✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 198th day of the year

July 17

A look at July 17 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Angela Merkel and Georges Lemaître, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2014

    Malaysia Airlines Flight 17

    Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777, crashes near the border of Ukraine and Russia after being shot down. All 298 people on board are killed.

    2014 aircraft shootdown over
  2. 2007

    TAM Airlines Flight 3054

    TAM Airlines Flight 3054, an Airbus A320, crashes into a warehouse after landing too fast and missing the end of the São Paulo–Congonhas Airport runway, killing 199 people.

    2007 aviation accident in
  3. 1996

    TWA Flight 800

    TWA Flight 800: Off the coast of Long Island, New York, a Paris-bound TWA Boeing 747 explodes, killing all 230 on board.

    1996 aviation accident in
  4. 1994

    Brazil national football team

    Brazil win their fourth World Cup title, defeating Italy 3–2 on penalties.

    Men's association football team
  5. 1976

    Timor-Leste

    East Timor is annexed and becomes the 27th province of Indonesia.

    Country in Southeast Asia
  6. 1944

    Port Chicago disaster

    Port Chicago disaster: Near the San Francisco Bay, two ships laden with ammunition for the war explode in Port Chicago, California, killing 320.

    1944 munitions ship explosion
  7. 1919

    Finland

    The form of government in the Republic of Finland is officially confirmed. For this reason, July 17 is known as the Day of Democracy (Kansanvallan päivä) in Finland.

    Country in northern Europe
  8. 1918

    RMS Carpathia

    The RMS Carpathia is sunk off Ireland by the German SM U-55; five lives are lost.

    Ocean liner known for
  9. 1821

    Spain

    The Kingdom of Spain cedes the territory of Florida to the United States.

    Country in Southern and
  10. 1453

    Battle of Castillon

    Battle of Castillon: The last battle of the Hundred Years' War, the French under Jean Bureau defeat the English under the Earl of Shrewsbury, who is killed in the battle in Gascony.

    1453 battle between France
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Famous birthday twins

Born on July 17

Angela Merkel

b. 1954

German chemist and politician, Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021.

Georges Lemaître

b. 1894

Belgian priest, astronomer, and cosmologist

Matti Nykänen

b. 1963

Finnish ski jumper and singer

Mike Vogel

b. 1979

American actor

Wong Kar-wai

b. 1958

Chinese director, producer, and screenwriter

John Jacob Astor

b. 1763

German-American businessman and philanthropist

Letsie III

b. 1963

of Lesotho

Erwin Bauer

b. 1912

German race car driver

Deaths

  • 2025Felix Baumgartner, Austrian daredevil
  • 2007TAM Airlines Flight 3054, Brazilian lawyer and businessman
  • 1995Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentinian race car driver
  • 1967John Coltrane, American saxophonist and composer
  • 1960Maud Menten, Canadian physician and biochemist
  • 1588Mimar Sinan, Ottoman architect and engineer, designed the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Alexius of Rome (Western Church)
  • —Christian feast day: Andrew Zorard
  • —Christian feast day: Cynehelm
  • —Christian feast day: Cynllo
  • —Christian feast day: Inácio de Azevedo
  • —Christian feast day: Jadwiga of Poland
  • —Christian feast day: Magnus Felix Ennodius
  • —Christian feast day: Marcellina

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