At A Glance

17 May 1944 at a glance

Day of the week
17 May 1944 was a Wednesday.
Top Film of 1944
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1944 was Going My Way.
Bestselling Novel of 1944
“Strange Fruit” by Lillian Smith was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1944.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 May 1944 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 May 1944 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 17 May

  • 1937 Spanish Civil War: The Largo Caballero government resigns in the wake of the Barcelona May Days, leading Juan Negrín to form a government, without the anarcho-syndicalist CNT, in its stead.
  • 1939 The Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers play in the United States' first televised sporting event, a collegiate baseball game in New York City.
  • 1940 World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium.
  • 1943 World War II: Dambuster Raids commence by No. 617 Squadron RAF.
  • 1954 The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.

Famous people born on May 17

  • Josh Homme, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1973)
  • Bill Paxton, American actor and director (1955–2017)
  • Dennis Hopper, American actor and director (1936–2010)
  • Bob Saget, American comedian, actor, and television host (1956–2022)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1944 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1944 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • January 22 – World War II – Battle of Anzio: the Allies begin the assault on Anzio, Italy. The U.S. Army 45th Infantry Division stands their ground at Anzio against violent assaults for 4 months.
  • June 6 – World War II – Battle of Normandy: Operation Overlord, commonly known as D-Day, commences with the landing of 155,000 Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in France.
  • June 15 – Battle of Saipan: the United States invades Saipan.

Life in the US in 1944

President

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gas (per gallon)

$0.21

Loaf of Bread

$0.09

Average House

$3,450

Weekly Wage

$38

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

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 →