The town of Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing 17. At the time it was New Zealand's worst natural disaster. Date: June 17, 1929 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1929 📅 On This Day (Today)

U.S. president Herbert Hoover signs the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act into law. Date: June 17, 1930 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1930 📅 On This Day (Today)

Bonus Army: Around a thousand World War I veterans amass at the United States Capitol as the U.S. Senate considers a bill that would give them certain benefits. Date: June 17, 1932 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1932 📅 On This Day (Today)

Union Station massacre: In Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash. Date: June 17, 1933 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1933 📅 On This Day (Today)

Last public guillotining in France: Eugen Weidmann, a convicted murderer, is executed in Versailles outside the Saint-Pierre prison. Date: June 17, 1939 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1939 📅 On This Day (Today)

The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union. Date: June 17, 1940 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1940 📅 On This Day (Today)

World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya from Italian forces. Date: June 17, 1940 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1940 📅 On This Day (Today)

World War II: RMS Lancastria is attacked and sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France. At least 3,000 are killed in Britain's worst maritime disaster. Date: June 17, 1940 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1940 📅 On This Day (Today)

Iceland declares independence from Denmark and becomes a republic. Date: June 17, 1944 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1944 📅 On This Day (Today)

United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6, crashes near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, killing all 43 people on board. Date: June 17, 1948 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on June 17 📅 Events on this day in 1948 📅 On This Day (Today)