What happened in August 1973?
The top front-page story of each day in August 1973, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Aug 1🌍 Nixon's Japan Visit Planned – President Nixon and Japan's Premier Kakuei Tanaka agreed on a visit within 18 months, with Emperor Hirohito visiting the U.S. in 1974.
- Aug 2🔬 Vitamin Regulation Tightens – FDA announces new regulations on vitamin sales, requiring prescriptions for high-dosage forms of vitamins A and D, amid ongoing nationwide debate.
- Aug 3🚀 Skylab Rescue Planning – Skylab 2 faces trouble with leaking steering rockets, prompting officials to prepare a rescue ship for the astronauts aboard.
- Aug 4🏨 Broadway Hotel Collapse – The University Hotel, a city landmark, collapsed, injuring at least a dozen and halting subway services in the area.
- Aug 5🌌 Venus Unmasked – High-resolution radar probes reveal surface features of Venus for the first time, showcasing its landscape of shallow craters.
- Aug 6🌍 Skylab Air Leak – A leak in the air conditioning system of Skylab was reported, but astronauts are in no immediate danger.
- Aug 7🌌 Soviet Mars Ship Launched – The Soviet Union launched its third spaceship to Mars, marking a significant effort in planetary exploration.
- Aug 8🔬 Rechargeable Pacemakers Success – The world's first rechargeable implanted cardiac pacemakers are reported to be working successfully in several American patients.
- Aug 9✈️ Concorde's U.S. Visit – The Concorde supersonic airliner is set to make its first visit to the United States next month, aiming to boost sales.
- Aug 10🚀 Skylab Rescue Preparations – Preparations for a potential Skylab rescue mission are ongoing at Cape Kennedy as the space station's condition stabilizes.
- Aug 11🌌 Astronauts Observe Solar Eruption – Skylab 2 astronauts photographed a spectacular solar eruption, marking their first day off in two weeks.
- Aug 12🌍 Astronauts Study Storms – Skylab astronauts collected data on storms, forests, and mineral deposits over a 6,300-mile sweep of the U.S. and Latin America.
- Aug 13🌊 Floods in India – At least 65 people have died and thousands are homeless due to severe flooding across northern India, particularly in Kashmir.
- Aug 14✈️ Spanish Jet Crash – All 85 aboard a Spanish Caravelle airliner were killed when it exploded and crashed near La Coruna, Spain.
- Aug 15🚀 Skylab 2 Mission Continues – Space officials confirmed Skylab 2 crew will finish their record 59-day mission, with a rescue craft ready if needed.
- Aug 16✈️ U.N. Condemns Israel – The U.N. Security Council unanimously condemned Israel for forcing down a Lebanese commercial airliner last week.
- Aug 17🛰️ Skylab 3 Launch Planned – NASA announced Skylab 3 will launch on Nov. 9, coinciding with a comet's spectacular pass around the sun.
- Aug 18🚀 Skylab Jet Thruster Test – The Skylab 2 crew conducted a final test of a mini-spacecraft inside the orbiting space station, suggesting changes for life-support systems.
- Aug 19🌊 Floods Displace Thousands – About 100,000 people have been forced from their homes by floods in northern and central Mexico, with at least 20 fatalities reported.
- Aug 20🌍 China Flood Relief – China pledged $1 million in cash and supplies to assist victims of flooding in Pakistan, demonstrating international solidarity.
- Aug 21🔬 Rabies Vaccine Breakthrough – A new rabies vaccine has been developed, reducing required shots from 14 to 1, potentially saving many lives in developing regions.
- Aug 22☀️ Giant Sun Bubble Filmed – Skylab 2 crew photographed a significant solar event, a giant bubble in the sun's outer atmosphere, marking a key moment in solar research.
- Aug 23🌍 Gustav in Critical Condition – King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden is in critical condition after surgery for a gastric ulcer, now on an artificial respirator.
- Aug 24🔬 Medical Miracle Achieved – Louis B. Russell Jr., a teacher, completes five years of life with a stranger's heart, marking a remarkable medical achievement.
- Aug 25🚀 Astronauts Space Walk – Skylab 2 astronauts completed a 4.5-hour space walk to install new gyroscopes and load fresh film in solar telescope cameras.
- Aug 26🔬 Skylab Astronauts Record – Skylab 2 astronauts set a new space endurance record after completing their second successful space walk.
- Aug 27🚀 Skylab Crew Progresses – Skylab 2 astronauts passed the halfway point of their 59-day mission, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Aug 28🌍 Floods Threaten Pakistan – Floodwaters threaten Hyderabad, Pakistan, as the Indus River swells, raising concerns for the city's safety.
- Aug 29🌍 Civil Air Parley Opens – The International Civil Aviation Organization's 128-country conference commenced in Rome to discuss new agreements to curb hijackings.
- Aug 30🔬 Historic Watergate Ruling – Judge John J. Sirica ordered President Nixon to release White House tape recordings related to the Watergate case for grand jury review.
- Aug 31🌍 Mexico Earthquake Toll – The Mexican Government reported 527 deaths from the recent earthquake, with recovery efforts ongoing.
Happy Birthday! 1973 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1973 in real headlines. See the 1973 book →
Born in August? Pick the day
Every birthday in August has its own On This Day in Headlines book: