1st » World War II: German forces launch a major attack on Tobruk.
6th » The first flight of the Republic Aviation known as Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.
8th » The German Luftwaffe launches a Nottingham Blitz named bombing raid on Nottingham and Derby
9th » World War II: The German submarine German submarine U-110 (1940) named 'U-110' is captured by the Royal Navy. On board is the latest Enigma cryptography machine which Allies of World War II or Allied cryptographers later use to break coded German messages
10th » World War II: The British House of Commons e.g House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an airstrike called air raid.
10th » World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany.
13th » World War II: Kingdom of Yugoslavia called Yugoslav royal colonel Dragoljub Mihailović starts fighting with German occupation troops, beginning the Serbian resistance.
15th » First flight of the Gloster E.28/39 the first British and Allied jet aircraft.
19th » Viet Minh, a communist coalition, formed at Cao Bằng Province, Vietnam.
20th » World War II: Battle of Crete Nazi Germany called German Fallschirmjäger (World War II) or paratroops invade Crete.
24th » World War II: In the Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945) Battle of the Atlantic, the German battleship Bismarck German Battleship 'Bismarck' sinks then-pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood 51 6, killing all but three crewmen.
27th » World War II: The President of the United States named U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaims an "unlimited national emergency".
27th » World War II: The German battleship 'German battleship Bismarck or Bismarck' is sunk in the North Atlantic killing almost 2,100 men.
30th » World War II: Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas climb the Athenian Acropolis and tear down the Nazi swastika.
31st » A Bombing of Dublin in World War II named Luftwaffe air raid on Dublin, Ireland, claims 38 lives.
18th » Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Purple Hearts (Australian band) called Purple Hearts, Wild Cherries, and Rose Tattoo) (d. 2007)
19th » Nora Ephron, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2012)
19th » Igor Judge, Baron Judge, Maltese-English lawyer and judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
19th » Tania Mallet, English model and actress
20th » Goh Chok Tong, Singaporean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore
20th » John Strasberg, American actor
21st » Martin Carthy, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Steeleye Span, The Watersons, Waterson:Carthy, Brass Monkey (band) called Brass Monkey, and Blue Murder (folk) called Blue Murder)
21st » Bobby Cox, American baseball player and manager
21st » Ambrose Greenway, 4th Baron Greenway, English photographer and politician
21st » Ronald Isley, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (The Isley Brothers)
22nd » Menzies Campbell, Scottish sprinter and politician
22nd » Nangolo Ithete, Namibian politician (d. 2002)
22nd » Martha Langbein, German runner
24th » Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Traveling Wilburys)
24th » Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, English academic and politician
24th » George Lakoff, American linguist and academic
25th » Vladimir Voronin, Moldovan economist and politician, 3rd President of Moldova