Did you know
As an automotive engineer, he is known for developing, along with driver and designer Carroll Shelby, the Ford GT40, the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969.
Notable Deaths on August 17
1966 — Ken Miles
English race car driver and engineer (born 1918)
August 17 has 98 recorded notable deaths across history, from 754 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
98 source records
754 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on August 17
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1943 World War II: First Québec Conference of Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and William Lyon Mackenzie King begins. Source
- 1970 Soviet Union Venera program: Venera 7 launched. It will become the first spacecraft to successfully transmit data from the surface of another planet (Venus). Source
- 1958 Pioneer 0, America's first attempt at lunar orbit, is launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and fails. Notable as one of the first attempted launches beyond Earth orbit by any country. Source
- 1945 Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim the independence of Indonesia, igniting the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch Empire. Source
Did you know
Frederick the Great's most significant accomplishments include military successes in the Silesian wars, reorganisation of the Prussian Army, the First Partition of Poland, and patronage of the arts and the Enlightenment.
Did you know
Vivian Vance was an American actress best known for playing landlady Ethel Mertz on the sitcom I Love Lucy (1951–1957), for which she won the 1953 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, among other accolades.
Did you know
Roosevelt was appointed as the first chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1965 to 1966 by President Lyndon B.
Did you know
Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman, also known by her first married name Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was an American humanist, novelist, writer, lecturer, early sociologist, and advocate for social reform.
More major people who died on August 17
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1786
Frederick the Great
Prussian king (born 1712)
Frederick II was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786.
1979
Vivian Vance
American actress and singer (born 1909)
Vivian Vance was an American actress best known for playing landlady Ethel Mertz on the sitcom I Love Lucy (1951–1957), for which she won the 1953 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, among other…
1988
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.
American lawyer and politician (born 1914)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. was an American lawyer, politician, and businessman.
1935
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
American sociologist and author (born 1860)
Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman, also known by her first married name Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was an American humanist, novelist, writer, lecturer, early sociologist, and advocate for social reform.
754
Carloman
mayor of the palace of Austrasia
Carloman was the eldest son of Charles Martel, mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, and his wife Chrotrud of Treves.
1834
Husein Gradaščević
Ottoman general (born 1802)
Husein Gradaščević (Husein-kapetan), also known as Zmaj od Bosne, was an Ottoman Bosnian military commander who led an uprising against the Tanzimat, a system of political reforms with aim to modernise the Ottoman…
1510
Edmund Dudley
English politician, Speaker of the House of Commons (born 1462)
Edmund Dudley was an English administrator and a financial agent of King Henry VII. He served as a leading member of the Council Learned in the Law, Speaker of the House of Commons and President of the King's Council.
1785
Jonathan Trumbull
English-American merchant and politician, 16th Governor of Connecticut (born 1710)
Jonathan Trumbull Sr. was an American politician who served as the governor of Connecticut during the American Revolution.
1720
Anne Dacier
French scholar and translator (born 1654)
Anne Le Fèvre Dacier, better known during her lifetime as Madame Dacier, was a French scholar, translator, commentator and editor of the classics, including the Iliad and the Odyssey.
2014
Wolfgang Leonhard
German historian and author (born 1921)
Wolfgang Leonhard was a German political author and historian of the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic and Communism.
1875
Wilhelm Bleek
German linguist and anthropologist (born 1827)
Wilhelm Heinrich Immanuel Bleek was a German linguist who lived in the Cape Colony and developed a particular interest for the languages and culture of the San peoples.
2015
Yvonne Craig
American ballet dancer and actress (born 1937)
Yvonne Joyce Craig was an American actress best known for her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 1960s television series Batman.
1897
William Jervois
English engineer and diplomat, 10th Governor of South Australia (born 1821)
Lieutenant-General Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois was a British military engineer and diplomat. After joining the British Army in 1839, he saw service, as a second captain, in South Africa.
2024
Silvio Santos
Brazilian media mogul and television host (born 1930)
Senor Abravanel, known professionally as Silvio Santos, was a Brazilian television presenter and business magnate.
1809
Matthew Boulton
English businessman and engineer, co-founded Boulton and Watt (born 1728)
Matthew Boulton was an English businessman, inventor, mechanical engineer, and silversmith. He was a business partner of the Scottish engineer James Watt.
1987
Rudolf Hess
German soldier and politician, convicted Nuremberg war criminal (born 1894)
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a German politician, convicted war criminal, and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Germany.
1990
Pearl Bailey
American actress and singer (born 1918)
Pearl Mae Bailey was an American actress, singer, comedian and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946.
1970
Rattana Pestonji
Thai director and producer (born 1908)
Rattana Pestonji was a Thai film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer and is regarded as the father of contemporary Thai film.
2008
Franco Sensi
Italian businessman and politician (born 1926)
Francesco Sensi, Cavaliere del lavoro was an Italian oil tycoon. He was born in Rome, where he lived throughout his entire life, though he also served time as mayor of Visso, the city where his family came from.