UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
18 August 1979 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 18 August 1979 was a Saturday.
- UK Number One
- The UK Number One single was “I Don't Like Mondays” by The Boomtown Rats.
- Top Film of 1979
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1979 was Moonraker.
- 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 the United Kingdom
A selection from Wikipedia's '1979 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.
- 22 February – Saint Lucia becomes independent of the United Kingdom.
- 3 May – 1979 general election.
- 7 June – European Parliament election, the first direct election to the European Parliament; the turnout in Britain is low at 32%. The Conservatives have the most MEPs at 60, while Labour only have 17.
Life in 1979
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Monarch
Elizabeth II
Pint of Beer
38p
Loaf of Bread
27p
Average House
£19,925
Weekly Wage
£101.00
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Famous Faces Born in the 1970s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Matthew Rhys8 November 1974ActorView their day →Hannah Waddingham28 July 1974ActressView their day →Andy Burnham7 January 1970PoliticianView their day →Christopher Nolan30 July 1970FilmmakerView their day →Lucy Davis17 February 1973ActressView their day →Tom Hardy15 September 1977ActorView their day →Christian Bale30 January 1974ActorView their day →Kelly Macdonald23 February 1976ActressView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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