August 18 in history
Events on August 18
Notable events that happened on August 18 in past years.
- 2019
One hundred activists, officials, and other concerned citizens in Iceland hold a funeral for Okjökull glacier, which has completely melted after having once covered six square miles (15.5 km2).
Wikipedia article: Iceland - 2008
War of Afghanistan: The Uzbin Valley ambush occurs.
Wikipedia article: Uzbin Valley ambush - 1993
American International Airways Flight 808 crashes at Leeward Point Field at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, injuring the three crew members.
Wikipedia article: American International Airways Flight 808 - 1976
The Korean axe murder incident in Panmunjom results in the deaths of two US Army officers.
Wikipedia article: Panmunjom axe murder incident - 1966
Vietnam War: The Battle of Long Tan ensues after a patrol from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment clashes with a Viet Cong force in Phước Tuy Province.
Wikipedia article: Battle of Long Tan - 1958
Brojen Das from Bangladesh swims across the English Channel in a competition as the first Bengali and the first Asian to do so, placing first among the 39 competitors.
Wikipedia article: Brojen Das - 1945
Sukarno takes office as the first president of Indonesia, following the country's declaration of independence the previous day.
Wikipedia article: Sukarno - 1937
A lightning strike starts the Blackwater Fire of 1937 in Shoshone National Forest, killing 15 firefighters within three days and prompting the United States Forest Service to develop their smokejumper program.
Wikipedia article: Blackwater Fire of 1937 - 1917
A Great Fire in Thessaloniki, Greece, destroys 32% of the city leaving 70,000 individuals homeless.
Wikipedia article: Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917 - 1877
American astronomer Asaph Hall discovers Phobos, one of Mars's moons.
Wikipedia article: Astronomer - 1838
The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighs anchor at Hampton Roads.
Wikipedia article: United States Exploring Expedition - 1759
Beginning of the battle of Lagos, in which a British fleet defeats a French fleet trying to slip through Gibraltar.
Wikipedia article: Battle of Lagos - 1590
John White, the governor of the Roanoke Colony, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted.
Wikipedia article: John White (colonist and artist) - 1487
The Siege of Málaga ends with the taking of the city by Castilian and Aragonese forces.
- 684
Battle of Marj Rahit: Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0