Also on This Day in History April 13
Discover what happened on April 13 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.
Births on This Day, April 13
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1731
Isaac Low
American businessman who founded the New York Chamber of Commerce
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1743
Thomas Jefferson
American politician and 3rd President of the United States (1801-09)
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1901
Jacques Lacan
French psychoanalyst and semanticist
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1892
Robert Watson-Watt
Scottish physicist and developer of the radar and radio direction finding in WWII
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1850
Arthur Matthew Weld Downing
British mathematician and astronomer
Deaths on This Day, April 13
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2019
Paul Greengard
American neuroscientist, Nobel 2000
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1941
Annie Jump Cannon
American astronomer who worked on Henry Draper catalogues
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1925
Elwood Haynes
American automotive pioneer who built one of 1st US autos
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1903
Moritz Lazarus
German philosopher and psychologist, who was a founder of comparative psychology
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1853
Leopold Gmelin
German chemist who discovered potassium ferrocyanide
2017
US Drops Largest Non-Nuclear Weapon in Afghanistan
On April 13, 2017, the United States drops the largest non-nuclear weapon, known as the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. This strike targets ISIS tunnels and caves, demonstrating the weapon’s destructive capability.
1941
Pact of Neutrality Signed Between U.S.S.R. and Japan
On April 13, 1941, the U.S.S.R. and Japan sign a Pact of Neutrality, agreeing to remain neutral if either nation is attacked by a third party. This agreement helps to stabilize relations between the two countries during a turbulent period in global politics.
1953
CIA Director Allen Dulles Launches MKULTRA Mind-Control Program
On April 13, 1953, CIA Director Allen Dulles initiates the MKULTRA program, a covert operation aimed at developing mind-control techniques. This controversial project involves experiments on unwitting subjects, raising ethical and legal questions that resonate for decades.
1960
World's First Satellite Navigation System Launched- Transit 1B
On April 13, 1960, the Transit 1B satellite is launched, marking the world's first satellite navigation system. Primarily used by the U.S. Navy, it updates navigation systems aboard Polaris submarines, revolutionizing naval and eventually global navigation technology.