What Happened on December 31, 1971

• Edmund Compton, then Northern Ireland Ombudsman, is replaced by John Benn
• KAID TV channel 4 in Boise, ID (PBS) begins broadcasting
• Lt Gen Robert E Cushman, Jr, USMC, ends term as deputy director of CIA

• Brent Barry, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 2005, 07 San Antonio Spurs), executive (SA Spurs) and broadcaster (NBA on TNT), born in Hempstead, New York
• Ricardo López Felipe, Spanish soccer goalkeeper (2 caps; CA Osasuna 190 games), born in Madrid, Spain

• Marin Sais, American actress (b. 1890)
• Pete Duel [Deuel], American stage and screen actor (Gidget; Love on a Rooftop; Alias Smith and Jones), commits suicide at 31
• Vikram Sarabhai, Indian physicist (b. 1919)

Holidays: New Year's Day (Canada, United States)

• #1 Song: Brand New Key - Melanie
• #1 Song: Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) - Benny Hill