January 4–February 22 – Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Colorado and Nevada – winds of up to 72 mph – tens of thousands of cattle and sheep perish.
January 17 – The first Volkswagen Beetle to arrive in the United States, a 1948 model, is brought to New York City by Dutch businessman Ben Pon. Unable to interest dealers or importers in the Volkswagen, Pon sells the sample car to pay his travel expenses. Only two 1949 models will be sold in America that year, convincing Volkswagen chairman Heinrich Nordhoff that the car has no future in the U.S. (The VW Beetle goes on to become the greatest automobile phenomenon in American history.)
March 26 – The first half of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida, conducted by conductor Arturo Toscanini, and performed in concert (i.e. no scenery or costumes), is telecast by NBC, live from Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center. The second half is telecast a week later. This is the only complete opera that Toscanini ever conducts on television.
April 13 – The 6.7 MwOlympia earthquake affected the Puget Sound region of western Washington with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), causing eight deaths and $25 million in damage.
June 29 – The last U.S. troops withdraw from South Korea.
July–Septemberedit
August 5 – United States Department of State published The China White Paper as Department of State Publication 3573, entitled "United States Relations With China, With Special Reference to the Period 1944–1949."[3]
September 5 – Howard Unruh, a World War II veteran, kills 13 neighbors in Camden, New Jersey with a souvenir Luger to become America's first single-episode mass murderer.
^John Grasso (November 15, 2010). Historical Dictionary of Basketball. Scarecrow Press. pp. 299–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7506-7.
^George Winston, Grammy-Winning Pianist, Dead of Cancer at 74
^"Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
^Longtime Detroit Tigers utilityman John Wockenfuss dies at 73
^"Barbara Corcoran Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
^Smith, Harrison (2019-09-13). "Eddie Money, singer behind 'Take Me Home Tonight' and 'Two Tickets to Paradise,' dies at 70". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-09-16. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
^"Space Shuttle Challenger Fast Facts". CNN. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
^DeCosta-Willis, Miriam (2008). Notable Black Memphians. Cambria Press. pp. 85–87. ISBN 978-1-62196-863-4.
^Gary Gaines, coach at heart of Friday Night Lights, dies aged 73
^Basketball legend Larry 'Gator' Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, has died at 73
^"Meryl Streep". Britannica Presents 100 Women Trailblazers. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
^Green, Alex (May 8, 2023). "Vida Blue, 73, Who Became Hottest Player in Baseball as a Rookie With the A's". The New York Times. p. B7. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
^Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4.
^William Yardley (2014-10-21). "Stephen Paulus, Classical Composer Rich in Lyricism, Dies at 65 - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
^Starr, Michael (October 20, 2005). "Charles Rocket, 56, TV and Movie Actor, Dies". The New York Times. Reuters. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
^Paul D’Amato, Tim ‘Dr. Hook’ McCracken in ‘Slap Shot’ and Wolverine inspiration, dies at 76
^Native Hawaiian Activist Haunani-Kay Trask, Who Opposed U.S. Imperialism, Dies at 71
^"WWE Hall of Famer 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff Dies at 71 | Sports Illustrated". www.si.com.
^Protess, Ben (2012-03-01). "Terri Dial, Executive at Citigroup and Wells Fargo, Dies at 62". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
^Julie Beckett, who fought for change in Medicaid system, dies
^Former US Rep. Brad Ashford of Nebraska dead at 72
^Edwards, Gavin; Keepnews, Peter (January 28, 2023). "Tom Verlaine, Influential Guitarist and Songwriter, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
^Ray Guy, widely known as greatest punter of all time, dies at age of 72