Tukuk-OS📅 March 17
21 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on March 17? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2011 — First Libyan Civil War: The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, authorizing military intervention in Libya to protect civilians.
Libyan civil war (2011)United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
- 2004 — Unrest in Kosovo broke out, resulting in the deaths of 28, the wounding of more than 600 others, and the destruction of several Serb Orthodox churches and shrines.
- 2000 — Hundreds of followers of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a Ugandan sect, died in a mass murder committed by its leaders.
Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of GodMass murder
- 1988 — Eritrean War of Independence: Eritrean People's Liberation Front troops encircled Ethiopian forces in the Battle of Afabet, gaining a decisive victory three days later.
Eritrean War of IndependenceEritrean People's Liberation FrontBattle of Afabet
- 1979 — The Penmanshiel Tunnel in the Scottish Borders collapsed during refurbishing construction, killing two workers, and leading to the abandonment of the tunnel.
- 1973 — Slava Veder took his Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph Burst of Joy, which came to symbolize the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War.
Pulitzer Prize for Feature PhotographyBurst of JoyVietnam War
- 1968 — Six thousand sheep were killed on ranches near Dugway Proving Ground in Utah as a result of the U.S. Army spraying a nerve agent.
- 1963 — An eruption of Mount Agung on Bali, Indonesia, killed at least 1,100 people.
- 1957 — A plane crash on the slopes of Mount Manunggal killed Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others.
- 1955 — Ice hockey fans in Montreal rioted to protest the suspension of Montreal Canadiens star Maurice Richard for hitting an official.
- 1950 — Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced the synthesis of californium, a radioactive transuranium element.
Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryCaliforniumTransuranium element
- 1942 — The Holocaust: The first mass killings of Jews began at Belzec extermination camp in occupied Poland, the first of the Operation Reinhard camps to begin operation.
- 1917 — World War I: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster led a force to rescue 92 prisoners of war from Bir Hakeim, killing the Senussi guards and their families.
World War IHugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of WestminsterBir Hakeim rescue
- 1902 — The Dorchester Heights Monument , memorializing the siege of Boston during the American Revolutionary War, was dedicated.
Dorchester Heights MonumentSiege of BostonAmerican Revolutionary War
- 1891 — The transatlantic steamship Utopia accidentally collided with the battleship HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar, sinking in less than twenty minutes and killing 562.
- 1864 — Second Schleswig War: In an attempt to end a Danish blockade, Eduard von Jachmann led a Prussian squadron in an attack against a Danish fleet led by Edvard van Dockum.
Second Schleswig WarEduard von JachmannBattle of Jasmund (1864)
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: The 11‑month Siege of Boston ended with the evacuation of the city's British garrison (depicted).
American Revolutionary WarSiege of BostonEvacuation Day (Massachusetts)
- 1677 — Franco-Dutch War: France captured the town of Valenciennes in the Spanish Netherlands.
Franco-Dutch WarSiege of Valenciennes (1676–1677)Valenciennes
- 1452 — Reconquista: Combined Castilian and Murcian forces defeated the Emirate of Granada at the Battle of Los Alporchones around the city of Lorca.
- 1337 — Edward the Black Prince was created Duke of Cornwall, the first English dukedom.
- 455 — After arranging for the assassination of Valentinian III, Petronius Maximus secured the throne of the Western Roman Empire, only to be killed 11 weeks later during the sack of Rome.
Births
- 2001 — Pietro Pellegri, Italian footballer
- 1998 — Brandon Aiyuk, American football player
- 1997 — Katie Ledecky, American swimmer
- 1997 — Daniel Sprong, Dutch ice hockey player
- 1995 — Claressa Shields, American boxer and mixed martial artist
- 1994 — DeForest Buckner, American football player
- 1994 — Terry Rozier, American basketball player
- 1994 — Ivan Provedel, Italian footballer
- 1994 — Marcel Sabitzer, Austrian footballer
- 1993 — Matteo Bianchetti, Italian footballer
- 1993 — Rhys Hoskins, American baseball player
- 1993 — Yao Yuanjun, Chinese Border police officer (died 2011)
Deaths
- 2025 — John Hemingway, Irish fighter pilot, last surviving Battle of Britain pilot (born 1919)
- 2025 — Lee Shau-kee, Hong Kong real estate billionaire (born 1928)
- 2023 — Lance Reddick, American actor (born 1962)
- 2021 — John Magufuli, the fifth President of Tanzania (born 1959)
- 2018 — Mike MacDonald, Canadian comedian (born 1954)
- 2018 — Phan Văn Khải, the fifth Prime Minister of Vietnam (born 1933)
- 2016 — Meir Dagan, Israeli general (born 1945)
- 2016 — Zoltán Kamondi, Hungarian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1960)
- 2015 — Frank Perris, Canadian motorcycle racer (born 1931)
- 2014 — Marek Galiński, Polish cyclist (born 1974)
- 2014 — Joseph Kerman, American musicologist and critic (born 1924)
- 2014 — Rachel Lambert Mellon, American gardener, philanthropist, art collector and political patron (born 1910)
Observances & holidays
- Birthday of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangladesh)
- Children's Day (Bangladesh)
- Christian feast day: Alexius of Rome (Eastern Church)
- Christian feast day: Gertrude of Nivelles
- Christian feast day: John Sarkander
- Christian feast day: Joseph of Arimathea (Western Church)
- Christian feast day: Patrick of Ireland
- Christian feast day: March 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Evacuation Day (Suffolk County, Massachusetts)
- Saint Patrick's Day, a public holiday in Ireland, Montserrat and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, widely celebrated in the English-speaking world and to a lesser degree in other parts of the world.
Saint Patrick's DayMontserratProvinces and territories of Canada
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