What Happened in July?

A 7.8 earthquake razes the Chinese city of Tangshan located about 68 miles east of Beijing. The official death toll, reported was 242,000 persons, but it may have been twice as high. At least 700,000 more people were injured and the property damage was extensive. More

The Solomon Islands become an independent nation on July 7, 1978, after gaining self-governance from the United Kingdom two years earlier in 1976. The country is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, to the northeast of Australia with a population of 800,000 people.

The first successful birth of a child conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) takes place. Louise Brown was born in Oldham, northwest England. Her birth marked a significant milestone in reproductive medicine, offering hope to couples struggling with infertility. The procedure was developed by Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards, and Jean Purdy. Expand +

Skylab, America's first space station reenters Earth's atmosphere, to a premature and uncontrolled descent with debris falling over the Indian Ocean and parts of Western Australia. The station's orbit had deteriorated due to increased solar activity; While no injuries were reported, the event captured global attention and highlighted the challenges of managing space debris. The space station was launched in May 14,1973.

Kiribati, officially the Republic of Kiribati Independence Day from the United Kingdom. Kiribati is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. Its permanent population is over 119,000 as of the 2020 census and more than half live on South Tarawa. The state comprises 32 atolls and Banaba, a remote raised coral island.

Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu. achieves independence under Prime Minister Walter Lin from the United Kingdom and France (The British-French Condominium) The day is celebrated as its National Day. Vanuatu is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, comprised of about 80 islands, is of volcanic origin and it is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji. Vanuatu's 2023 population was estimated to be 336,000 people.

Pan Am Flight 759, a Boeing 727 flight from Miami to San Diego, with stops in New Orleans and Las Vegas. crashed in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner after being forced down shortly after takeoff due to wind shear which the pilots were not informed about prior to takeoff. All 145 on board, as well as 8 people on the ground, were killed. More

Movie actor Vic Morrow and two child actors, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, are killed in a tragic accident on the set of "Twilight Zone: The Movie" The accident occurred when a helicopter crashed on the set during filming of the "Time Out" segment due to rotor failure believed to be caused by film pyrotechnics. Legal battles and set procedure reviews following the accident led to safety reforms in the film industry, and had a lasting impact on the filmmakers involved. More

Mass shooting in the San Ysidro neighborhood of San Diego, California -  A heavily armed James Oliver Huberty enters the San Ysidro McDonald's restaurant killing twenty one people and injuring 19 others. The tragic and violent event lasted 77 minutes. The massacre ended when a police marksman sent a shot through Huberty’s chest and killed him. More

French secret service agents planted two bombs and sank the Greenpeace Flagship The Rainbow Warrior. One crew member was killed. More

Live Aid, a dual-venue benefit concert is held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia to raise awareness and money for famine relief in Ethiopia.  Expand +

The U.S. cruiser USS Vincennes fires two guided missiles and shoots down an Iranian passenger jet, Iran Air 655, an Airbus 300. All 290 passengers and crew on board were killed. More 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. A landmark civil rights legislation which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas, including employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The ADA ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. it covers five main areas: employment, state and local government services, public accommodations (like restaurants and stores), telecommunications, and transportation. More

Trinidad coup attempt - More than 100 members of the Islamist radical group, Jamaat-al-Muslimeen, stormed Trinidad and Tobago parliament and a TV station holding all inside hostage, including the prime minister ANR Robinson for several days as violence and looting erupted in the capital. A state of emergency was imposed but when the rebellion was over much of Port of Spain had been burned and destroyed. Twenty-four people died, including an MP, Leo Des Vignes - and many more were injured. More

Rwandan Patriotic Front troops capture the Rwandan capital of Kigali, ending the Rwandan Genocide.

Germany's Constitutional Court ended the ban on sending German troops to fight outside the country which had been in effect since the end of World War II. The ruling allowed German troops to join in United Nations and NATO peace-keeping missions. On July 14, German military units marched in Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, the first appearance of German troops there since World War II.

Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp separately discover the Comet Hale–Bopp. The comet becomes visible to the naked eye a year later and stays visible for a record 18 months, due to its massive nucleus size. This is twice as long as the Great Comet of 1811, the previous record holder. Accordingly, Hale–Bopp was dubbed the great comet of 1997. Sadly, 39 people who were part of the "Heaven's Gate" cult in San Diego committed mass suicide as the comet came close to Earth. More

Dolly, the most famous sheep of all time is born at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, from DNA taken from an adult sheep’s mammary gland. She was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, rather than an embryo. A major scientific achievement which also raised ethical concerns. More

Dolly the sheep, a Finn Dorset lamb, was born at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, marking a significant milestone in cloning technology.

TWA Flight 800 departed Kennedy International Airport in New York bound for Paris but exploded in mid-air 12 minutes after takeoff. All 212 passengers and 17 crew members on board were killed. Although it could not be determined with certainty, the likely ignition source was a short circuit. Problems with the aircraft's wiring were found, including evidence of arcing in the fuel quantity indication system (FQIS) wiring that enters the tank. More

Terrorist attack at the Atlanta Olympics - A pipe bomb explodes in the Olympic Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia. One person was killed and 111 injured. The attack was the first of four bombings committed by Eric Rudolph during his domestic terrorist campaign against the U.S. government which he accused of championing "the ideals of global socialism" and "abortion on demand". Rudolf went on to commit three more bombings in 1997 and 1998. For five years. He was listed as one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives for five years until he was caught in 2003. In 2005 he agreed to plead guilty to avoid a potential death sentence. Rudolph was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for his crimes. More