What happened in March 1982?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1982, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Mar 1📼 Japan's TDK Leads Market – TDK emerges as a leading producer in the global videotape market, capitalizing on the rising sales of videotape recorders.
- Mar 2🎷 Big-Band Leader Dies – Charlie Spivak, renowned big-band leader of the 1940s, passed away at 77, leaving a significant mark on music history.
- Mar 3🔬 Mystery Cloud Discovered – Scientists found a huge cloud orbiting Earth during a weather scan, tracked for five weeks, but remain puzzled about its origin.
- Mar 4🌪️ Cyclone Rips Tonga – A cyclone caused widespread flooding and property destruction in Tonga, with two confirmed deaths reported.
- Mar 5🔬 Nuclear Reactor Issues – U.S. officials list 111 safety problems at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, indicating extensive changes may be needed for safe operation.
- Mar 6🛰️ Satellite Put Into Orbit – Intelsat 5-D, the world's largest communications satellite, was successfully launched into orbit atop an Atlas Centaur rocket.
- Mar 7🌪️ Tornadoes Strike Florida – Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes hit Dade County, Florida, resulting in one death and damage to 100 homes.
- Mar 8🏛️ Dali Museum Opens – A $2 million museum dedicated to Salvador Dali opened in St. Petersburg, Florida, aiming to become a major tourist attraction.
- Mar 9🔬 Particle Beams Treat Cancers – Researchers use cyclotrons at universities to successfully treat rare cancers near the spinal cord, improving outcomes for previously fatal cases.
- Mar 10🌌 Planetary Alignment – An unusual planetary alignment today led many to expect catastrophe, but astronomers dismissed these claims as unfounded.
- Mar 11🚀 Space Shuttle's Flight – President Reagan dedicated the next space shuttle flight to anti-Soviet insurgents in Afghanistan, highlighting U.S. support against Kremlin intervention.
- Mar 12🏛️ Senator Resigns Amid Scandal – Senator Harrison A. Williams Jr. resigned from the Senate as it prepared to expel him for his conduct in the Abscam investigation.
- Mar 13🌍 Mitterrand Backs Recovery – French President Francois Mitterrand endorsed the U.S. economic recovery plan for the Caribbean during a visit with President Reagan.
- Mar 14🌍 Miss Zayak Wins Title – Elaine Zayak, a 16-year-old American, won the women's title at the world figure skating championships with a brilliant performance.
- Mar 15🎨 Concert for John Cage – A 13-hour concert celebrated John Cage's 70th birthday, showcasing his unique approach to music and art.
- Mar 16🌋 Mount St. Helens Rumbles – Scientists predict a mild eruption of Mount St. Helens within days after conducting tests in the volcano's crater.
- Mar 17🌍 Natural Gas Reserves – World natural gas reserves can meet demand for the next 170 years, according to the International Gas Union.
- Mar 18🚄 France Plans Railroad – France announces plans for a second high-speed electric railroad, enhancing its already fast passenger train service.
- Mar 19🌍 Papal Envoy Received – Pope John Paul II's envoy presented credentials to Queen Elizabeth II, marking the end of a 450-year absence of Catholic diplomatic representation in Britain.
- Mar 20🌋 Mount St. Helens Erupts – Mount St. Helens erupted, sending a plume of ash and steam seven miles into the air, threatening nearby areas with mudflows.
- Mar 21🦕 Antarctica's Fossil Discovery – Scientists return from Antarctica with the first fossil remains of a land mammal found there, marking a significant paleontological breakthrough.
- Mar 22🚀 Shuttle Poised for Liftoff – Preparations for the space shuttle Columbia's third test flight shifted smoothly into final phases, with launch still scheduled for 10 A.M. Monday.
- Mar 23🚀 Columbia Launch Success – The space shuttle Columbia successfully launched, marking its third test flight, with scientific data flowing back within 40 minutes.
- Mar 24⛷️ Miss Nelson Wins Slalom – Cindy Nelson of Reno triumphed in the first women's super giant slalom ski race held today.
- Mar 25⚖️ Supreme Court Strike Ruling – The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Long Island Rail Road employees have a federally guaranteed right to strike.
- Mar 26🏀 Rutgers Women's Basketball – Rutgers women's basketball team, coached by Theresa Shank Grentz, reaches the Final Four, marking a significant achievement in women's sports.
- Mar 27🚀 Shuttle Flight Continues – Despite failures in three communications links, the space shuttle Columbia's mission will proceed as backup systems are deemed sufficient.
- Mar 28🏗️ Long Island Construction Boom – Jack Kulka thrives as a construction manager in Long Island, innovating project management amid a national slump.
- Mar 29🚀 Shuttle Columbia Lands – Thousands gathered near White Sands to witness the landing of the space shuttle Columbia after a successful week in space.
- Mar 30🌍 Canada Gains Constitution Control – Canada's bill for constitutional control passed after receiving royal assent from Queen Elizabeth.
- Mar 31🚀 Shuttle Returns Successfully – The third and longest test flight of the space shuttle Columbia ended successfully with a smooth landing in the desert.
Happy Birthday! 1982 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1982 in real headlines. See the 1982 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: