September 23, 1942

1942Sila María Calderón, Puerto Rican-American businesswoman and politician, 12th Secretary of State of Puerto Rico^[†]

Sila María Calderón Serra is a Puerto Rican politician, businesswoman, and philanthropist who served as the eighth democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico from 2001 to 2005. Calderón became the first female to be elected or serve as governor since the establishment of the office in 1508. She previously served as the mayor of San Juan, the capital municipality of Puerto Rico, from 1997 to 2001. She also held various positions in the government of Puerto Rico, including Secretary of State from 1988 to 1989.

1942Colin Low, Baron Low of Dalston, Scottish scholar and politician^[†]

Colin Mackenzie Low, Baron Low of Dalston, is a British politician, law scholar and member of the House of Lords.

1942David Renneberg, Australian cricketer^[†]

David Alexander Renneberg was an Australian cricketer who played in eight Test matches from 1966 to 1968.

1942World War II: The Matanikau action on Guadalcanal begins: U.S. Marines attack Japanese units along the Matanikau River.^[†]

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.