August 8, 1944

1944John C. Holmes, American film actor (died 1988)^[†]

John Curtis Holmes, better known as John C. Holmes or Johnny Wadd, was an American pornographic film actor. Holmes ranks among the most famous and prolific adult film performers, with documented credits for at least 573 films. Holmes was known for the exceptional size of his penis, which featured heavily in his marketing.

1944Michael Johnson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 2017)^[†]

Michael Jay Johnson was an American pop, country, and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best remembered for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". He charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and nine more on Hot Country Songs, including two number one country hits in 1986's "Give Me Wings" and "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder". He also co-wrote "Cain's Blood", the debut single of 1990s country group 4 Runner.

1944John Renbourn, English-Scottish guitarist and songwriter (died 2015)^[†]

John Renbourn was an English guitarist and songwriter. He was best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career before, during and after that band's existence (1967–1973). Several albums were credited to the John Renbourn Group. He worked later in a duo with Stefan Grossman.

1944Simon Taylor, English journalist and author^[†]

Simon Taylor is a motor sports journalist who writes for several publications. Taylor is a writer, historian, radio and TV commentator and a keen loyal supporter of historic racing. He is editor-at-large of Classic & Sports Car magazine. and contributes a monthly column under the title "Full Throttle". He is particularly known for the in-depth interviews of motor sports personalities past and present which he contributed to Motor Sport magazine between 2006 and 2016, under the title "Lunch with...."

1944Erwin von Witzleben, German field marshal (born 1881)^[†]

Job Wilhelm Georg Erwin Erdmann von Witzleben was a German Generalfeldmarschall in the Wehrmacht and Oberbefehlshaber West, during the Second World War. A leading conspirator in the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was designated to become Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht in a post-Nazi regime, had the plot succeeded. After being dishonourably discharged by the Ehrenhof, he was murdered, after a show trial from the Volksgerichtshof.

1944Michael Wittmann, German commander (born 1914)^[†]

Michael Wittmann was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. He is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. While in command of a Tiger I tank, Wittmann destroyed up to 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns within 15 minutes before the loss of his own tank.