Births on April 17

Heinz Putzl, Austrian fencer

Heinz Putzl (born 17 April 1928) is an Austrian fencer. He competed at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics.

12 Mar

St. Francis Dam
In California, the St. Francis Dam fails; the resulting floods kills 431 people.
12 Apr

Junkers W 33
The Bremen, a German Junkers W 33 type aircraft, takes off for the first successful transatlantic aeroplane flight from east to west.
4 Jun

Zhang Zuolin
The President of the Republic of China, Zhang Zuolin, is assassinated by Japanese agents.
18 Jun

Amelia Earhart
Aviator Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly in an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean (she is a passenger; Wilmer Stultz is the pilot and Lou Gordon the mechanic).
2 Oct

Josemaría Escrivá
The "Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God", commonly known as Opus Dei, is founded by Josemaría Escrivá.