At A Glance
18 August 1978 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 18 August 1978 was a Friday.
- UK Number One
- The UK Number One single was “Three Times a Lady” by Commodores.
- Top Film of 1978
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1978 was Grease.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 18 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 18 August 1978 fell in the Year of the Horse.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 18 August 1978 was Full Moon.
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)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1978 in the United Kingdom
A selection from Wikipedia's '1978 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.
- 11 January – A North Sea storm surge ruins four piers in the UK: Herne Bay, Margate, Hunstanton and Skegness.
- 9 February – Gordon McQueen, 25-year-old Scotland central defender, becomes Britain's first £500,000 footballer in a transfer from Leeds United to Manchester United.
- 8 March – The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy first broadcast by BBC Radio 4.
Life in 1978
Prime Minister
James Callaghan
Monarch
Elizabeth II
Pint of Beer
34p
Loaf of Bread
24p
Average House
£15,590
Weekly Wage
£88.00
Or
Browse by Year
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)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →
