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On This Day · The 255th day of the year

September 12

A look at September 12 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Stanisław Lem and Irène Joliot-Curie, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2003

    Typhoon Maemi

    Typhoon Maemi, the strongest recorded typhoon to strike South Korea, made landfall near Busan.

    Pacific typhoon in 2003
  2. 2003

    United Nations

    The United Nations lifts sanctions against Libya after that country agreed to accept responsibility and recompense the families of victims in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

    Global intergovernmental organization
  3. 1983

    Soviet Union

    The USSR vetoes a United Nations Security Council Resolution deploring the Soviet destruction of Korean Air Lines Flight 007.

    Country in Eurasia from
  4. 1962

    John F. Kennedy

    US President John F. Kennedy delivers his "We choose to go to the Moon" speech at Rice University.

    President of the United
  5. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: RMS Laconia, carrying civilians, Allied soldiers and Italian POWs is torpedoed off the coast of West Africa and sinks with a heavy loss of life.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  6. 1938

    Adolf Hitler

    Adolf Hitler demands autonomy and self-determination for the Germans of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.

    Dictator of Germany from
  7. 1933

    Leo Szilard

    Leó Szilárd, waiting for a red light on Southampton Row in Bloomsbury, conceives the idea of the nuclear chain reaction.

    Hungarian-American physicist and inventor
  8. 1910

    Gustav Mahler

    Premiere performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8 in Munich (with a chorus of 852 singers and an orchestra of 171 players. Mahler's rehearsal assistant conductor was Bruno Walter).

    Austro-Bohemian composer and conductor
  9. 1890

    Harare

    Salisbury, Rhodesia, is founded.

    Capital and largest city
  10. 1847

    Mexican–American War

    Mexican–American War: the Battle of Chapultepec begins.

    1846–1848 conflict between Mexico
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Famous birthday twins

Born on September 12

Stanisław Lem

b. 1921

Polish philosopher and author

Irène Joliot-Curie

b. 1897

French chemist and physicist, Nobel Prize laureate

Louis C.K.

b. 1967

American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter

Fernando de Souza

b. 1980

Brazilian footballer

Desmond Llewelyn

b. 1914

Welsh-English soldier and actor

Emmy Rossum

b. 1986

American singer and actress

Jesse Owens

b. 1913

American sprinter and long jumper

Heinrich Hoffmann (photographer)

b. 1885

German photographer and art dealer

Deaths

  • 2003Johnny Cash, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
  • 1965Raja Aziz Bhatti, Pakistani Major who received the Nishan-e-Haider in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
  • 1918George Reid, Australian accountant and politician, 4th Prime Minister of Australia
  • 1764Jean-Philippe Rameau, French composer and theorist
  • 1660Jacob Cats, Dutch poet, jurist, and politician
  • 1185Andronikos I Komnenos, Byzantine emperor

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Ailbe (Elvis, Eilfyw) of Emly
  • —Christian feast day: Ebontius
  • —Christian feast day: Guy of Anderlecht
  • —Christian feast day: The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • —Christian feast day: John Henry Hobart (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • —Christian feast day: Laisrén mac Nad Froích
  • —Christian feast day: Sacerdos of Lyon
  • —Christian feast day: September 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

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