What was going on when I was born?

Defense Department officials have settled on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat as the Navy's premier fighter but have left open the makeup of an attack bomber force, according to Pentagon and industry officials. The two decisions came in a review of the Navy's five-year plan for spending more than $30 billion on tactical aircraft. The selection of the F-14 as the fighter will mean $8.4 billion for the Grumman Aerospace Corporation of Bethpage, L.I., as it builds 144 of the planes in the fiscal years 1984 through 1988, if Congress approves each annual aircraft request from the Administration. This year, Congress is almost certain to approve the purchase of at least 24 F-14's for the fiscal year 1983.

For an hour the other day, as they sat in their patrol car at Third Avenue and 102d Street, Officers Mary McCambridge and Andre Ortiz waited for a taxi. None came. When they finally left, other officers replaced them and they, too, waited for a taxi. None showed up. And so it went throughout the day and night. The officers chatted idly or glanced at newspapers as they sat across from the Third Avenue Meat Wholesalers or the El Barrio cleaning establishment. Taxis passed occasionally; none stopped. For the last nine months, as part of a Police Department program to combat crime against taxicab drivers, the officers of the 23d and other precincts have manned checkpoints throughout the city, places the drivers can go if they are being robbed or menaced. But since the checkpoints were set up, not one taxi driver in trouble has pulled up at the 23d Precinct's designated spot, an official said yesterday. And few have gone to other checkpoints.

Bill Madlock has won three National League batting titles and holds a six-year contact for a reported $900,000 a season. Yet, after his 10th-inning home run yesterday that gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 4-3 victory over the Mets at Shea Stadium, the 10-year veteran showed the jubilation of a rookie. Heading for his locker, the 31-year-old Madlock clasped hands with Willie Stargell, the Pirates' captain, and gracefully danced toward his locker. ''He threw me a sinker and I just stepped into the bucket and hit it,'' Madlock said of the pitch that the Mets' Terry Leach had thrown him. A wind grin broke across Madlock's face.

HE was dressed in standard off-duty training camp issue, consisting of sandals, shorts and a T-shirt. At 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds, it seemed that George Rogers could shred that T-shirt at the seams simply by flexing his muscles. He is one of those running backs who doles out as much punishment as he receives. As a rookie last season, he led the National Football League with 1,674 yards. But now at the Dodgertown training complex used by the New Orleans Saints at Vero Beach, Fla., he did not look so fearsome as he leaned against a car and smiled broadly as perspiring teammates crossed the intersection of Jackie Robinson Boulevard and Sandy Koufax Lane, only a few strides from the finish line on their mile-and-a-half run. This was an opportunity for Rogers to greet his fellow Saints and conveniently avoid answering what he thought were embarrassing and tiresome questions. Rogers had created a mild fuss last season when he failed to finish the mile-and-a-half run on the first day of camp. His muscles cramped and he was forced to quit after a mile. He was overweight, which was not the best way for the 1980 Heisman Trophy winner and Saints' No.1 draft choice to make a first impression. But last season's controversy was minor compared with this season's.

West Germany's strength and political stability, standard assumptions in the post-World War II balance of power between East and West, are now increasingly uncertain matters. The strong economy, the strong Parliament, the strong army and the strong labor unions are unmistakably less vigorous, less confident than they were 5, 10 or 20 years ago. The country's involvement with the future of Western Europe has become more hesitant, and Common Market polls show the West Germans of 1982 are the most anxious, the least self-assured and perhaps the most self-involved people in the 10 member countries. Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, traveling privately in the western United States last week, complained frequently about what he thought were American cliche notions of his country. But the real cliches about West Germany - that it is immune to political adventure and social upheaval, that its future is irrevocably joined to that of the West - are being obliterated by events.

Darryl Dawkins's feet belonged to Nike. So when the center of the Philadelphia 76ers showed up on the basketball court in May wearing shoes made by Pony Sports & Leisure, there was big trouble. What galled Nike officials most was that Mr. Dawkins, known as ''Chocolate Thunder,'' had asked for, and received, a $20,000 advance on his $50,000-a-year endorsement contract only a few weeks before his defection. Then, too, Mr. Dawkins's shoe switch came in the middle of the National Basketball Association playoffs -when his feet would be most conspicuous - and left Nike with 20,000 useless ''Chocolate Thunder'' posters.

Companies are reporting dismal profits for the second quarter of 1982. The earnings are estimated to be the lowest in five years. Of 279 corporations covered in a New York Times survey, more than half reported losses or lower profits for the period. (Page A1.)

International Israel's fiercest attack on west Beirut continued for 14 hours. Palestinian guerrilla positions and residential areas were bombarded by land, sea and and air. The attack ended when Philip C. Habib, the United States special envoy, arranged a cease-fire. At least 70 people were reported killed and more than twice that number were wounded. (Page A1, Column 6.) President Reagan responded to the latest Israeli attacks in west Beirut with the demand that the ''bloodshed must be stopped.'' He said it was ''absolutely imperative'' that the new cease-fire remain in place. He said he would be ''firm'' at meetings with Israel's Foreign Minister, Yitzhak Shamir. (A1:5.)

The Security Council, hastily summoned to debate Israel's latest attacks on west Beirut, unanimously demanded a cease-fire today and asked United Nations military observers to insure that it is maintained. By the time the vote was taken, Israel had already announced that a new cease-fire, the ninth since Israeli forces invaded Lebanon June 6, was in effect. The Council's action today, however, marked the first time that it has agreed to install even a symbolic United Nations presence in the Lebanese capital. Until now, Israel has strenuously opposed any such move, and it was unclear tonight whether it would accept the United Nations observers. But since the United States joined the other 14 Council members in voting for the resolution, it would be difficult for Israel to say no. Today's Security Council meeting was requested by Lebanon.

The combination of high interest rates and sluggish sales in key markets is forcing reductions - and in some cases deep cuts - in planned spending for new factories and equipment across a broad spectrum of American industry. In recent weeks, companies in fields that are feeling the harshest impact of the recession have announced that they were reducing their earlier projections of capital spending this year and deferring projects in midstream. In the steel industry, for example, some of the cuts have been dramatic. ''In effect, we're turning off the faucet,'' asserted Harry Holiday, chairman of Armco Inc., the nation's sixth-largest steel manufacturer, in a meeting with New York securities analysts last week. He said the company, which had earlier projected $570 million in capital spending in 1982, now planned to spend about $370 million this year and less than $300 million in 1983.

The aircraft carrier Intrepid, a gallant survivor of epic World War II air and sea battles in the South Pacific, begins a new career tomorrow as one of New York City's biggest new tourist attractions in years. Rescued from a scrapyard and refitted at a cost of $22 million, the decommissioned Essex-class flattop has found a permanent home in the Hudson at Pier 86, West 46th Street. It is expected to attract 1.4 million visitors in its first year as a floating museum. Renamed the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, the 900-foot, 41,000-ton warship is laden with attractions - Hellcats and Avengers from World War II, modern jets, aircraft from the pioneering days of flight, exhibits on moon landings and space shuttles and an array of films and recordings detailing the Intrepid's 31 years of active duty. 6,000 Visitors a Day Expected With easy access on the West Side, and admissions of $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12, the carrier is expected to attract up to 6,000 visitors a day, ranging from sentimental veterans and old salts to out-of-town tourists and space-age youngsters looking for glimpses of a bygone era of American air and sea power.

Dave Hostetler hit two home runs in the same game for the third time in his rookie season and drove in all four Texas Ranger runs tonight, sending the Yankees to a 4-2 defeat. Mike Morgan, who gave up both homers, took the loss, which dropped his record to 5-6. Rick Honeycutt, who had lost his last five decisions, was the winner, holding the Yankees to five hits in six innings. Jon Matlack, who followed Honeycutt to the mound and gave up four hits, got the save when a ninth-inning rally by the Yankees ended with the bases loaded after one run had scored.