# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 41
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/803 "2017-08-13T06:45:53Z")
\*\*August 13, 1868 \*\*: [The 8.9 Arica earthquake in Peru](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1868Chile.html&ved=0ahUKEwiv9NeOy9PVAhXE7CYKHUbhANQQFgi1ATAY&usg=AFQjCNFYrjnvMkSf6o5jAkA0n7sl6RtOxg)kills 10’s of thousands of people and produces deadly tsunamis across the Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/804 "2017-08-13T10:38:32Z")
**August 13, 1876** : The premiere of Wagner’s _Der Ring des Nibelungen_ at the recently completed Bayreuth Festspielhaus. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/805 "2017-08-14T07:37:30Z")
**August 14, 1975** : _The Rocky Horror Picture Show,_ the longest-running release in film history, opens in London. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/806 "2017-08-14T14:13:13Z")
**August 14, 2005** : [Helios Airways Flight 522](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522&ved=0ahUKEwi_6PyVmNbVAhVJVyYKHYp3Ba0QFgiLATAV&usg=AFQjCNH0YNBtbEvYTnRoensoYGne0RkveA)loses air pressure causing, the of occupants the plane to be incapacitated. The airliner runs on autopilot until its fuel is depleted, and then crashes about 40 miles from Athens Greece. All 121 on board die. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/807 "2017-08-15T04:09:10Z")
**August 15, 1901** : [The SS _Islander_](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://hougengroup.com/yukon-history/yukon-nuggets/the-ss-islander-story/&ved=0ahUKEwjR1ef0qdjVAhUn74MKHVJzBbAQFgiRATAX&usg=AFQjCNFV88e-lgJ0McUUFO7vZ3L9dX7NtQ), a luxury passenger ship, hits an iceberg and sinks near Juneau, Alaska. 39 die. The wreck occurred during the Alaskan gold rush, and the ship was known to have been carrying large amounts of gold. For years salvagers have been trying to get at it. But most of the gold treasure still remains unrecovered. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/808 "2017-08-15T22:11:53Z")
**August 15, 1969** : Woodstock opens. (I was there.) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/809 "2017-08-16T07:05:50Z")
**August 16, 1942** : [The California Ghost Blimp](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-1942-ghost-blimp-that-bewildered-a-california-town.amp&ved=0ahUKEwisms2wldvVAhUDSiYKHRoeDiYQFggmMAA&usg=AFQjCNEvBYVo9aauFOtlepEpMCKHUucTfQ&cf=1) incident. At 11:30 in the morning a Navy blimp descends into Dale City, California and becomes trapped in some power lines. People hurry to rescue the crew. But there is no crew. They had last been heard from by radio over the Pacific Ocean where they were investigating a strange oil slick on the water. What happened next? With speculation ranging from accident to enemy action to UFO abduction, the mystery of the “ghost blimp” has never been solved. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/810 "2017-08-17T05:01:58Z")
**August 17, 1899** : [The San Ciriaco hurricane](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1899_San_Ciriaco_hurricane&ved=0ahUKEwj-vZL5uN3VAhWG6iYKHXwdBgwQmhMIYTAM&usg=AFQjCNHb4u339L84jZ1bhTGK-C0Du0mD8Q)strikes Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. This is the strongest hurricane on record to ever hit the Outer Banks. Wind measurements reached as high as 140 mph before the measuring devices blew away. At least 20 die in North Carolina. However the storm itself killed over 3800, with most of those deaths occurring in Puerto Rico. This is the longest lived Atlantic hurricane on record. It formed on August 3rd near the Cape Verde Islands. Remarkably, it did not dissipate until September 12th. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/811 "2017-08-18T05:49:28Z")
\*\*August 18, 1944 \*\*: The [MS\* Aramis \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/Teia_t.htm&ved=0ahUKEwjz4qfxiODVAhVBwiYKHY-GCd4QFghzMBI&usg=AFQjCNGwtg-pZsrsW-Qns9n3ONGppkqRHA) was a French passenger liner seized by Japan in 1942 and renamed _Teia Maru_. She was sunk by a U.S. submarine on this date. 2665 passengers and crew perished. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/812 "2017-08-19T05:00:22Z")
**August 19, 1944** : The Japanese landing craft [\*Tamatsu Maru \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamatsu_Maru&ved=0ahUKEwjxgYD2v-LVAhXE5CYKHXH8Az8QFghaMAs&usg=AFQjCNGbIfkKzawSlMVoV-r_nWn3-J28FA) is sunk by the submarine _USS Spadefish_. 4890 lives are lost. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/813 "2017-08-20T07:42:46Z")
**August 20, 1852** : [The Steamship \*Atlantic \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_(1848)&ved=0ahUKEwjisPCjpuXVAhVF6CYKHfFLDgAQFghPMAI&usg=AFQjCNFp2IIlj5OxihSNd761FH8WjCefrg)collides with the steamer \*Ogdensburg \*on Lake Erie. Estimates of the death toll range from 150 to 350. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/814 "2017-08-21T07:14:16Z")
**August 21, 1986** : [Lake Nyos](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.sciencealert.com/how-this-small-lake-in-africa-once-killed-1-700-people-overnight-and-we-still-don-t-know-why&ved=0ahUKEwiahpCy3-fVAhUGQCYKHbjiAUgQFgiSAjAo&usg=AFQjCNE4SaRKNb_BDHFuc9L15ZiectuHWw) in Cameroon explodes and kills over 1700. No one is quite sure why. A toxic cloud of carbon dioxide burst from this lake with no warning. In the nearby Town of Nyos, 6 of the population of 800 survived. Thousands of livestock and other animals also perished in this bizarre disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/815 "2017-08-22T05:14:32Z")
**August 22, 1944** : The Japanese Cargo ship [Tsushima Maru](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://liuchiuan.com/2014/06/04/767-children-killed-in-1944-when-tsushima-maru-torpedoed/amp/&ved=0ahUKEwid1OumiOrVAhXHyyYKHU5gC2MQFgiHATAV&usg=AFQjCNG1yfZNwPgUMYaQpB07zvKigSMkqg&cf=1)is sunk by a US submarine. The ship had been trying to transport schoolchildren to a safer place, from Okinawa to Kagoshima. It had been carrying over 1400 passengers when torpedoed, including over 800 kids. Most perished. It is believed over 760 children were among the dead. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/816 "2017-08-23T06:17:57Z")
**August 23, 1944** : [The Freckleton Air Disaster](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/world-war-2-casualties-the-freckleton-air-disaster/&ved=0ahUKEwjLjufW1ezVAhWE7SYKHZ-LAoQQFgiRATAY&usg=AFQjCNEe_fMkNzk7hsweWeE1Cq-hzttf6Q). A U.S. military B-24 Liberator plane crashes during a storm into the village of Freckleton in Lancashire, England. The plane destroyed a cafe and plowed into a school. 61 died, including many children. This was the single deadliest civilian death incident in England outside of London during the war. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/817 "2017-08-24T06:20:05Z")
**August 24, 79** : [Mount Vesuvius](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pompeii.htm&ved=0ahUKEwismrL-m-_VAhUKTSYKHWfBBDAQ1ScIkwIwIQ&usg=AFQjCNGGKMy96xbBQvMU_Wmlxdqt_2YJpA) erupts killing thousands. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/818 "2017-08-25T14:39:28Z")
**August 25, 1861** : [The Clayton Tunnel rail crash](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clayton_Tunnel_rail_crash&ved=0ahUKEwifppeozPLVAhVDQSYKHaqtBfoQFggmMAA&usg=AFQjCNH_uaw5S32gpBifeJB4fzYWdLu0nQ)kills 23 and injures another 176 in England. This train accident is thought to be the inspiration for Charles Dickins’ short story _The Signal-Man_. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/819 "2017-08-25T16:17:26Z")
**August 25, 1835:** The “Great Moon Hoax” begins with the publication of the first in a series of six articles in _The Sun_ newspaper of New York City: [Great Moon Hoax - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Moon_Hoax) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/820 "2017-08-26T06:08:53Z")
\*\*August 26, 1871 \*\*: [The Great Revere Trainwreck of 1871](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.celebrateboston.com/disasters/revere-train-wreck-1871.htm&ved=0ahUKEwjqvcrdnPTVAhVHLyYKHTLjCtIQFghYMAo&usg=AFQjCNEqnxVHFweRIgnEXbpmK3_1vL_I4Q)kills 29 and injures many others near Boston. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/821 "2017-08-26T16:06:43Z")
**August 26, 1789:** _The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen_ is approved by the National Constituent Assembly of France. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/822 "2017-08-27T05:30:33Z")
**August 27, 1893** : [The Sea Island Hurricane](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://eatsleepplaybeaufort.com/the-sea-island-hurricane-of-1893-4th-deadliest-in-us-history/&ved=0ahUKEwifx--01fbVAhUGKyYKHd5mBL8QFgiWATAT&usg=AFQjCNF_H5bbR270UlJNi3jPMjsDv7HcgA) unexpectedly strikes near Savannah, Georgia. Over 2000 die. This is the 4th deadliest hurricane to ever hit the United States. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=42)