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Deaths on August 13

1971Aug, 13

W. O. Bentley

W. O. Bentley, English race car driver and engineer, founded Bentley Motors Limited (b. 1888)
Walter Owen Bentley, MBE (16 September 1888 – 13 August 1971) was an English engineer who founded Bentley Motors Limited in London. He was a motorcycle and car racer as a young man. After making a name for himself as a designer of aircraft and automobile engines, Bentley established his own firm in 1919. He built the firm into one of the world's premier luxury and performance auto manufacturers, and led the marque to multiple victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After selling his namesake company to Rolls-Royce Limited in 1931, he was employed as a designer for Lagonda, Aston Martin, and Armstrong Siddeley.

He was known as "W. O." without any need to add the word Bentley.

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Events on 1971

  • 8Jan

    Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

    Bowing to international pressure, President of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto releases Bengali leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from prison, who had been arrested after declaring the independence of Bangladesh.
  • 7Jun

    First Amendment to the United States Constitution

    The United States Supreme Court overturns the conviction of Paul Cohen for disturbing the peace, setting the precedent that vulgar writing is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
  • 11Jul

    Chile

    Copper mines in Chile are nationalized.
  • 21Sep

    Bhutan

    Bahrain, Bhutan and Qatar join the United Nations.
  • 24Nov

    D. B. Cooper

    During a severe thunderstorm over Washington state, a hijacker calling himself Dan Cooper (aka D. B. Cooper) parachutes from a Northwest Orient Airlines plane with $200,000 in ransom money. He has never been found.