At A Glance

26 January 1944 at a glance

Day of the week
26 January 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 26 January is Aquarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 26 January 1944 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for January is Garnet.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 26 January 1944 was New Moon.

On this day: 26 January

  • 1939 Spanish Civil War: Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.
  • 1942 World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe, landing in Northern Ireland.
  • 1945 World War II: Audie Murphy displays valor and bravery in action for which he will later be awarded the Medal of Honor.
  • 1949 The Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory sees first light under the direction of Edwin Hubble, becoming the largest aperture optical telescope (until BTA-6 is built in 1976).
  • 1950 The Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as the first President of India. Observed as Republic Day in India.

Famous people born on January 26

  • José Mourinho, Portuguese footballer and manager (born 1963)
  • Paul Newman, American actor, activist, director, race car driver, and businessman, co-founded Newman's Own (1925–2008)
  • Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian, actress, and talk show host (born 1958)
  • Ester Expósito, Spanish actress (born 2000)

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 →