September 1983

Thursday 01:

Cold War: Korean Air Flight KAL-007 is shot down by a Soviet Union jet fighter when the commercial aircraft enters Soviet airspace. All 269 on board are killed.

Monday 05:

Tom Brokaw becomes lead anchor for NBC Nightly News

Tuesday 06:

The Soviet Union admits to shooting down Korean Air Flight KAL-007, stating that the pilots did not know it was a civilian aircraft when it violated Soviet airspace.

Friday 09:

Aaron Pryor beats Alexis Arguello by knockout in round ten of a rematch of their 1982 controversial fight, dubbed The Battle of The Champions.

Monday 12:

A Wells Fargo depot in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, was robbed of approximately US$7 million by Los Macheteros .

Thursday 15:

Israeli premier Menachem Begin resigns.

Saturday 17:

Vanessa Williams becomes first African American Miss America.

Monday 19:

Saint Kitts and Nevis gains its independence.

Friday 23:

Gerrie Coetzee of South Africa becomes the first African boxing world heavyweight champion.

Monday 26:

Australia II, the first non-American winner, wins the Americas Cup.

Tuesday 27:

Richard Stallman announces the GNU project to develop a free Unix-like operating system.