stroessner, dictator of Paraguay since 1954. Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — John Buster and the research team at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center announce history's first embryo transfer, from one woman to another resulting in a live birth. Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Space Shuttle program: STS-41-B is launched using Space Shuttle Challenger. Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — The first day of the seven-day 1972 Iran blizzard, which would kill at least 4,000 people, making it the deadliest snowstorm in history. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — New York Police Officer Frank Serpico is shot during a drug bust in Brooklyn and survives to later testify against police corruption. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — In Cairo, Yasser Arafat is appointed Palestine Liberation Organization leader at the Palestinian National Congress. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — The United States Air Forces begins Operation Looking Glass, and over the next 30 years, a "Doomsday Plane" is always in the air, with the capability of taking direct control of the United States' bombers and missiles in the event of the destruction of the SAC's command post. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan speaks of "a wind of change", signalling that his Government was likely to support decolonisation. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Founding of the Benelux Economic Union, creating a testing ground for a later European Economic Community. Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — The Batepá massacre occurred in São Tomé when the colonial administration and Portuguese landowners unleashed a wave of violence against the native creoles known as forros. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: As part of Operation Thunderclap, 1,000 B-17s of the Eighth Air Force bomb Berlin, a raid which kills between 2,500 and 3,000 and dehouses another 120,000. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The United States and the Philippine Commonwealth begin a month-long battle to retake Manila from Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: During the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, U.S. Army and Marine forces seize Kwajalein Atoll from the defending Japanese garrison. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — The SS Dorchester is sunk by a German U-boat. Only 230 of 902 men aboard survive. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Adolf Hitler announces that the expansion of Lebensraum into Eastern Europe, and its ruthless Germanisation, are the ultimate geopolitical objectives of Third Reich foreign policy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — The Hawke's Bay earthquake, New Zealand's worst natural disaster, kills 258. Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Communist Party of Vietnam is founded at a "Unification Conference" held in Kowloon, British Hong Kong. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — The Twin Peaks Tunnel in San Francisco, California begins service as the longest streetcar tunnel in the world at 11,920 feet (3,633 meters) long. Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — World War I: The United States breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany a day after the latter announced a new policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — The Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada burns down with the loss of 7 lives. Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect an income tax. Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — The Greco-Turkish War breaks out. Wikipedia ↗
• 1870 — The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing voting rights to male citizens regardless of race. Wikipedia ↗
• 1834 — Wake Forest University is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1830 — The London Protocol of 1830 establishes the full independence and sovereignty of Greece from the Ottoman Empire as the final result of the Greek War of Independence. Wikipedia ↗
• 1813 — José de San Martín defeats a Spanish royalist army at the Battle of San Lorenzo, part of the Argentine War of Independence. Wikipedia ↗
• 1809 — The Territory of Illinois is created by the 10th United States Congress. Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — A British military force, under Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty captures the Spanish Empire city of Montevideo, now the capital of Uruguay. Wikipedia ↗
• 1787 — Militia led by General Benjamin Lincoln crush the remnants of Shays' Rebellion in Petersham, Massachusetts. Wikipedia ↗
• 1783 — American Revolutionary War: Spain recognizes United States independence.
• 1781 — American Revolutionary War: British forces seize the Dutch-owned Caribbean island Sint Eustatius. Wikipedia ↗
• 1706 — During the Battle of Fraustadt Swedish forces defeat a superior Saxon-Polish-Russian force by deploying a double envelopment. Wikipedia ↗
• 1690 — The colony of Massachusetts issues the first paper money in the Americas. Wikipedia ↗
• 1509 — The Portuguese navy defeats a joint fleet of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Venice, the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, the Zamorin of Calicut, and the Republic of Ragusa at the Battle of Diu in Diu, India. Wikipedia ↗
• 1488 — Bartolomeu Dias of Portugal lands in Mossel Bay after rounding the Cape of Good Hope, becoming the first known European to travel so far south. Wikipedia ↗
• 1451 — Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. Wikipedia ↗
• 1377 — More than 2,000 people of the Italian city of Cesena are killed by the Condottieri (papal armed forces) in the "Cesena Bloodbath". Wikipedia ↗
• 1112 — Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona and Douce I, Countess of Provence marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on February 3

• 1997 — Paige Mary Hourigan, New Zealand tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Rhap Salazar, Filipino singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Kim Domingo, Filipino actress and model Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Luke Keary, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Nikola Hofmanova, Austrian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Corey Norman, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Peter Pawlett, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Welsh race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Sean Kingston, American-Jamaican singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Martin Taupau, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Slobodan Rajković, Serbian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Cho Kyuhyun, South Korean singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Gregory van der Wiel, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Lucas Duda, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — David Edwards, Welsh footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Mathieu Giroux, Canadian speed skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Kanako Yanagihara, Japanese actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Angela Fong, Canadian wrestler and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Andrei Kostitsyn, Belarusian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Becky Bayless, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Marie-Ève Drolet, Canadian speed skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Paul Franks, English cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Joan Capdevila, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Marek Židlický, Czech ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Isla Fisher, Omani-Australian actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Ilana Sod, Mexican journalist and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Jesper Kyd, Danish pianist and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Hong Seok-cheon, South Korean actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Jayne Middlemiss, English television and radio presenter Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Óscar Córdoba, Colombian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Warwick Davis, English actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Beau Biden, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 44th Attorney General of Delaware (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Retief Goosen, South African golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Vlade Divac, Serbian-American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Marwan Khoury, Lebanese singer, songwriter, and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Tim Flowers, English footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Mixu Paatelainen, Finnish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Frank Coraci, American director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Danny Morrison, New Zealand cricketer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Kathleen Kinmont, American actress, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Maura Tierney, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Indrek Tarand, Estonian historian, journalist, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Raghuram Rajan, Indian economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Linda Eder, American singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Tim Chandler, American bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Marty Jannetty, American wrestler and trainer Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Joachim Löw, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Kerry Von Erich, American wrestler (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Óscar Iván Zuluaga, Colombian economist and politician, 67th Colombian Minister of Finance Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Joe F. Edwards, Jr., American commander, pilot, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Eric Lander, American mathematician, geneticist, and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — John Jefferson, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Nathan Lane, American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Tiger Williams, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Fred Lynn, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Eugenijus Riabovas, Lithuanian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Michael Ruppert, American journalist and author (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Morgan Fairchild, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Grant Goldman, Australian radio and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Jim Thorpe, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Henning Mankell, Swedish author and playwright (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Paul Auster, American novelist, essayist, and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Dave Davies, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Stephen McHattie, Canadian actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Johnny Cymbal, Scottish-American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Bob Griese, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Blythe Danner, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Dennis Edwards, American soul/R&B singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Eric Haydock, English bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Shawn Phillips, American-South African singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Dory Funk, Jr., American wrestler and trainer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Howard Phillips, American lawyer and politician (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Fran Tarkenton, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Michael Cimino, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Victor Buono, American actor (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Emile Griffith, American boxer and trainer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Billy Meier, Swiss author and photographer Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Elizabeth Peer, American journalist (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Bob Simpson, Australian cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Johnny "Guitar" Watson, American blues, soul, and funk singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Juan Carlos Calabró, Argentinian actor and screenwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Paul Sarbanes, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Kenneth Anger, American actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Blas Ople, Filipino journalist and politician, 21st President of the Senate of the Philippines (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Hans-Jochen Vogel, German soldier and politician, 8th Mayor of Berlin Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Shelley Berman, American actor and comedian (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — John Fiedler, American actor (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — E. P. Thompson, English historian and author (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Martial Asselin, Canadian lawyer and politician, 25th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Russell Arms, American actor and singer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Tony Gaze, Australian race car driver and pilot (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Henry Heimlich, American physician and author (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Joey Bishop, American actor and producer (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Helen Stephens, American runner, baseball player, and manager (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Shlomo Goren, Polish-Israeli rabbi and general (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Johannes Kotkas, Estonian wrestler and hammer thrower (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Mary Carlisle, American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Jacques Soustelle, French anthropologist and politician (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Jehan Alain, French organist and composer (d. 1940) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — André Cayatte, French lawyer and director (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Simone Weil, French mystic and philosopher (d. 1943) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — James A. Michener, American author and philanthropist (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1906 — George Adamson, Indian-English author and activist (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Paul Ariste, Estonian linguist and academic (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Arne Beurling, Swedish-American mathematician and academic (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Pretty Boy Floyd, American gangster (d. 1934) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, Scottish soldier, pilot, and politician (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Anni Frind, German lyric soprano (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Mabel Mercer, English-American singer (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Café Filho, Brazilian journalist, lawyer, and politician, 18th President of Brazil (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
• 1898 — Alvar Aalto, Finnish architect, designed the Finlandia Hall and Aalto Theatre (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Norman Rockwell, American painter and illustrator (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Gaston Julia, Algerian-French mathematician and academic (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Juan Negrín, Spanish physician and politician, 67th Prime Minister of Spain (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Artur Adson, Estonian poet, playwright, and critic (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Carl Theodor Dreyer, Danish director and screenwriter (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — Georg Trakl, Austrian pharmacist and poet (d. 1914) Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Gordon Coates, New Zealand soldier and politician, 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1943) Wikipedia ↗
• 1874 — Gertrude Stein, American novelist, poet, playwright, (d. 1946) Wikipedia ↗
• 1872 — Lou Criger, American baseball player and manager (d. 1934) Wikipedia ↗
• 1867 — Charles Henry Turner, American biologist, educator and zoologist (d. 1923) Wikipedia ↗
• 1862 — James Clark McReynolds, American lawyer and judge (d. 1946) Wikipedia ↗
• 1859 — Hugo Junkers, German engineer, designed the Junkers J 1 (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
• 1857 — Giuseppe Moretti, Italian sculptor, designed the Vulcan statue (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
• 1843 — William Cornelius Van Horne, American-Canadian businessman (d. 1915) Wikipedia ↗
• 1842 — Sidney Lanier, American composer and poet (d. 1881) Wikipedia ↗
• 1830 — Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1903) Wikipedia ↗
• 1826 — Walter Bagehot, English journalist and businessman (d. 1877) Wikipedia ↗
• 1824 — Ranald MacDonald, American explorer and educator (d. 1894) Wikipedia ↗
• 1821 — Elizabeth Blackwell, American physician and educator (d. 1910) Wikipedia ↗
• 1817 — Achille Ernest Oscar Joseph Delesse, French geologist and mineralogist (d. 1881) Wikipedia ↗
• 1817 — Émile Prudent, French pianist and composer (d. 1863) Wikipedia ↗
• 1811 — Horace Greeley, American journalist and politician (d. 1872) Wikipedia ↗
• 1809 — Felix Mendelssohn, German pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1847) Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — Joseph E. Johnston, American general and politician (d. 1891) Wikipedia ↗
• 1795 — Antonio José de Sucre, Venezuelan general and politician, 2nd President of Bolivia (d. 1830) Wikipedia ↗
• 1777 — John Cheyne, Scottish physician and author (d. 1836) Wikipedia ↗
• 1763 — Caroline von Wolzogen, German author (d. 1847) Wikipedia ↗
• 1757 — Joseph Forlenze, Italian ophthalmologist and surgeon (d. 1833) Wikipedia ↗
• 1747 — Samuel Osgood, American soldier and politician, 1st United States Postmaster General (d. 1813) Wikipedia ↗
• 1736 — Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, Austrian composer and theorist (d. 1809) Wikipedia ↗
• 1721 — Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz, Prussian general (d. 1773) Wikipedia ↗
• 1690 — Richard Rawlinson, English minister and historian (d. 1755) Wikipedia ↗
• 1689 — Blas de Lezo, Spanish admiral (d. 1741) Wikipedia ↗
• 1677 — Jan Santini Aichel, Czech architect, designed the Karlova Koruna Chateau (d. 1723) Wikipedia ↗
• 1504 — Scipione Rebiba, Italian cardinal (d. 1577) Wikipedia ↗
• 1478 — Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (d. 1521) Wikipedia ↗
• 1428 — Helena Palaiologina, Queen of Cyprus (d. 1458) Wikipedia ↗
• 1392 — Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, English commander (d. 1455) Wikipedia ↗
• 1338 — Joanna of Bourbon (d. 1378) Wikipedia ↗

🕯️ Notable Deaths on February 3

• 2017 — Dritëro Agolli, Albanian poet, writer and politician (b. 1931) Wikipedia ↗
• 2017 — Gordon Aikman, Scottish ALS campaigner (b. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Balram Jakhar, Indian lawyer and politician, 23rd Governor of Madhya Pradesh (b. 1923) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — József Kasza, Serbian politician and economist (b. 1945) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Saulius Sondeckis, Lithuanian violinist and conductor (b. 1928) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — Martin Gilbert, English historian, author, and academic (b. 1936) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on February 3 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on February 3

✡️ Religious Observances

• Islamic: Lailat-ul-Bara'at
• Islamic: Urs of Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (ق)