October 8th is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 84 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events

1897 – Composer Gustav Mahler was appointed the director of the Vienna Court Opera.

1918 – World War I: After his platoon suffered heavy casualties during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France’s Forest of Argonne, American Corporal Alvin York led the 7 remaining men on an attack against a German machine gun nest, killing 28 German soldiers and capturing 132 others.

1952 – Three trains collided at Harrow & Wealdstone station in London, killing 112 people and injuring 340.

1962 – The German news magazine Der Spiegel revealed the unpreparedness of the West German armed forces against the communist threat from the east, and was accused of treason shortly afterwards.

1969 – Demonstrations organized by the Weather Underground known as the Days of Rage began in Chicago.

Celebrity Birthdays

Sigourney Weaver turns 69

Matt Damon turns 48

Nick Cannon turns 38

Bruno Mars turns 33

Bella Thorne turns 31