December 24

Friday 24, 2004:

The 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm delivers an extremely unusual snowfall to the southern United States.

Wednesday 24, 2003:

The Spanish police thwarts an attempt by ETA to detonate 50 kg of explosives at 3:55 PM inside Madrid's busy Chamartín Station.

Sunday 24, 2000:

The Texas 7 holds up a sports store in Irving, Texas. Police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot during the robbery.

Wednesday 24, 1997:

The Dominican Republic becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.

Thursday 24, 1987:

Japanese legendary rock band BOØWY declares their breakup at the Shibuya Kokaido.

Tuesday 24, 1985:

A black bull blocks the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Hong Kong for three hours.

Monday 24, 1979:

1979 - The first European Ariane rocket is launched.

Tuesday 24, 1974:

Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia.

Wednesday 24, 1969:

Curt Flood writes to Bowie K. Kuhn, the Commissioner of Baseball, asking to be declared a free agent .

Tuesday 24, 1968:

1968 - The crew of Apollo 8 enter into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so.

Saturday 24, 1966:

A Canadair CL44 chartered by the United States military crashes into a small village in South Vietnam, killing 129.

Friday 24, 1954:

Laos becomes independent

Thursday 24, 1953:

NBC's Dragnet becomes the first network-sponsored television program

Monday 24, 1951:

Libya becomes independent from Italy. Idris I is proclaimed King of Libya.

Tuesday 24, 1946:

France's Fourth Republic founded

Friday 24, 1943:

US General Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the supreme Allied commander

Wednesday 24, 1941:

Wake Island is conquered by Japanese forces.

Wednesday 24, 1924:

Albania becomes a republic

Thursday 24, 1914:

World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins

Monday 24, 1906:

The first radio program, consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech, is broadcast.

Sunday 24, 1865:

Several US Civil War Confederate veterans form the Ku Klux Klan

Wednesday 24, 1851:

Library of Congress burns.

Thursday 24, 1818:

"Silent Night" composed by Franz Xaver Gruber

Saturday 24, 1814:

The Treaty of Ghent was signed which ended the War of 1812

Wednesday 24, 1777:

Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook.

Tuesday 24, 1715:

Swedish troops occupy Norway

Friday 24, 1515:

Thomas Wolsey is named the English Lord Chancellor

Thursday 24, 640:

John IV becomes Pope

More on December, 24

• People Born on December, 24
• They left us on December, 24