At A Glance

18 August 1979 at a glance

Day of the week
18 August 1979 was a Saturday.
Kent Music Report No. 1
The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Some Girls” by Racey.
Top Film of 1979
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1979 was Moonraker.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1979
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1979 was the Holden Commodore.
Star sign
The star sign for 18 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 18 August 1979 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 18 August 1979 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 18 August

  • 1963 Civil rights movement: James Meredith becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
  • 1965 Vietnam War: Operation Starlite begins: United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.
  • 1966 Vietnam War: The Battle of Long Tan ensues after a patrol from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment clashes with a Viet Cong force in Phước Tuy Province.
  • 1971 Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.
  • 1976 The Soviet Union's robotic probe Luna 24 successfully lands on the Moon.

Famous people born on 18 August

  • Robert Redford, American actor, director, and producer (1936–2025)
  • Patrick Swayze, American actor and dancer (1952–2009)
  • Edward Norton, American actor (born 1969)
  • Kaitlin Olson, American actress and comedian (born 1975)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1979 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1979 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 9 January – Deputy Prime Minister Doug Anthony signs a pact to allow uranium mining to begin at the Ranger Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory.
  • 9 February – Associated Securities Limited, Australia's fourth-largest finance company, is placed into receivership.
  • 9 March – The Arbitration Commission awards Australian women the right to six weeks' compulsory unpaid maternity leave with the option of extending the leave to one year.

Life in Australia in 1979

Prime Minister

Malcolm Fraser

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.13

Loaf of Bread

$0.54

Average House

$40,000

Weekly Wage

$200.00

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1970s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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