2020 Beirut explosion
A large explosion of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon killed 218 people and caused US$15 billion in damage.
What happened on August 4
37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1265 to 2024.
Standout on August 4
2018
Syrian civil war
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) expel the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from the Iraq–Syria border, concluding the second phase of the Deir ez-Zor campaign.
About August 4
August 4 is the 216th day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 216 of 365 (217 in leap years)149 days left in the year (149 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Tuesday in 2026, Wednesday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Saturday in 2029, Sunday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 32 of 2026 · Q3
- Zodiac sign
- ♌ Leo (July 23 – August 22)
- Season
- Summer in the north · Winter in the south
- August birthstone
- Peridot / Spinel / Sardonyxstrength, good fortune and calm
- August birth flower
- Gladiolus / Poppystrength of character and remembrance
- Next occurrence
- In 281 days
- Roman numerals
- IV.VIIIday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 40thCicinho (footballer, born 1986)1986
- 40thDavid Williams (rugby league, born 1986)1986
- 40thIosia Soliola1986
- 40thLeon Camier1986
- 40thNick Augusto1986
- 20th2006 Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers2006
- 20thSri Lankan civil war2006
Born on August 4 — ages this year
- 1998Lil Skiesturns 28
- 1995Bruna Marquezineturns 31
- 1994Bobby Shmurdaturns 32
- 1992Dylan Sprouseturns 34
- 1992Daniele Garozzoturns 34
- 1992Cole Sprouseturns 34
Historical events 37
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
2019 Dayton shooting
Nine people are killed and 26 injured in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio. This comes only 13 hours after another mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, where 23 people were killed.
Crisis in Venezuela
Crisis in Venezuela: Seven people are injured when two drones detonate explosives on Avenida Bolívar, Caracas while president Nicolás Maduro is giving a speech to the Venezuelan National Guard.
Syrian civil war
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) expel the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from the Iraq–Syria border, concluding the second phase of the Deir ez-Zor campaign.
Aboriginal Australians
Julieka Ivanna Dhu, an Aboriginal Australian woman, died in police custody after her deteriorating condition was mocked and ignored.
NASA
NASA's Phoenix Mars lander is launched.
María del Luján Telpuk
An airport police officer discovered a suitcase containing approximately US$800,000 as it passed through security at Jorge Newbery Airfield in Buenos Aires, sparking an international scandal involving Venezuela and Argentina.
Sri Lankan civil war
Sri Lankan civil war: Seventeen employees of the French nongovernmental organization ACF International were massacred in Mutur.
2006 Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers
A massacre is carried out by Sri Lankan government forces, killing 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger (known internationally as Action Contre la Faim, or ACF).
Supercentenarian
French supercentenarian Jeanne Calment died at the age of 122 years, 164 days, with the longest confirmed human lifespan in history.
Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav Wars: The Croatian Army initiated Operation Storm, the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence and the largest European land battle since the Second World War.
Operation Storm
Operation Storm, the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence begins.
MTS Oceanos
An explosion on the Greek cruise ship MTS Oceanos (pictured) ruptured its hull, causing it to sink off the east coast of South Africa, with all 571 people on board rescued.
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine which had required radio and television stations to give equal time to opposing views.
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta changes its name to Burkina Faso.
Ariane 3
The Ariane 3 rocket is launched for the first time, carrying the Eutelsat I F-2 and Télécom 1A satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo
Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, the president of Upper Volta, was ousted in a coup d'état led by Thomas Sankara.
President of the United States
U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy.
Japanese Red Army
The Japanese Red Army takes more than 50 hostages at the AIA Building housing several embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The hostages include the U.S. consul and the Swedish Chargé d'affaires. The gunmen win the release of five imprisoned comrades and fly with them to Libya.
Italicus Express bombing
A bomb explodes in the Italicus Express train at San Benedetto Val di Sambro, Italy, killing 12 people and wounding 22.
President of Uganda
Ugandan President Idi Amin announces that Uganda is no longer responsible for the care of British subjects of Asian origin, beginning the expulsions of Ugandan Asians.
Vietnam War
Vietnam War: At the apartment of French intermediary Jean Sainteny in Paris, American representative Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese representative Xuân Thuỷ begin secret peace negotiations. The negotiations will eventually fail.
Politics of the Cook Islands
The Constitution of the Cook Islands comes into force, giving the Cook Islands self-governing status within New Zealand.
Vietnam War
Vietnam War: The National Security Agency falsely claimed that a U.S. Navy destroyer (pictured) was attacked a second time by North Vietnamese vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin, leading Congress to authorize the use of military force.
Civil rights movement
Civil rights movement: Civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney are found dead in Mississippi after disappearing on June 21.
Gulf of Tonkin incident
Second Gulf of Tonkin Incident: U.S. destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy mistakenly report coming under attack in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Alfred C. Glassell Jr.
Alfred C. Glassell Jr. caught a black marlin weighing 1,560 lb (710 kg) (pictured) off the coast of Peru, setting the record for the largest bony fish caught by hand.
Supreme Court of Japan
The Supreme Court of Japan is established.
World War I
World War I: Adhering to the terms of the Treaty of London, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany in response to the latter's invasion of Belgium.
Lizzie Borden
Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were found murdered in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts; Borden was later tried and acquitted for the murders.
Brooklyn
In Brooklyn, a mob composed largely of Irish Americans attacked a group of African Americans in a riot.
James Thompson (surveyor)
American surveyor James Thompson produced the first plat of Chicago for the Illinois and Michigan Canal Commissioners.
French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars: Commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Army of Italy decisively defeated Austrian forces led by Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich at the Battle of Lonato.
Mount Asama
Mount Asama (pictured) in Japan began a climactic eruption, which exacerbated the Great Tenmei famine and led to thousands of deaths.
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession: A combined Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of George Rooke and allied with Archduke Charles captured Gibraltar from Spain.
Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War: A large-scale mounted raid by Anglo-Gascon forces began under the command of Edward the Black Prince.
Second Barons' War
Second Barons' War: Royal troops led by Prince Edward defeated baronial forces under Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in Worcestershire, England.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
David Williams (rugby league, born 1986)
David Williams, Australian rugby league player
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Tsung-Dao Lee
Tsung-Dao Lee, Chinese-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1926)
Jake Hooker (musician)
Jake Hooker, Israeli-American guitarist and songwriter (born 1953)
James Brady
James Brady, American activist and politician, 15th White House Press Secretary (born 1940)
Renato Ruggiero
Renato Ruggiero, Italian lawyer and politician, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1930)
Olavi J. Mattila
Olavi J. Mattila, Finnish engineer and politician, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1918)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Frédéric Janssoone
Christian feast day: Blessed Frédéric Janssoone
Mo Lua of Killaloe
Christian feast day: Molua (or Lua)
Raynerius of Split
Christian feast day: Raynerius of Split
Saint Sithney
Christian feast day: Sithney, patron saint of mad dogs
Eufronius
Christian feast day: Euphronius
Aristarchus of Thessalonica
Christian feast day: Aristarchus
Cecilia Cesarini
Christian feast day: Blessed Cecilia Cesarini
John Vianney
Christian feast day: John Vianney
Spread across the centuries
- 13th century1
- 14th century1
- 18th century3
- 19th century3
- 20th century40
- 21st century29
Earliest: Second Barons' War (1265). Most recent: Charles Cyphers (2024).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Nearby and related
Questions about August 4
What day of the year is August 4?
August 4 is the 216th day of the year, with 149 days left after it.
What star sign is August 4?
August 4 falls under Leo (July 23 – August 22), a fire sign ruled by Sun. The birthstone for the month is Peridot or Spinel or Sardonyx.
How many things happened on August 4?
We record 85 entries for August 4: 37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1265 to 2024.
Who was born on August 4?
Lil Skies (1998) is among the notable births on August 4. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the August 4 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like August 4
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.