What happened on Thursday May 23, 1940?

About May 23rd, 1940, in brief:

  • Historical events: On May 23, 1940, during the early stages of World War II, British Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfire fighters engaged in their first significant aerial combat with German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters over the skies of France. This dogfight represented a critical moment in aerial warfare, showcasing the technological prowess and pilot skills of both the British and German air forces.
  • Day of the week: May 23rd, 1940 was a Thursday
  • Zodiac Sign: Gemini (in western zodiac), Dragon (in Chinese zodiac)
  • Moon Phase: Full Moon
  • Popular movie: Lightning Strikes West directed by Harry L. Fraser

More about May 23rd, 1940? See below for more news and curiosities on May 23rd, 1940.

history

May 23, 1940: What happened on that day?


Here's what happened on May 23, 1940:

  • First Major Air Battle of World War II: Spitfires vs Luftwaffe On May 23, 1940, during the early stages of World War II, British Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfire fighters engaged in their first significant aerial combat with German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters over the skies of France. This dogfight represented a critical moment in aerial warfare, showcasing the technological prowess and pilot skills of both the British and German air forces.

Events in 1940

May 23, 1940: What were the magazines covers and newspapers that day?

LIFE Magazine

Magazines from May. 23, 1940

Newspapers from May. 23, 1940

Looking for other vintage memories?
Look at our old newspapers and magazines page
calendar

What day of the week was May 23, 1940?


May 23, 1940 was a Thursday and it was the 144th day of the year 1940 in the Gregorian calendar.

May 23, 1940 can also be written as 5/23/1940 in the US and as 23/5/1940 in UK and Europe.

timeadventure

Birth chart on this day

Discover the planets positions on May 23rd, 1940 as well as what the sky looked like at your place

see horoscope and birth chart for May 23, 1940
Planetary positions on  - Geocentric view
birthday

Who was born on May 23, 1940?


Famous people born on May 23, 1940:

  • Gérard Larrousse

    Legendary French racing driver who dominated endurance racing, winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in 1973 and 1974.

  • Rennie Davis

    Prominent American political activist and member of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters.

  • Bjorn Johansen

    Norwegian saxophonist (d. 2002).

  • Cora Sadosky

    Argentinian mathematician and academic (d. 2010).

  • Patrick Hoguet

Famous people born in 1940

Famous people born on May 23rd

RIP

May 23, 1940: What famous people died on that day?


Famous people died on May 23, 1940:

  • Paul Nizan

    French intellectual, journalist, and novelist known for his critical works and political engagement.

  • Gaston Billotte
  • René Eucher
  • Giuseppe Tusini

Famous people who died in 1940

Famous people who died on May 23rd

Wish him/her..

Send your special wishes with this personalized page

send a message
birthday card
birthday club

Was May 23, 1940 your birth date ?

If yes, join our birthday club!

join birthday club
zodiac

May 23, 1940: What is The Zodiac Sign for that day?


 zodiac sign

The Zodiac and Astrological sign for May 23rd is Gemini.

Discover the zodiac sign and horoscope for any day in the past.

Gemini is the 3rd sign in the Western Zodiac. People born between May 21st and June 20th belong to the Gemini sign: discover Gemini personality and who should a Gemini marry.

Babies born in May are either Taurus or Gemini. People born before May 20th are Taurus, while people born from May 21st have the sign of Gemini.

Discover the personality of May born.

Unlock the Mysteries of May 23, 1940! Claim Your Free Numerology Report!

May 23, 1940: What is the Chinese Zodiac Sign for that day?

Dragon chinese zodiac sign

The Chinese Zodiac sign for May 23, 1940 is Dragon and the associated element is Metal.

Discover the Dragon personality and how the Metal Element might affect a person's traits and compatibility with other signs according to the Chinese zodiac.

Try our calculator to discover your Chinese zodiac sign based on your date of birth
zodiac

May 23, 1940: What was the moon phase on that day?


Moon phase

89%

The moon phase on May 23, 1940 was Full Moon.

The moon phase refers to the appearance of the Moon in the night sky on May 23, 1940 and is determined by the portion of the Moon's illuminated surface that is visible from Earth.

An observer located in New York City on May 23, 1940 at 10pm, would see the moon, being 89% full, rising at 09:25 pm and setting at 08:29 am.

The previous full moon was on May 21, 1940 while the next full moon would come on Jun 19, 1940.

Unveil Your Inner Self: Discover Your Moon Sign Now!

Explore Moon Phases in May 1940


Your place in the Universe on May 23, 1940

star banner

We are proud to bring you the most beautiful and accurate map of the stars on your day

Get your Star Map Now!
birthday

How old is someone born on May 23, 1940?


Someone born on May 23, 1940 is:

84 years 11 months old,

or 1019 months and 21 days old,

or 4433 weeks and 6 days old,

or 31037 days old,

Enjoy a trip down memory lane: discover what the world looked like when you turned 18 years old, 30 years old, 40 years old

Use our How old am I? Calculator to know the age of a person today or use the Age Calculator to determine the interval between two dates.

How many days until your next birthday if you were born on May 23, 1940?

There are 9 days until your next birthday, which will occur on Friday May 23rd 2025.

Try out our Countdown calculator to find out are many days are left until your special moments.

What generation do you belong to if you were born on May 23, 1940?

You belong to the Silent Generation if you were born on May 23, 1940.

Discover what generation people belong to with our generation calculator.

Thursday May 23, 1940