January 2 – The musical Annie is performed for the last time after 2,377 shows at the
Alvin Theatre on Broadway, New York City.
January 3 –
Kilauea begins slowly erupting on the
Big Island of
Hawaii. On December 5, 2018, after 90 days of inactivity from the volcano, the eruption that started in 1983 was declared to be over.
March 22 –
Judith Neelley is convicted of the kidnap and murder of 13 year old Lisa Millican in
Georgia and sentenced to death. Her sentence is later reduced to life imprisonment.[1]
March 23 –
Strategic Defense Initiative: President
Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars".
May 2 – The 6.2 MwCoalinga earthquake shakes central California with a maximum
Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), causing 94 injuries and $10 million in losses.
May 17 –
Lebanon,
Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
Return of the Jedi, the 3rd of the projected 12 Star Wars films produced by George Lucas, is released in the United States. The original Star Wars was released 6 years to the day previously on May 25, 1977.
May 27 –
Benton fireworks disaster: A powerful explosion at an unlicensed
fireworks factory in Benton, Tennessee kills 11 and injures one.
June – Throughout the local summer, many
Midwestern American states are affected by
a severe drought that causes water shortages.
June 4 – Fugitive tax protester
Gordon Kahl, who has been on the run for four months, is killed in a shootout with police in
Smithville, Arkansas, along with a local sheriff.
October 28 – The 6.9 MwBorah Peak earthquake shook central Idaho with a maximum
Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), causing two deaths, three injuries, and $12.5 million in losses.
The anticancer drug
etoposide is approved by the
FDA, leading to a curative treatment regime in the field of combination chemotherapy of testicular carcinoma.
Star 80 released: A film about the true story of Playboy Playmate of the Year
Dorothy Stratten, who was murdered by her estranged husband
Paul Snider on August 14, 1980.
November 11 –
Ronald Reagan becomes the first U.S. president to address the
Diet,
Japan's national legislature.
November 13 – The first United States
cruise missiles arrive at
Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace campaigners.
November 14 – The
immunosuppressantcyclosporine is approved by the
FDA, leading to a revolution in the field of transplantation.
November 16 – A jury in
Gretna, Louisiana acquits
Ginny Foat of the murder of Argentine businessman Moses Chaiyo.
December 2 –
Michael Jackson's music video for "
Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. It becomes the most often repeated and famous music video of all time, increasing his own popularity and record sales of the album Thriller.
December 4 – United States Navy aviator Lt's. Mark Lange and Bobby Goodman are shot down in an
A-6 Intruder over
Lebanon and captured by
Syrians; Lt. Lange dies of his injuries; Lt. Goodman is released 30 days later after the intervention of the Reverend
Jesse Jackson.
December 24 –
Miles City,
Montana sets the record for the highest mean sea level pressure in the contiguous US with a reading of 31.42
inHg (1064
mb).[3]
December 27 – A
propane explosion in
Buffalo, New York kills five firefighters and two civilians.
December 29 – The Reverend
Jesse Jackson travels to
Syria to secure the release of U.S. Navy Lieutenant
Robert Goodman, who had been in Syrian captivity since being shot down over the country during a reconnaissance mission.
January 2 – The musical Annie is performed for the last time after 2,377 shows at the
Alvin Theatre on Broadway, New York City.
January 3 –
Kilauea begins slowly erupting on the
Big Island of
Hawaii. On December 5, 2018, after 90 days of inactivity from the volcano, the eruption that started in 1983 was declared to be over.
March 22 –
Judith Neelley is convicted of the kidnap and murder of 13 year old Lisa Millican in
Georgia and sentenced to death. Her sentence is later reduced to life imprisonment.[1]
March 23 –
Strategic Defense Initiative: President
Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars".
May 2 – The 6.2 MwCoalinga earthquake shakes central California with a maximum
Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), causing 94 injuries and $10 million in losses.
May 17 –
Lebanon,
Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
Return of the Jedi, the 3rd of the projected 12 Star Wars films produced by George Lucas, is released in the United States. The original Star Wars was released 6 years to the day previously on May 25, 1977.
May 27 –
Benton fireworks disaster: A powerful explosion at an unlicensed
fireworks factory in Benton, Tennessee kills 11 and injures one.
June – Throughout the local summer, many
Midwestern American states are affected by
a severe drought that causes water shortages.
June 4 – Fugitive tax protester
Gordon Kahl, who has been on the run for four months, is killed in a shootout with police in
Smithville, Arkansas, along with a local sheriff.
October 28 – The 6.9 MwBorah Peak earthquake shook central Idaho with a maximum
Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), causing two deaths, three injuries, and $12.5 million in losses.
The anticancer drug
etoposide is approved by the
FDA, leading to a curative treatment regime in the field of combination chemotherapy of testicular carcinoma.
Star 80 released: A film about the true story of Playboy Playmate of the Year
Dorothy Stratten, who was murdered by her estranged husband
Paul Snider on August 14, 1980.
November 11 –
Ronald Reagan becomes the first U.S. president to address the
Diet,
Japan's national legislature.
November 13 – The first United States
cruise missiles arrive at
Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace campaigners.
November 14 – The
immunosuppressantcyclosporine is approved by the
FDA, leading to a revolution in the field of transplantation.
November 16 – A jury in
Gretna, Louisiana acquits
Ginny Foat of the murder of Argentine businessman Moses Chaiyo.
December 2 –
Michael Jackson's music video for "
Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. It becomes the most often repeated and famous music video of all time, increasing his own popularity and record sales of the album Thriller.
December 4 – United States Navy aviator Lt's. Mark Lange and Bobby Goodman are shot down in an
A-6 Intruder over
Lebanon and captured by
Syrians; Lt. Lange dies of his injuries; Lt. Goodman is released 30 days later after the intervention of the Reverend
Jesse Jackson.
December 24 –
Miles City,
Montana sets the record for the highest mean sea level pressure in the contiguous US with a reading of 31.42
inHg (1064
mb).[3]
December 27 – A
propane explosion in
Buffalo, New York kills five firefighters and two civilians.
December 29 – The Reverend
Jesse Jackson travels to
Syria to secure the release of U.S. Navy Lieutenant
Robert Goodman, who had been in Syrian captivity since being shot down over the country during a reconnaissance mission.