Deaths on August 17

John C. Allen

Died on August 17, 1979

John C. Allen, American roller coaster designer (b. 1907)

John C. Allen (May 21, 1907 – August 17, 1979) was a roller coaster designer who was responsible for the revival of wooden roller coasters which began in the 1960s. He attended Drexel University. He started working for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1934 as a coaster operator and rose to become president of the company by 1954. He has designed more than 25 coasters and made significant contributions to roller coaster technology. He once said, "You don't need a degree in engineering to design roller coasters, you need a degree in psychology."

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Events on 1979

1 Feb

Ruhollah Khomeini
Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after nearly 15 years of exile.
11 Feb

Ruhollah Khomeini
The Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
16 Mar

People's Liberation Army
Sino-Vietnamese War: The People's Liberation Army crosses the border back into China, ends the war.
15 Jul

Malaise speech
U.S. President Jimmy Carter gives his "malaise speech".
16 Dec

OPEC
Libya joins four other OPEC nations in raising crude oil prices, which has an immediate, dramatic effect on the United States.

Deaths on August 17

John C. Allen

Died on August 17, 1979

References

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Events on 1979

Ruhollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini

People's Liberation Army

Malaise speech

OPEC