December 24, 1944

1944Jan Erik Berntsen, Norwegian actor and singer (died 2025)^[†]

Jan Erik Berntsen was a Norwegian actor and singer. He made his acting debut at Trøndelag Teater in 1964 and participated in over 130 productions at the theatre before retiring in 2014. At the Melodi Grand Prix 1971, he and Odd Børre performed "Ironside" and finished as runners-up.

1944Mike Curb, American businessman and politician, 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California^[†]

Michael Curb is an American politician, record executive, and philanthropist who served as the 42nd lieutenant governor of California from 1979 to 1983. He is the founder of Curb Records and is the chairman of Word Entertainment. He was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2006. A member of the Republican Party, Curb is the most recent Republican to have been elected lieutenant governor of California as of 2025.

1944Daniel Johnson, Jr., Canadian lawyer and politician, 25th Premier of Quebec^[†]

Daniel Johnson Jr. is a former Canadian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Quebec and was the 25th premier of Quebec for nine months in 1994 until his party's defeat in the provincial general election.

1944Erhard Keller, German speed skater^[†]

Erhard Keller is a former speed skater from Germany.

1944Bob Shaw, Australian golfer^[†]

Robert J. Shaw is an Australian professional golfer. He played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s.

1944Woody Shaw, American trumpeter (died 1989)^[†]

Woody Herman Shaw Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the 20th century's most important and influential jazz trumpeters and composers. He is often credited with revolutionizing the technical and harmonic language of modern jazz trumpet playing, and is regarded by many as one of the major innovators of the instrument. He was an acclaimed virtuoso, mentor, and spokesperson for jazz and worked and recorded alongside many of the leading musicians of his time.

1944World War II: The Belgian Troopship Leopoldville was torpedoed and sank with the loss of 763 soldiers and 56 crew.^[†]

SS Léopoldville was a 11,509 GRT passenger liner of the Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo. She was converted for use as a troopship in the Second World War, and on December 24, 1944, while sailing between Southampton and Cherbourg, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-486. As a result, about 763 US soldiers and 15 officers of the ship's crew died. The crew had abandoned ship and left U.S. troops without proper evacuation orders.