At A Glance

5 August 1944 at a glance

Day of the week
5 August 1944 was a Saturday.
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 5 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 5 August 1944 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 5 August 1944 was Full Moon.

On this day: 5 August

  • 1931 Judge and Nazi Party member Werner Best drafts the Boxheim Documents, which described a violent takeover of the government by the NSDAP.
  • 1940 World War II: The Soviet Union formally annexes Latvia.
  • 1944 World War II: Polish insurgents liberate a German labor camp (Gęsiówka) in Warsaw, freeing 348 Jewish prisoners.
  • 1957 American Bandstand, a show dedicated to the teenage "baby-boomers" by playing the songs and showing popular dances of the time, debuts on the ABC television network.
  • 1960 Burkina Faso, then known as Upper Volta, becomes independent from France.

Famous people born on August 5

  • James Gunn, American filmmaker (born 1966)
  • Wendell Berry, American novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist (1934–2026)
  • Angry Anderson, Australian singer and actor (1947–2026)
  • Neil Armstrong, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut, first man to walk on the Moon (1930–2012)

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 →