On this day

October 8, 1944

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from October 8, 1944

Notable Births

Ed Kirkpatrick

1944Ed Kirkpatrick, American baseball player (died 2010)[†]

Edgar Leon Kirkpatrick was an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1962 through 1977 for the Los Angeles / California Angels, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Susan Raye

1944Susan Raye, American singer[†]

Susan Raye is an American country music singer. She enjoyed great popularity during the early and mid-1970s, and chalked up seven top-10 and 19 top-40 country hits, most notably the song "L.A. International Airport", an international crossover pop hit in 1971.

Notable Deaths

Wendell Willkie

1944Wendell Willkie, American captain, lawyer, and politician (born 1892)[†]

Wendell Lewis Willkie was an American lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 Republican nominee for president of the United States. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican field's only interventionist: although the U.S. remained neutral prior to Pearl Harbor, he favored greater U.S. involvement in World War II to support Britain and other Allies. His Democratic opponent, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had made campaign pledges against direct U.S. involvement in World War II, won the 1940 election with about 55% of the popular vote and took the electoral college vote by a wide margin.

Historical Events

Battle of Crucifix Hill

1944World War II: Captain Bobbie Brown earns a Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Crucifix Hill, just outside Aachen.[†]

The Battle of Crucifix Hill was a World War II battle that took place on 8 October 1944, on Crucifix Hill, next to the village of Haaren in Germany and was a part of the U.S. 1st Division's campaign to seize Aachen, Germany. The Battle of Aachen was part of the Drive to the Siegfried Line. The hill was named after a large crucifix mounted on the top of the hill. The objective of the battle was to gain control of the hill, which was laced with a maze of pillboxes and bunkers, so that the main objective of encircling Aachen could be completed. The hill was held by units of the German 246. Volksgrenadierdivision.