Historical Events
Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
Aug 2 After 3½ days suffering exhaustion, lack of water and shark attacks in the Philippine Sea, the surviving crew of USS Indianapolis are spotted by Wilbur “Chuck” Gwinn, a PV-1 Ventura pilot on a routine sector search. 316 had survived.
Potsdam Conference
Aug 2 Potsdam Conference between Joseph Stalin, Harry Truman and Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee after losing the 1945 general election) ends
Golf Tournament
Aug 4 American golfer Byron Nelson wins Canadian Open at Uplands & Thornhill CC for a record 11th consecutive PGA victory, on way to record season tally of 18
- Aug 4 Red Sox outfielder Tom McBride drives in MLB record tying 6 runs in an inning (4th) during 15-4 win v Washington
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
Aug 6 Atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the US B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay"
United Nations Charter
Aug 8 President Harry Truman signs the United Nations Charter
Nuremberg Trials
Aug 8 US, USSR, Britain and France sign Treaty of London which sets down procedures for the Nuremberg war trials of Nazi leaders
Nuclear Bombing of Nagasaki
Aug 9 US drops second atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Japan, destroying part of the city
Victory over Japan
Aug 14 V-J Day, Japan surrenders unconditionally to end WW II (also August 15 depending on time zone)
Historic Event
Aug 14 Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh movement launch a coordinated uprising against French rule across Vietnam following the Japanese surrender
Potsdam Declaration
Aug 14 Japanese government notifies the Allies that it had accepted the Potsdam Declaration
- Aug 15 A riot ensues in San Francisco while the city is celebrating the end of WW II
- Aug 15 US wartime rationing of gasoline & fuel oil ends
- Aug 15 Chandler sells World Series radio rights for $150,000 to Gillette, Ford had been World Series sponsor since 1934, pay $100,000 annually
- Aug 15 World War II: Korean Liberation Day.
- Aug 15 Victory over Japan Day, the Japanese surrender and the end of WWII is announced in Japan (due to time zones 14th Aug in the Americas)
- Aug 16 Puyi, the last Chinese Emperor and ruler of Manchukuo is captured by Soviet troops
- Aug 17 Korea is divided into North and South Korea along the 38th parallel
- Aug 18 Scheduled demonstrations at Polo Grounds & Ebbets Field to end segregation in organized baseball are called off
- Aug 18 Sukarno elected 1st President of Indonesia by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI)
Sports History
Aug 19 Phillies Jimmie Foxx, 37, pitches 1st 7 innings vs Reds & wins
- Aug 20 17-year-old Dodgers utility Tommy Brown becomes youngest player to hit a MLB home run in Brooklyn's 11-1 rout of Pittsburgh Pirates at Ebbets Field
- Aug 20 Soviet troops occupy Harbin & Mukden
- Aug 21 US President Harry Truman ends Lend-Lease program
- Aug 22 Bob Cristofani scores 110 for Aust Services at Old Trafford
Music History
Aug 22 Noël Coward's revue "Sigh no More" premieres in London
- Aug 22 Vietnam conflict begins as Ho Chi Minh leads a successful coup
Sports History
Aug 24 Cleveland ace Bob Feller returns from Navy & strike out 12
- Aug 30 12th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay 19, All-Stars 7 (92,753)
Music History
Aug 30 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th Symphony
- Aug 30 General Douglas MacArthur lands in Japan
- Aug 30 Hong Kong liberated from Japanese control
Historic Event
Aug 31 The Liberal Party of Australia is founded by Robert Menzies
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 Douglas Osheroff, American physicist (Nobel 1996), born in Aberdeen, Washington
- Aug 2 Joanna Cassidy [Caskey], American actress (Blade Runner; Under Fire; Six Feet Under), born in Haddonfield, New Jersey
- Aug 2 Jewell Jackson McCabe, American feminist and social and political activist who led the National Coalition of 100 Black Women movement in the 1970s, born in Washington, D.C.
- Aug 2 John Bowis, British MP (C), born in Brighton, East Sussex
- Aug 2 Alex Jesaulenko, Australian rules footballer, born in Salzburg, Austria
- Aug 2 Eric Simms, Australian rugby league fullback (8 Tests; NSWRL points record [1,841] stood until 1983; South Sydney), born in Karuah, Australia
- Aug 2 John T. Ward Jr., American racehorse trainer (Kentucky Derby 2001 Monarchos; Breeders' Cup Distaff 1999 Beautiful Pleasure), born in Lexington, Kentucky (d. 2021)
- Aug 3 Ron Hendren, American TV host (Entertainment Tonight), born in Pinehurst, North Carolina
- Aug 3 Eamon Dunphy, Irish footballer, born in Dublin, Ireland
- Aug 4 John Qace Hardbattle, political activist
- Aug 5 Ja'net Dubois, American actress (Good Times, Beverly Hill 90210), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Aug 5 Loni Anderson, American actress (Jennifer-WKRP in Cincinnati), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Aug 5 Jo Collins, American Playboy playmate (Dec, 1964, Playmate of the Year 1965), born in Lebanon, Oregon
- Aug 6 Ron Jones, British TV director (d. 1995)
- Aug 6 Andy Messersmith, American baseball player
- Aug 6 John Kongos, South African singer and songwriter ("He's Gonna Step On You Again"), born in Johannesburg
- Aug 7 Alan Page, American jurist and NFL defensive tackle (Minnesota Vikings), born in Canton, Ohio
- Aug 7 Kerry Chater, Canadian musician (Gary Puckett & Union Gap - "Young Girl") and Nashville songwriter, born in Vancouver, British Columbia
- Aug 7 Patrice Mestral, French composer, born in Paris, France
- Aug 9 Posy Simmonds, English cartoonist (Gemma Bovery), born in Berkshire, England
- Aug 10 Harry Thomas, Dutch founder (Schlager Festival Gay Party)
- Aug 10 Larry Larden, rocker (Every Mother's Son)
- Aug 10 Harriet Miers, White House counsel
- Aug 12 Ron Mael, American songwriter, composer and record producer (Sparks), born in Culver City, California
- Aug 13 Robin Jackman, English cricket seam bowler (4 Tests, 14 wickets; 15 ODIs; Surrey CCC), born in Simla, India (d. 2020)
- Aug 13 Lars Engqvist, Swedish politician (Minister of Health and Social Affairs), born in Sala, Sweden
- Aug 13 Howard Marks, British drug dealer and author (Mr Nice), born in Kenfig Hill, Wales (d. 2016)
- Aug 14 Brenda Benet, American actress (Lee-Days of Our Lives, Beach Ball), born in Hollywood, California
- Aug 14 Jennifer d'Abo, British entrepreneur (Ryman, Moyses Stevens)
Steve Martin
Aug 14 Steve Martin, American comedian, banjo player, author and actor (Parenthood; The Jerk; Roxanne), born in Waco, Texas
- Aug 14 Tony Scannel, Irish actor (Bill, Blue Money), born in Kinsale, Ireland
- Aug 14 Wim Wenders, German filmmaker (American Friend, Hammett), born in Düsseldorf, Germany
- Aug 15 Gene Upshaw, American NFL guard (Oakland Radiers) and NFLPA leader, born in Robstown, Texas (d. 2008)
- Aug 15 Thomas C. Sawyer, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio), born in Akron, Ohio
- Aug 15 Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-96 and 2001-06), born in Dinajpur, Bangladesh
- Aug 16 Bob Balaban, American actor and director (2010, Girlfriends, Gosford Park), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Aug 16 Gary Loizzo, American rock guitarist and singer (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2016)
- Aug 16 Gordon "Snowy" Fleet, British rock drummer (Easybeats - "Friday On My Mind"), born in Liverpool, England
- Aug 16 Kevin Ayers, British progressive rocker (Soft Machine; Joy of a Toy), born in Herne Bay, Kent, England (d. 2013)
- Aug 16 Suzanne Farrell, American ballerina (Don Quioxote), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Aug 17 Katri-Helena, Finnish singer, born in Tuupovaara, Finland
- Aug 18 Sarah Dash, American pop, R&B, and disco singer (Patti LaBelle & Bluebirds; Labelle - "Lady Marmalade"), born in Trenton, New Jersey (d. 2021)
- Aug 18 Barbara Harris, American singer (Toys-A Lover's Concerto), born in Evanston, Illinois (d. 2018)
- Aug 19 Ian Gillan, English heavy metal and rock singer (Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"; Jesus Christ Superstar), born in London
- Aug 21 Patty McCormack, American actress (Mama, Peck's Bad Girl, Ropers), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Aug 21 Jerry DaVanon, American baseball player, born in Oceanside, California
- Aug 21 Basil Poledouris, American film score composer (The Hunt For Red October), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2006)
- Aug 22 Derek Fatchett, British Labour politician, born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England (d. 1999)
- Aug 22 James G Richardson, actor (Tim Cassidy-Sierra), born in Gainesville, Florida
- Aug 22 Ron Dante, American rock vocalist (Archies - "Sugar, Sugar"), and producer (Barry Manilow), born in Staten Island, New York
- Aug 22 Steve Kroft, American journalist and longtime correspondent for 60 Minutes, born in Kokomo Indiana
- Aug 22 Erol Gelenbe, Turkish computer scientist and mathematician, born in Istanbul, Turkey
- Aug 23 Rayfield Wright, American Pro Football HOF offensive tackle (Super Bowl 1971, 77; 3 × First-team All-Pro; 6 × Pro Bowl; Dallas Cowboys), born in Griffin, Georgia (d. 2022)
- Aug 24 Ken Hensley, British rock songwriter, keyboardist, and singer (Uriah Heep, 1970-80 - "Easy Livin'"; Blackfoot, 1982-84), born in Plumstead, England (d. 2020)
- Aug 24 (Malcolm) "Molly" Duncan, Scottish saxophonist (Average White Band, 1972-83 - "Pick Up the Pieces"), born in Montrose, Scotland (d. 2019)
- Aug 24 Vince McMahon, American professional wrestling promoter, born in Pinehurst, North Carolina
Marsha P. Johnson
Aug 24 Marsha P. Johnson [born Malcolm Michaels Jr.], African-American gay liberation and AIDS activist, drag queen, and transgender pioneer (Gay Liberation Front, S.T.A.R.), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey (d. 1992)
- Aug 24 Ronee Blakley, American actress (Nashville), and singer-songwriter, born in Nampa, Idaho
- Aug 25 Martha Veléz, American singer-songwriter ("Living Outside the Law"), actress, and playwright (Power of the Powerless), born in New York City
- Aug 26 Melvin Watt, American politician (Rep-D-North Carolina 1993-2014), born in Steele Creek, North Carolina
- Aug 26 Tom Ridge, first United States Secretary of Homeland Security (Rep-R-Pennsylvania), born in Munhall, Pennsylvania
- Aug 28 Bruno Nuytten, French film director (Camille Claudel), born in Melun, Île-de-France, France
- Aug 28 Bob Segarini, American musician and radio personality, born in Stockton, California
- Aug 29 Chris Copping, British rock bassist and organist (Procol Harum, 1969-77), born in Middleton, Lancashire, England
- Aug 29 Wyomia Tyus, American 100m runner (Olympic gold 1964, 68), born in Griffin, Georgia
- Aug 30 David Schiff, American composer, born in New York City
- Aug 30 Fred Tackett, American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Little Feat, 1988-2012), born in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Aug 31 Bob Welch, American rock vocalist, guitarist (Fleetwood Mac), born in Hollywood, California (d. 2012)
- Aug 31 Itzhak Perlman, Israeli Grammy Award-winning violinist, and polio survivor, born in Tel Aviv, Israel
- Aug 31 Leonid Ivanovich Popov, USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz 35/37, 40, T-7)
- Aug 31 (George Ivan)"Van" Morrison, Northern Irish singer-songwriter (Astral Weeks; "Moondance"; "Brown-Eyed Girl"), born in Bloomfield, Belfast
Famous Deaths
- Aug 2 Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek, Austrian composer (Donna Diana), dies at 85
- Aug 2 Pietro Mascagni, Italian opera composer (Cavalleria Rusticana), dies at 81
- Aug 6 Hiram Johnson, American progressive politician, US Senator, Governor of California (1911-17), dies at 78
- Aug 6 Prince Wu of Korea (b. 1912)
- Aug 9 Harry Hillman, American athlete (3 Gold Olympic 1904), dies at 63
Robert H. Goddard
Aug 10 Robert H. Goddard, American Rocket Pioneer (invented and built the first liquid-fueled rocket), dies of throat cancer at 62
- Aug 15 Korechika Anami, Japanese War Minister (b. 1887)
- Aug 16 Nico Richter, Dutch composer, dies at 29
- Aug 16 Takijiro Ohnishi, led Japanese kamikaze pilots (harakiri), dies
- Aug 17 Gino Marinuzzi, Sr., Italian opera conductor (Wagner; Puccini), and composer (Symphony in A), dies at 61
- Aug 17 Pater Bleijs [Louis], Dutch catholic priest and resistance fighter in WWII, dies in car accident at 39
- Aug 18 Subhas Chandra Bose, Indian revolutionary and nationalist, dies of injuries from a plane crash at 48
- Aug 19 Tomas Burgos, Chilean philanthropist (founder of Villa Lo Burgos), dies at 69
- Aug 20 Alexander Roda Roda, Austrian writer, dies at 73
- Aug 22 Ida Henrietta Hyde, American physiologist who invented the micro-electrode and the first woman allowed to do research at Harvard Medical School and to be elected to the American Physiology Society, dies at 87
- Aug 25 John Birch, American intelligence officer and missionary (b. 1918)
- Aug 25 Willis Augustus Lee, American World War II admiral (Guadalcanal) and sport shooter (5 Olympic golds 1920), dies of a heart attack at 57 while being ferrying him out to his flagship USS Wyoming off the coast of Maine
- Aug 26 Franz Werfel, Austrian-Bohemian novelist, playwright, and poet (Mirror Man, The Forty Days of Musa Dagh), dies at 54
