What Happened in October 1943

Historical Events

  • Oct 1 1st King's Dragoon Guards (Royal Amoured Corps) liberates suburbs of Naples
  • Oct 1 Allied forces captured Naples during WW II
  • Oct 1 Averell Harriman named US ambassador to Moscow
  • Oct 1 Germans attack Jews in Denmark
  • Oct 2 Japanese troops leave Kolombangara, Solomon Island
  • Oct 2 New York Yankees sweep 14th MLB doubleheader of year, beating St. Louis Browns, 5-1 & 7-6 at Yankee Stadium
  • Oct 3 British 8th army lands at Termoli, East Italy
  • Oct 3 Operations begin at PETA Java, defending (Japanese) fatherland
  • Oct 4 Corsica freed by Free French
  • Oct 4 German occupiers forbid flying of kites (6 month jail sentence)
  • Oct 5 US air raid on Wake, Japanese execute 98 US prisoners in retaliation
  • Oct 6 Battle at Vella Lavella, Solomon Island

Final Solution

Oct 6 Himmler wants acceleration of "Final Solution"

  • Oct 7 Weill, Perelman and Nash' musical "One Touch of Venus" premieres in NYC
  • Oct 8 Great Britain establishes bases on Azores
  • Oct 10 US bombers accidentally strike Enschede, Netherlands, causing 151 deaths
  • Oct 11 Baseball World Series: NY Yankees become first team to win 10 Championships; beat St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0 at Sportsman's Park for 4 games to 1 series triumph
  • Oct 12 US bombs Rabaul, New Britain
  • Oct 13 Italy declares war on former Axis partner Germany
  • Oct 14 600 Jewish prisoners mount an uprising at the Nazi concentration camp in Sobibor, Poland, 300 successfully escape

Japanese Occupation

Oct 14 Japan declares the Philippines independent under President José P. Laurel

  • Oct 14 US 8th Air Force loses 60 B-17s during assault on Schweinfurt
  • Oct 16 Anti Jewish riot in Rome
  • Oct 16 Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly opens city's new subway system
  • Oct 16 Jewish quarter of Rome surrounded by Nazis, they are sent to Auschwitz
  • Oct 16 US 1st Army establishes headquarter in Bristol

Death Railway Completed

Oct 17 Burma railway completed, built by Allied POWs and Asian laborers for use of the Japanese army

  • Oct 17 Liberators sink U-540 & U-631
  • Oct 18 US bombing of Bougainville, Solomon Island
  • Oct 19 Conference of foreign ministers in Moscow
  • Oct 19 New York Yankee 2nd baseman Joe Gordon announces his retirement
  • Oct 19 Streptomycin, the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis, is isolated by researchers at Rutgers University in Pistcaway, New Jersey
  • Oct 19 Theater Guild presentation of Shakespeare's "Othello", starring Paul Robeson, opens at the Shubert Theater, NYC; runs for 296 performances
  • Oct 23 First Jewish transport out of Rome reaches extermination camp Birkenau
  • Oct 24 Anti-nazi Clandestine Radio Soldatsender Calais begins transmitting
  • Oct 25 Burma railroad completed & opens
  • Oct 26 World War II: First flight of the Dornier Do 335 "Pfeil".
  • Oct 28 German submarine U-220 sunk by US aircraft in the Atlantic
  • Oct 29 Three allied officers escape out camp Stalag Luft 3

Event of Interest

Oct 30 Molotov-Eden-Cordell Hull accord over operations at UN

  • Oct 30 Soviet forces under Fyodor Ivanovich Tolbukhin commenced offensive on the 4th Ukrainian Front

Sports History

Oct 31 Washington Redskin Sammy Baugh passes for 6 touchdowns vs Bkln (48-10)

  • Oct 31 World War II: F4U Corsair accomplishes the first successful radar-guided interception.
1943 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Oct 1 Jean-Jacques Annaud, Draveil France, director (Bear, Black & White, Name of the Rose)
  • Oct 1 Jerry Martini [Gerald L. Martini], American saxophonist (Sly and the Family Stone - "Everyday People"), born in Denver, Colorado
  • Oct 1 Naushad Ali, Pakistan cricket wicket keeper (6 Tests, 9 dismissals; Karachi, Punjab) and match referee (5 Tests, 13 ODI), born in Gwalior, India (d. 2023)
  • Oct 2 Anna Ford, British broadcaster and actress (Secret Policeman's Ball), born in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
  • Oct 2 Franklin Rosemont, American poet, artist and co-founder of the Chicago Surrealist Group, born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Oct 2 Henri Szeps, Australian actor (Mother & Son), born in Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Oct 2 Paul Van Himst, Belgian soccer forward and manager (81 caps; Anderlecht), born in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium
  • Oct 3 Jeff Bingaman, American politician (U.S. Senator from New Mexico), born in El Paso, Texas
  • Oct 4 Buddy Roemer, American politician (Governor-D+R-Louisiana 1988-1992, Rep-D-LA, 1981-88), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 2021)
  • Oct 4 Jimy Williams, American MLB baseball infielder (St. Louis Cardinals), coach (World Series Champ - Atlanta, 1995 & Philadelphia, 2008), and manager (Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox (AL Manager of the Year -1999), Houston Astros), born in Santa Maria, California (d. 2024)
  • Oct 4 Owen Davidson, Australian tennis player (mixed doubles Grand Slam 1967 [Lesley Turner Bowrey, Billie Jean King]; Australian Open doubles 1972, US Open doubles 1973), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2023)
  • Oct 5 Ben Cardin, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland), born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Oct 5 Bonnie Bryant, American golfer (only left-hander to win an LPGA Tour event, Bill Branch Classic 1974), born in Tulare, California
  • Oct 5 Inna Churikova, Russian actress (Theme), born in Belebey, Russia

Steve Miller (80 years old)

Oct 5 American rocker ("The Joker"; "Abracadabra"; "Fly Like An Eagler"), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • Oct 6 Alexander Maxovich Shilov, Russian painter
  • Oct 6 Cees Veerman, Dutch pop guitarist and singer (Cats - "Sure He's a Cat"), born in Volendam, Holland (d. 2014)
  • Oct 6 Michael Durrell, American actor (Shannon, V, Alice, Chiefs), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Oct 6 Udo Zimmermann, composer
  • Oct 7 José Cardenal, Cuban baseball outfielder (Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and 7 other teams) and coach (NY Yankees, and 4 other teams), born in Matanzas, Cuba

Oliver North (80 years old)

Oct 7 American political commentator and retired US Marine (Iran–Contra), born in San Antonio, Texas

  • Oct 8 (Cornelius) "Chevy" Chase, American comic actor and writer (SNL, 1975-76; Vacation; Fletch; Caddyshack; Community), born in New York City
  • Oct 8 James E. Sellars, American composer, born in Fort Smith, Arkansas (d. 2017)

R. L. Stine (80 years old)

Oct 8 American children's book writer (Goosebumps), born in Columbus, Ohio

  • Oct 9 James Robison, American televangelist (Life Outreach International.), and writer, born in Pasadena, Texas
  • Oct 9 Mike Peters, American cartoonist (Mother Goose and Grimm), born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Oct 9 Tony Tribe [Anthony Mossop], Jamaican-British reggae singer ("Red, Red Wine"), born in Kingston, Jamaica
  • Oct 10 Alexander MacMillan, 2nd Earl of Stockton, English publisher and politician
  • Oct 10 Denis D'Ell, English rocker, born in London (d. 2005)
  • Oct 10 Frederick Barthelme, American author (There Must be Some Mistake), born in Houston, Texas
  • Oct 11 Frank Muyser, Dutch guitarist and saxophonist (Les Baroques)
  • Oct 11 Gene Watson, American country singer ("Love in the Hot Afternoon"; "Fourteen Carat Mind"), born in Palestine, Texas
  • Oct 11 Keith Boyce, West Indian cricketer (big-hitting WI all-rounder of 70's), born in Castle, St Peter, Barbados (d. 1996)
  • Oct 11 Per-Gunnar Alldahl, Swedish composer, born in Solna, Sweden
  • Oct 12 Jeffrey MacDonald, American medical doctor convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters, born in Queens, New York
  • Oct 13 Mike Barnicle, American broadcast journalist and newspaper columnist, born in Worchester, Massachusetts
  • Oct 14 Anthony Iannaccone, American composer, born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Oct 14 Lance Rentzel, American NFL receiver (Minn, LA) and ex-husband of Joey Heatherton, born in Flushing, New York
  • Oct 14 Noreen Corcoran, American actress (Kelly-Bachelor Father), born in Quincy Massachusetts (d. 2016)
  • Oct 15 Larrie Londin [Ralph Gallant], American session drummer (Motown and Nashville), born in Norfolk, Virgina (d. 1992)

Penny Marshall (1943-2018)

Oct 15 American actress (The Odd Couple; Laverne & Shirley), and director (Big; Awakenings; A League of Their Own), and producer (Cinderella Man), born in The Bronx, New York

  • Oct 16 Charles Frederick "C.F." Turner, Canadian rock bassist and songwriter (Bachman-Turner Overdrive - "Let It Ride"), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Oct 16 Paul Edwin Zimmer, American sci-fi writer (Dark Border series), (d. 1997)
  • Oct 17 Susan Davenny Wyner, American soprano (Walter Naumberg Prize), born in New Haven, Connecticut
  • Oct 18 Birthe Rønn Hornbech, Danish politician
  • Oct 18 Elena Ferrante, pseudonymous Italian novelist (Neapolitan Novels), born in Naples, Kingdom of Italy (claimed)
  • Oct 18 Russ Giguere, American pop-rock guitarist and singer (The Association - "Windy"; "Cherish"), born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  • Oct 19 Michael Findlay, cricket wicket-keeper (WI early 70's)
  • Oct 19 Robert Morris, American composer, born in Cheltenham, England
  • Oct 19 Robin Holloway, British composer (Seascape And Harvest), and educator (University of Cambridge, 1974-2011), born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
  • Oct 19 Takis Ikonomopoulos, Greek footballer
  • Oct 20 Dunja Vejzović, Croatian soprano, born in Zagreb, Croatia
  • Oct 21 Paula Kelly, American dancer, choreographer, and actress (Night Court, 1984 - "Liz"), born in Jacksonville, Florida (d. 2020)
  • Oct 21 Ron Elliott, American guitarist and songwriter (The Beau Brummels - "Just A Little"), born in Healdsburg, California
  • Oct 21 Tariq Ali, Pakistani author and historian, born in Lahore, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan)
  • Oct 22 Catherine Deneuve [Dorleac], actress (Repulsion, Hunger), born in Paris, France
  • Oct 22 Jan de Bont, Dutch film director
  • Oct 22 Paul Zukofsky, American violinist and conductor (Cappricio), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2017)
  • Oct 22 Robert Long [Jan Leverman], Dutch pop singer (Vroeger of Later (Sooner or Later); Unit Gloria), actor, and television presenter, born in Utrecht, Netherlands (d. 2006)
  • Oct 23 Barbara Ann Hawkins, American pop singer (The Dixie Cups - "Chapel Of Love"; "Iko Iko"), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Oct 23 Billy Talbot, American singer-songwriter and bassist (Crazy Horse), born in New York City
  • Oct 24 José E. Serrano, American politician (Rep-D-New York), born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
  • Oct 25 Charlie Smalls, American Tony Award-winning composer and songwriter (The Wiz), born in Queens, New York (d. 1987)
  • Oct 25 Roy Lynes, British rock organist (Status Quo, 1964-70), born in Redhill, Surrey, England
  • Oct 25 Selly Fernandes, Curacao poetess (Winking with Selly)
  • Oct 28 Charo López, Spanish actress (La regenta), born in Salamanca, Spain
  • Oct 28 Conny Froboess, German actress (Rheinsberg), born in Wriezen, Germany
  • Oct 28 Pim Doesburg, Dutch soccer goalkeeper (8 caps; Eredivisie record 687 games; Sparta, PSV), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2020)
  • Oct 29 Donald Simpson, American film producer (Flashdance), born in Seattle, Washington (d. 1996)
  • Oct 29 Dušan Ivković, Serbian basketball point guard (Radnički Belgrade) and coach (Yugoslavia 1987-95; Serbia 2008-13; FIBA HOF), born in Belgrade. Serbia (d. 2021)
  • Oct 29 Norman Hunter, English soccer defender (28 caps; Leeds United, Bristol City, Barnsley; FIFA World Cup 1966), born in Gateshead, England (d. 2020)
  • Oct 30 Joanna Shimkus, Canadian actress (Marriage of a Young Stockbroker), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Oct 31 Brian Piccolo, American NFL football running back, 1965-69 (Chicago Bears), and subject of the 1971 TV movie "Brian's Song", born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (d. 1970)
  • Oct 31 Tony Hazzard, British pop songwriter ("Hello World"; "Listen To Me"; "(I Think I'm Over) Getting Over You"), born in Liverpool, England
Born in 1943

Famous Weddings

Enid Blyton

Oct 20 British Children's writer Enid Blyton marries 2nd husband surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters at City of Westminster registry office, London

David Lloyd George

Oct 23 55th UK Prime Minister David Lloyd George (80) weds second wife Frances Stevenson

Federico Fellini

Oct 30 Italian director Federico Fellini (23) weds Italians actress Giulietta Masina (22), until his death in 1993


Famous Deaths

  • Oct 1 Antoine T Broekman, resistance fighter, executed at 32
  • Oct 1 Anton JT Koreman, resistance fighter, executed at 27
  • Oct 1 Antoon Pleyte, resistance fighter, executed at 26
  • Oct 1 Earnest Klijzing, resistance fighter, executed
  • Oct 1 Gideon Boissevain, resistance fighter, executed at 22
  • Oct 1 Hans Katan, resistance fighter, executed at 24
  • Oct 1 Henri H Geul, resistance fighter, executed at 27
  • Oct 1 Johan Kalshoven, resistance fighter, executed at 20
  • Oct 1 Johan Roemer, resistance fighter, executed at 22
  • Oct 1 Johan van Mierlo, resistance fighter, executed at 35
  • Oct 1 John Charles Boissevain, resistance fighter, executed at 23
  • Oct 1 Leo Frijda, resistance fighter, executed at 20
  • Oct 1 Louis Boissevain, resistance fighter, executed at 21
  • Oct 1 Maarten van/of Gilse, resistance fighter, executed at 27
  • Oct 1 Olaf T Thomsen, resistance fighter, executed at 23
  • Oct 1 Peter "Pam" Pooters, resistance fighter, executed at 32
  • Oct 1 Sape Kuiper, resistance fighter, executed at 19
  • Oct 1 Victor van Swieten, resistance fighter, executed at 36
  • Oct 1 Walter Brandligt, literature/resistance fighter, executed at 42
  • Oct 2 R. Nathaniel Dett, Canadian-American pianist, organist, choral director, and composer (In The Bottoms), dies of a heart attack while on tour with the USO at 60
  • Oct 4 Irena Iłłakowicz, Polish agent of Intelligence, dies at 37
  • Oct 4 Richard T. Ely, American economist and author (Ground under our feet), dies at 89
  • Oct 5 Leon Roppolo, American early jazz clarinetist, dies at 41
  • Oct 6 Robert Cooper, father of Card pitcher Mort & catcher Walker, dies
  • Oct 7 Eugeniusz Bodo [Bohdan Eugène Junod], Polish film director, producer and comedic actor, dies in the Gulag at 43
  • Oct 7 Marguerite "John" Radclyffe-Hall, English poet and author (The Well of Loneliness), dies of cancer at 63
  • Oct 9 Gerard Wilhelm Kernkamp, Dutch historian and editor (Groene Amsterdammer/Green Amsterdam), dies at 78
  • Oct 9 Jan Dieters, Dutch politician, resistance fighter, and a leading member of Communist Party of the Netherlands, executed by the Nazis at 42
  • Oct 9 Lou Jansen, leader of illegal Dutch political party (CPN), executed
  • Oct 9 Pieter Zeeman, Dutch physicist (Nobel Prize 1902 for Zeeman effect), dies at 78
  • Oct 10 Charlotte Salomon, German-Jewish artist gassed at Auschwitz aged 26
  • Oct 14 Jimmy Matthews, Australian cricket spin bowler (8 Tests, 16 wickets; Victoria; only player to take 2 hat-tricks in same Test 1912), dies at 59
  • Oct 17 Stefan Starzyński, Polish politician (b. 1893)
  • Oct 18 A. M. de Jong, Dutch writer (World Tour of Bulletje & Bonestaak), dies at 55
  • Oct 18 Benedictus H. Danser, Dutch taxonomist and botanist, dies at 52
  • Oct 21 Dudley Pound, British admiral of the fleet and 1st Sea Lord (Jutland, WW II), dies at 66
  • Oct 22 Josef Venantius von Woss, Austrian composer, dies at 80
  • Oct 24 Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau, French Canadian poet (Regards et jeux dans l'espace), dies at 31
  • Oct 25 H van Zanten, guerrilla leader on North Sumatra, executed
  • Oct 26 Marc Aurel Stein, Hungarian-British archaeologist, dies at 80
  • Oct 27 Béla Reinitz, Hungarian composer, dies at 64
  • Oct 27 Isidor Traube, German chemist who founded capillary chemistry and researched liquids (osmosis, surface tension), dies at 83
  • Oct 31 Max Reinhardt [Goldmann], Austrian theatrical director (Oedipus Rex) and founder of the Salzburg Festival, dies at 70