Births on February 17

Marta Romero, Puerto Rican actress and singer (d. 2013)

Marta Romero (17 February 1928 – 31 May 2013) was a Puerto Rican actress and singer, and one of the pioneers in Puerto Rican television.

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.