June 13 in history — What Happened Today in History
June 13 in history is full of turning points. This page walks you through what happened on June 13 in history, who was born on June 13 and who passed away on June 13, so nothing about this day slips past you.
On this page, June 13 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about June 13 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on June 13 in History 40
- 2025
Israel initiates air strikes against Iran, initiating the Twelve Day War.
- 2023
At least 100 people are killed when a wedding boat capsizes on the Niger River in Kwara State, Nigeria.
- 2023
Three people are killed and another three injured in an early morning stabbing and van ramming attack in Nottingham, England.
- 2021
A gas explosion in Zhangwan district of Shiyan city, in Hubei province of China, kills at least 12 people and wounds over 138 others.
- 2018
Volkswagen is fined one billion euros over the emissions scandal.
- 2012
A series of bombings across Iraq, including Baghdad, Hillah and Kirkuk, kills at least 93 people and wounds over 300 others.
- 2010
A capsule of the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa, containing particles of the asteroid 25143 Itokawa, returns to Earth by landing in the Australian Outback.
- 2007
The Al Askari Mosque is bombed for a second time.
- 2005
The jury acquits pop singer Michael Jackson of all charges for allegedly sexually abusing a child in 2003.
- 2002
The United States withdraws from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
- 2000
President Kim Dae-jung of South Korea meets Kim Jong-il, leader of North Korea, for the beginning of the first ever inter-Korea summit, in the northern capital of Pyongyang.
- 2000
Italy pardons Mehmet Ali Ağca, the Turkish gunman who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in 1981.
All entries for June 13(+28)
- 1999
BMW win 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- 1997
A jury sentences Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
- 1997
The Uphaar Cinema Fire takes place at Green Park, Delhi, resulting in the deaths of 59 people and seriously injuring 103 others.
- 1996
The Montana Freemen surrender after an 81-day standoff with FBI agents.
- 1996
Garuda Indonesia flight 865 crashes during takeoff from Fukuoka Airport, killing three people and injuring 170.
- 1994
A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, blames recklessness by Exxon and Captain Joseph Hazelwood for the Exxon Valdez disaster, allowing victims of the oil spill to seek $15 billion in damages.
- 1990
First day of the June 1990 Mineriad in Romania. At least 240 strikers and students are arrested or killed in the chaos ensuing from the first post-Ceaușescu elections.
- 1983
Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the central Solar System when it passes beyond the orbit of Neptune.
- 1982
Fahd becomes King of Saudi Arabia upon the death of his brother, Khalid.
- 1982
Battles of Tumbledown and Wireless Ridge, during the Falklands War.
- 1981
At the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London, a teenager, Marcus Sarjeant, fires six blank shots at Queen Elizabeth II.
- 1977
Convicted Martin Luther King Jr. assassin James Earl Ray is recaptured after escaping from prison three days before.
- 1973
In a game versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey and Bill Russell play together as an infield for the first time, going on to set the Major League Baseball record of staying together for 8+1⁄2 years.
- 1971
Vietnam War: The New York Times begins publication of the Pentagon Papers.
- 1967
U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson nominates Solicitor-General Thurgood Marshall to become the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- 1966
The United States Supreme Court rules in Miranda v. Arizona that the police must inform suspects of their Fifth Amendment rights before questioning them (colloquially known as "Mirandizing").
- 1956
Spanish football club Real Madrid CF wins the inaugural European Cup, UEFA's premier club competition, by winning 4–3 against French club Stade de Reims in the final.
- 1952
Catalina affair: A Swedish Douglas DC-3 is shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 fighter.
- 1944
World War II: The Battle of Villers-Bocage: German tank ace Michael Wittmann ambushes elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, destroying up to fourteen tanks, fifteen personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns in a Tiger I tank.
- 1944
World War II: German combat elements, reinforced by the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, launch a counterattack on American forces near Carentan.
- 1944
World War II: Germany launches the first V1 Flying Bomb attack on England. Only four of the eleven bombs strike their targets.
- 1927
Aviator Charles Lindbergh receives a ticker tape parade up 5th Avenue in New York City.
- 1917
World War I: The deadliest German air raid on London of the war is carried out by Gotha G.IV bombers and results in 162 deaths, including 46 children, and 432 injuries.
- 1907
The Workers' Federation of Chile declares a general strike in solidarity with a rail workers' strike.
- 1898
Yukon Territory is formed, with Dawson chosen as its capital.
- 1895
Émile Levassor wins the world's first real automobile race. Levassor completed the 732-mile course, from Paris to Bordeaux and back, in just under 49 hours, at a then-impressive speed of about fifteen miles per hour (24 km/h).
- 1893
Grover Cleveland notices a rough spot in his mouth and on July 1 undergoes secret, successful surgery to remove a large, cancerous portion of his jaw; the operation was not revealed to the public until 1917, nine years after the president's death.
- 1886
A fire devastates much of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Famous Birthdays on June 13 in History 25
- 2006
Macklin Celebrini, Canadian ice hockey player
- 2006
Pablo García, Spanish footballer
- 2001
Bowen Byram, Canadian ice hockey player
- 2001
Sung Han-bin, South Korean singer
- 2000
Penny Oleksiak, Canadian swimmer
- 1995
Emily Fanning, New Zealand tennis player
- 1995
Laura Ucrós, Colombian tennis player
- 1994
Deepika Kumari, Indian archer
- 1994
Atsuhiro Inukai, Japanese actor
- 1993
Cansin Köktürk, German politician
- 1993
Simona Senoner, Italian ski jumper (died 2011)
- 1993
Denis Ten, Kazakhstani figure skater (died 2018)
All entries for June 13(+13)
- 1992
Semi Radradra, Fijian rugby league player
- 1991
Will Claye, American jumper
- 1991
Ryan Mason, English footballer
- 1991
Kang Si-ra, South Korean singer
- 1990
James McCann, American baseball player
- 1990
Nicole Riner, Swiss tennis player
- 1990
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, English actor
- 1989
Ben Barba, Australian rugby league player
- 1989
James Calado, English racing driver
- 1989
Ryan McDonagh, American ice hockey player
- 1989
Daniel Mortimer, Australian rugby league player
- 1989
Andreas Samaris, Greek footballer
- 1989
Tommy Searle, English motocross racer
Notable Deaths on June 13 in History 25
- 2026
Roger Cook, New Zealand-born British investigative journalist (born 1943)
- 2024
Angela Bofill, American R&B singer (born 1954)
- 2024
Benji Gregory, American child actor (born 1978)
- 2023
Cormac McCarthy, American author (born 1933)
- 2021
Ned Beatty, American actor (born 1937)
- 2015
Buddy Boudreaux, American saxophonist and clarinet player (born 1917)
- 2015
Sergio Renán, Argentinian actor, director and screenwriter (born 1933)
- 2015
Mike Shrimpton, New Zealand cricketer and coach (born 1940)
- 2014
Mahdi Elmandjra, Moroccan economist and sociologist (born 1933)
- 2014
Gyula Grosics, Hungarian footballer and manager (born 1926)
- 2014
Jim Keays, Scottish-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1946)
- 2014
Chuck Noll, American football player and coach (born 1932)
All entries for June 13(+13)
- 2014
Robert Peters, American poet, playwright and critic (born 1924)
- 2013
David Deutsch, American businessman, founded Deutsch Inc. (born 1929)
- 2013
Sam Most, American flute player and saxophonist (born 1930)
- 2013
Albert White Hat, American educator and activist (born 1938)
- 2012
Sam Beddingfield, American pilot and engineer (born 1933)
- 2012
Graeme Bell, Australian pianist, composer and bandleader (born 1914)
- 2012
Roger Garaudy, French philosopher and author (born 1913)
- 2012
Jože Humer, Slovenian composer and translator (born 1934)
- 2012
Mehdi Hassan, Pakistani ghazal singer and playback singer for Lollywood (born 1927)
- 2010
Jimmy Dean, American singer and businessman, founded Jimmy Dean Foods (born 1928)
- 2009
Mitsuharu Misawa, Japanese professional wrestler (born 1962)
- 2009
Fathi Yakan, Lebanese scholar and politician (born 1933)
- 2008
Tim Russert, American journalist and lawyer (born 1950)
That is the story of June 13 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on June 13 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on June 13 in history?
The biggest event on June 13 in history is: 2025 — Israel initiates air strikes against Iran, initiating the Twelve Day War.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on June 13?
25 famous people were born on June 13 in history, the best known being 2006 — Macklin Celebrini, Canadian ice hockey player.
Who died on June 13?
25 notable people died on June 13 in history, including 2026 — Roger Cook, New Zealand-born British investigative journalist (born 1943).
Why should I read about June 13 in history?
Exploring June 13 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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