July 1971

[July 1], 1971 (Thursday)

• Following the retirement of Bert Hendrickson, Justin O'Byrne becomes Father of the Australian Senate, having served longer than any other currently-serving senator.
• British Royal Navy ship sinks in of water while moored at the shore establishment HMS Dolphin at Gosport during refuelling. The ship is raised a few days later and decommissioned.
• The United States Postal Service founded.
• Born: Missy Elliott, American singer, in Portsmouth, Virginia
• Died: William Lawrence Bragg, 81, Australian physicist and Nobel laureate; Learie Constantine, 69, Trinidadian-British cricketer, broadcast journalist, administrator, lawyer, politician and peer

  [July 2], 1971 (Friday)

• The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is formed at Holyrood, Edinburgh, by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers and The Royal Scots Greys.
• Born: Evelyn Lau, Canadian poet and novelist, in Vancouver, British Columbia

  July 3, 1971 (Saturday)

• In a by-election for the South Australian House of Assembly, caused by the death of Labor member for Adelaide, Sam Lawn, is won by Labor candidate Jack Wright.
• Born: Julian Assange, Australian publisher, journalist, computer programmer and Internet activist, in Townsville, Queensland
• Died: Victor Leemans, 69, Belgian ideologist and former President of the European Parliament; Jim Morrison, 27, American singer and leader of The Doors, found dead in his bathtub in Paris, France; the cause of death remains uncertain, but an unintentional heroin overdose is the most popular theory.

  [July 4], 1971 (Sunday)

• The 1971 French Grand Prix motor race at Circuit Paul Ricard is won by Jackie Stewart.
• The Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and is won by Jan de Vries. French rider Christian Ravel is killed in the race.
• Born: Koko, Lowland gorilla, at San Francisco Zoo
• Died: Maurice Bowra, 73, British critic; August Derleth, 62, American author and anthologist

  [July 5], 1971 (Monday)

• Right to vote: The 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution, formally certified by President Richard Nixon, lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.

  [July 6], 1971 (Tuesday)

• Hastings Banda is proclaimed President for Life of Malawi.
• The July Theses: Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu gives a speech to the Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, marking the beginning of a "mini cultural revolution"
• Died: Louis Armstrong, 69, American jazz trumpeter

  [July 7], 1971 (Wednesday)

• The first Continental O-240 aircraft engine is certified.

  [July 8], 1971 (Thursday)

• The United Kingdom increases the number of troops in Northern Ireland to 11,000.
• Died: Charlie Shavers, 50, American jazz trumpeter. Shavers, hearing of the death of Louis Armstrong two days earlier, requested that his own trumpet mouthpiece be buried in Armstrong's coffin.

  [July 9], 1971 (Friday)

• 25,000 people attend the funeral of Louis Armstrong in New York City. "When the Saints Go Marching In", his theme tune, is played at the service, and Peggy Lee sings the Lord's Prayer.

  [July 10], 1971 (Saturday)

• Beginning of a coup attempt in Morocco: During the 42nd birthday party of King Hassan II, 1,400 cadets take over the king's palace for 3 hours and kill 28 people; 158 rebels die when the king's troops storm the palace. Ten high-ranking officers are later executed for involvement.
• Gloria Steinem makes her Address to the Women of America at the founding of the National Women's Political Caucus.

  [July 11], 1971 (Sunday)

• Died: Pedro Rodríguez, 31, Mexican racing driver, killed in an Interserie sports car race at Norisring in Nuremberg, Germany.

  [July 12], 1971 (Monday)

• The Australian Aboriginal flag is flown for the first time, on National Aborigines' Day in Victoria Square in Adelaide, Australia.
• The Troubles: A British soldier is shot dead by an IRA sniper at a British Observation post on Northumberland Street, Belfast. The IRA claim his death is in retaliation for the killings of two civilians in Derry by the British Army the previous week.
• Dutch football star Johann Cruyff signs a seven-year contract with Ajax of Amsterdam.
• Irakli Abashidze becomes Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Georgian SSR.
• Born: Kristi Yamaguchi, American figure skater, in Hayward, California
• Died: Kiyoshi Yamashita, 49, Japanese artist

  July 13, 1971 (Tuesday)

• Ólafur Jóhannesson forms a government in Iceland.
• Jordanian army troops launch an offensive against Palestinian guerillas in Jordan.
• The Yugoslavian government begins allowing foreign companies to take their profits from the country.
• Paced by a prodigious home run by Reggie Jackson which hits a transformer on the roof of Tiger Stadium, the American League defeats the National League 6-4 in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Detroit.

  July 14, 1971 (Wednesday)

• Libya severs its diplomatic ties with Morocco following its alleged involvement in the failed coup of July 10.
• A British soldier is shot and killed in an IRA ambush on a mobile patrol in the Andersonstown area of Belfast. Three IRA gunmen using automatic weapons fire at least 35 shots at the patrol.

  [July 15], 1971 (Thursday)

• The Pontifical Council Cor Unum for Human and Christian Development is established by Pope Paul VI.
• The United Red Army is established by revolutionaries in Japan.
• The Holden HQ automobile range is launched in Australia.
• Born: Akira Yanagawa, Japanese motorcycle road racer
• Died: Sir Tyrone Guthrie, 70, Anglo-Irish theatrical director

  [July 16], 1971 (Friday)

• Spanish dictator and head of state Francisco Franco makes Prince Juan Carlos his successor.

  [July 17], 1971 (Saturday)

• Italy and Austria sign a treaty that ends their dispute over South Tyrol.
• The 1971 British Grand Prix motor race at Silverstone is won by Jackie Stewart.

  [July 18], 1971 (Sunday)

• The Trucial States are formed in the Persian Gulf.
• Died: Giulio Sarrocchi, 84, Italian former Olympic gold medal-winning fencer

  [July 19], 1971 (Monday)

• The South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City is topped out at 1,362 feet, making it the second tallest building in the world.
• 1971 Sudanese coup d'état: Major Hashem al-Atta launches a coup attempt against President Gaafar Nimeiri. Fighting continues until July 22.
• Died: John Jacob Astor, 1st Baron Astor of Hever, 85, American-born businessman; Arsène Roux, 78, French Arabist

  [July 20], 1971 (Tuesday)

• The Aldwych Theatre in London's West End is designated a Grade II listed building.
• The first McDonald's in Japan is officially opened by Den Fujita.
• Born: Sandra Oh, Canadian actress, in Nepean, Ontario

  [July 21], 1971 (Wednesday)

• George Klippert, the last person in Canada to be arrested, charged, prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned for homosexuality before its legalization in 1969, is released from prison.
• Born: Nuno Markl, Portuguese comedian, writer, and television personality, in Lisbon

  [July 22], 1971 (Thursday)

• In Sudan, troops supporting Gaafar Nimeiri defeat those of Major Hashem al-Atta. Al-Atta and three of his officers are executed over the next few days.

  [July 23], 1971 (Friday)

• The Weeble toy is launched by Hasbro.
• Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, opens the Brixton extension of the deep tube London Underground Victoria line, and travels on it to the newly opened Vauxhall station.
• Born: Alison Krauss, American country musician, in Decatur, Illinois

  [July 24], 1971 (Saturday)

• The Spa 24 Hours is won by Dieter Glemser and Alex Soler-Roig in a Ford Capri RS. Belgian driver Raymond Mathay is killed in the race.

  [July 25], 1971 (Sunday)

• The first Alice Springs Town Council is elected.
• Died: David Tsugio Tsutada, 65, Japanese missionary, "the John Wesley of Japan"

  [July 26], 1971 (Monday)

• Apollo 15 is launched, with the intention of landing on the surface of the moon.

  [July 27], 1971 (Tuesday)

• Born: Humayun Saeed, Pakistani actor, in Karachi
• Died: Charlie Tully, 47, Northern Irish footballer, of a heart attack

  [July 28], 1971 (Wednesday)

• A Gillette Cup semi-final between Lancashire and Gloucestershire becomes one of the most famous matches in English cricket after David Hughes scores 24 off one over to win the match for Lancashire just before 9pm.
• The body of Diane Arbus, 48, US photographer, is found in her New York City apartment. She had committed suicide by ingesting barbiturates and slashing her wrists with a razor, and was thought to have died two days earlier
• Died: Abdel Khaliq Mahjub, 43, Sudanese communist leader, executed by hanging as a result of the attempted coup d'état of July 19.

  [July 29], 1971 (Thursday)

• The United Kingdom opts out of the Space Race, with the cancellation of its Black Arrow launch vehicle.

  [July 30], 1971 (Friday)

• All Nippon Airways Flight 58 disaster: Near Shizukuishi, Japan, an All Nippon Airways Boeing 727 collides with a Japanese fighter jet; 162 people are killed.
• Pan Am Flight 845: A Boeing 747-121, taking off from San Francisco bound for Tokyo, strikes Approach Lighting System structures located past the end of the runway. Ten passengers are seriously injured, 19 slightly injured, and significant damage is sustained.
• Opening of the 1971 Pan American Games at Cali, Colombia. The highlight of the opening ceremony is a synchronised dance routine by 12,000 girls in native costumes.

  [July 31], 1971 (Saturday)

• Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin become the first to ride on the surface of the Moon in a lunar rover, a day after landing.