At A Glance

19 December 1942 at a glance

Day of the week
19 December 1942 was a Saturday.
Top Film of 1942
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1942 was Bambi.
Bestselling Novel of 1942
“The Song of Bernadette” by Franz Werfel was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1942.
Star sign
The star sign for 19 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 19 December 1942 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 19 December 1942 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 19 December

  • 1932 BBC World Service begins broadcasting as the BBC Empire Service.
  • 1940 Risto Ryti, the Prime Minister of Finland, is elected President of the Republic of Finland in a presidential election, which is exceptionally held by the 1937 electoral college.
  • 1941 World War II: Adolf Hitler appoints himself as head of the Oberkommando des Heeres.
  • 1941 World War II: Limpet mines placed by Italian divers heavily damage HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth in Alexandria harbour.
  • 1946 Start of the First Indochina War.

Famous people born on December 19

  • Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor and producer (born 1980)
  • Karim Benzema, French footballer (born 1987)
  • Lauren Boebert, American politician (born 1986)
  • Alyssa Milano, American actress, television personality, and activist (born 1972)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1942 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1942 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • February 2 – WWII: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an executive order directing the internment of Italian, German, and Japanese Americans and orders the seizure of their properties.
  • March 27 – Capitol Records, the first record label on the United States' West Coast of note, is founded by Jonny Mercer, Buddy DeSylvia, and Glenn E. Wallichis.
  • June 4–7 – WWII: Battle of Midway – The United States Navy defeats an Imperial Japanese Navy attack against Midway Atoll.

Life in the US in 1942

President

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gas (per gallon)

$0.20

Loaf of Bread

$0.09

Average House

$3,200

Weekly Wage

$31

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 →