October 7 is the 280th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 85 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about October 7th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about October 7th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Bathtub Day
- National Frappe Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – October 7
2001: War in Afghanistan begins
American and British troops began air strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets after the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin-Laden, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and other Al Qaeda operatives, to the United States. Nicknamed Operation Enduring Freedom, the military strikes were part of the so-called Global War on Terror.
1996: Fox News broadcasts for the first time
The 24-hour news channel with the slogan Fair and Balanced was created by Australian-American businessman and media tycoon, Rupert Murdoch. Today, it is one of the most watched news channels in the United States.
1959: People on Earth Get the First Glimpse of the Dark Side of the Moon
Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 took pictures of the far side of the Moon. The images sent by the probe covered about 70% of the far side of Earth’s natural satellite and they were instrumental in helping astronomers make the first atlas of the dark side of the Moon. The far or dark side of the Moon is the side of the Moon that cannot be seen from Earth because of the way the Moon orbits around the Earth and rotate on its own axis. Due to lunar libration, people on Earth can see about 59% of the Moon over time.
1944: Auschwitz-Birkenau Sonderkommando Revolt
The short-lived rebellion was staged by prisoners who worked at a crematorium after they learned that the Nazis planned to execute most of the squad. The revolt was quickly put down, and over 450 people were killed.
1919: KLM is formed
The official airline of the Netherlands, Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. or KLM, is the oldest airline that still operates under its original name. The first flight of the airline took place on May 17, 1920 between London and Amsterdam in a leased airplane.
2008: Spotify launches

Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, October 7
1982: Jermain Defoe, English footballer
1967: Toni Braxton, American singer-songwriter, producer, actress
1952: Vladimir Putin, Russian politician, 4th President of Russia
1931: Desmond Tutu, South African archbishop, activist, Nobel Prize laureate
1885: Niels Bohr, Danish physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, October 7
2012: Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, Mexican drug lord
1896: Emma Darwin, English wife of Charles Darwin
1849: Edgar Allan Poe, American author, poet
1792: George Mason, American politician
1708: Guru Gobind Singh, Indian guru