What happened on Monday October 23, 1961?

Here's what happened on October 23, 1961:

• East German 'Shoot to Kill' Order Issued General Heinz Hoffmann issued the controversial 'Schiessbefehl' (shoot order) in East Germany, providing explicit instructions for border guards to shoot anyone attempting to escape, further solidifying the Berlin Wall's harsh regime.
• Zhou Enlai Leaves Moscow Abruptly China's Prime Minister Zhou Enlai unexpectedly departed Moscow a week before the conclusion of the 22nd Communist Party Congress, signaling potential diplomatic tensions.
• Democratic Elections in Turkey Turkey held democratic elections where the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (Republic People's Party), led by İsmet İnönü, won 173 of 450 seats in the Grand National Assembly, falling short of a majority.
• Fatal British Airliner Crash in Pyrenees A tragic aviation accident occurred when a British airliner crashed in the Pyrenees Mountains at Mont Canigou, France, resulting in the death of all 34 passengers and crew on board.
• Search for Missing USAF B-52G Stratofortress A massive search operation commenced for 'Pogo 22', a USAF B-52G Stratofortress and its eight-member crew after the bomber failed to return from its mission.
• U.S. Navy Successful SIP1 Launch The U.S. Navy conducted its first successful SIP1 rocket launch, reaching an altitude of 20 kilometers (12 miles), marking a significant milestone in military rocket technology.
• Operation Sky Shield II Defense Exercise NORAD conducted a comprehensive defense exercise, Operation Sky Shield II, which involved grounding all commercial flights in the United States and Canada for twelve hours.
• Broadway Musical 'How to Succeed' Premieres The iconic Broadway musical 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' opened at the 46th Street Theatre, launching a successful run that would continue for 1,417 performances.
• Norwegian Parliamentary Leadership Changes Leadership transitions occurred in Norway's Lagting and Odelsting, with Nils Hønsvald becoming President of the Lagting and Per Borten becoming President of the Odelsting.
• J. C. Van Horne Bridge Opens The J. C. Van Horne Bridge was inaugurated, connecting New Brunswick and Quebec over the Restigouche River and improving transportation infrastructure.
• Broadway Musical 'Kwamina' Opens in NYC The musical 'Kwamina' premiered at the 54th Street Theater in New York City, running for 32 performances.

Events in 1961

October 23, 1961: What were the magazines covers and newspapers that day?

Magazines from Oct. 23, 1961

Newspapers from Oct. 23, 1961

October 23, 1961 was a Monday and it was the 296th day of the year 1961 in the Gregorian calendar.

October 23, 1961 can also be written as 10/23/1961 in the US and as 23/10/1961 in UK and Europe.

October 23, 1961 in October 1961 calendar

Famous people born on October 23, 1961:

• Laurie Halse Anderson

  Award-winning young adult novelist known for groundbreaking works like 'Speak' that address challenging social issues for teenagers.

• Andoni Zubizarreta

  Legendary Spanish goalkeeper who played for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, later becoming a respected sports commentator and...

Famous people born in 1961

Famous people born on October 23rd

Famous people died on October 23, 1961:

• Paolino Pellanda

Famous people who died in 1961

Famous people who died on October 23rd

October 23, 1961: What was the number 1 song in the USA on that day?

The number 1 song in the USA on October 23, 1961 was Runaround Sue by Dion, according to the music chart for the week October 23rd and October 29th.

1. Dion - Runaround Sue
2. The Dovells - Bristol Stomp
3. Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John
4. Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack
5. Sue Thompson - Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)

October 23, 1961: What was the number 1 song in the UK on that day?

The number 1 song in the UK on October 23, 1961 was Walking Back To Happiness by Helen Shapiro, according to the music chart for the week October 23rd and October 29th.

1. Helen Shapiro - Walking Back To Happiness
2. The Highwaymen - Michael
3. The Shadows - Kon-Tiki
4. Billy Fury - Jealousy
5. John Leyton - Wild Wind

October 23, 1961: What was the number 1 R&B song on that day?

The number 1 R&B song on October 23, 1961 was Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles and his Orchestra, according to the music chart for the week October 23rd and October 29th.

1. Ray Charles and his Orchestra - Hit The Road Jack
2. Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya
3. Ike & Tina Turner - It's Gonna Work Out Fine
4. The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
5. Jimmy McCracklin - Just Got To Know

The Zodiac and Astrological sign for October 23rd is Scorpio.

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

Scorpio is the 8th sign in the Western Zodiac. People born between October 23rd and November 21st belong to the Scorpio sign: discover Scorpio personality and who should a Scorpio marry.

Babies born in October are either Libra or Scorpio. People born before October 22nd are Libra, while people born from October 23rd have the sign of Scorpio.

Discover the personality of October born.

Unlock the Mysteries of October 23, 1961! Claim Your Free Numerology Report!

October 23, 1961: What is the Chinese Zodiac Sign for that day?

The Chinese Zodiac sign for October 23, 1961 is Ox and the associated element is Metal.

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

Moon phase

The moon phase on October 23, 1961 was Waxing gibbous.

The moon phase refers to the appearance of the Moon in the night sky on October 23, 1961 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 October 23, 1961 at 10pm, would see the moon, being 99% full, rising at 06:23 pm and setting at 07:50 am.

The previous full moon was on Sep 24, 1961 while the next full moon would come on Nov 22, 1961.

Unveil Your Inner Self: Discover Your Moon Sign Now!

Explore Moon Phases in October 1961

Your place in the Universe on October 23, 1961

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

Someone born on October 23, 1961 is:

63 years 6 months old,

or 762 months and 21 days old,

or 3316 weeks and 2 days old,

or 23214 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 October 23, 1961?

There are 162 days until your next birthday, which will occur on Thursday October 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 October 23, 1961?

You belong to the Baby Boomer Generation if you were born on October 23, 1961.

Discover what generation people belong to with our generation calculator.