Historical Events on January 23

  • 1870: Over 170 Native Americans – mainly women and children – are killed by United States’ cavalrymen in Montana. This event would become known as the Marias Massacre.
  • 1900: At the Battle of Spion Kop during the Second Boer War, British forces are defeated.
  • 1909: The CQD distress signal is used for the first time by the passenger ship the RMS Republic when it crashes into the SS Florida. Six people are killed and the RMS Republic sinks the following day.
  • 1920: The Netherlands refuse to hand over exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to Allied forces.
  • 1941: Testifying before the United States Congress, renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh suggest that the US negotiate a neutrality pact with German leader Adolf Hitler.
  • 1942: The Japanese invasion of New Guinea begins at the the Battle of Rabaul during World War II.
  • 1943: During WWII, Montgomery’s 8th Army seizes the city of Tripoli in Libya away from German & Italian forces.
  • 1943: Japanese Imperial forces are defeated by American and Australian forces at the Battle of Buna Gona during World War II.
  • 1945: Operation Hannibal is launched by German admiral Karl Donitz during WWII.
  • 1973:S President Richard Nixon announces to the American public that a peace accord has been agreed to in Vietnam.
  • 1986: The inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly.

Famous Birthdays on January 23

  • American general and politician, John Hancock is born in 1737.
  • French painter Edouard Manet is born in 1832.
  • American actor Gil Gerard is born in 1943.
  • Dutch actor Rutger Hauer is born in 1944.
  • American actor and producer, Richard Dean Anderson is born in 1950.
  • American actress Mariska Hargitay is born in 1964.
  • Japanese model and actress Reina Triendl is born in 1992.
  • American baseball player Addison Russell is born in 1994.