What happened today
1871
Famous birthdays
1941
Get history's greatest tales
Subscribe to our Historynet Now! newsletter for a blast from the past each week in your inbox.
more events on October 8
-
2001
US President George W. Bush establishes the Office of Homeland Security.
-
1991
Croatia votes to sever its ties with Yugoslavia.
-
1982
The musical Cats begins a run of nearly 18 years on Broadway.
-
1978
Ken Warby of Australia sets the world water speed record, 317.60 mph, at Blowering Dam in Australia; no other human has yet (2013) exceeded 300 mph on water and survived.
-
1973
In the Yom Kippur War an Israeli armored brigade makes an unsuccessful attack on Egyptian positions on the Israeli side of the Suez Canal.
-
1970
Matt Damon, actor, screenwriter, producer, philanthropist; shared Academy Award and Golden Globe for screenplay Good Will Hunting; appeared in Saving Private Ryan, Invictus.
-
1969
The “Days of Rage” begin in Chicago; the Weathermen faction of the Students for a Democratic Society initiate 3 days of violent antiwar protests.
-
1968
U.S. forces in Vietnam launch Operation SEALORDS (South East Asia Lake, Ocean, River and Delta Strategy), an attack on communist supply lines and base areas in and around the Mekong Delta.
-
1967
Guerrilla Che Guevara captured in Bolivia.
-
1965
C. J. Ramone, musician, sometimes vocalist of The Ramones.
-
1959
Erik Gundersen, motorcycle speedway rider; won 3 Speedway World Championships, 2 Long Track World Championships, and 7 World Team Cup awards (riding for Denmark in the latter).
-
1956
Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitches the first perfect game in World Series history against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
-
1952
Edward Zwick, director, producer whose films often are based on historic events (Glory, The Last Samurai).
-
1949
Sigourney Weaver, actress; (Aliens film series, Gorillas in the Mist).
-
1948
Johnny Ramone, musician, songwriter, founding member of The Ramones band.