January 17 » The United States takes possession of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean.
February 14 » Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections.
April 18 » The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.
September 23 » The American Asiatic Squadron destroys a Filipino battery at the Battle of Olongapo.
November 2 » The Boers begin their 118-day siege of British-held Ladysmith during the Second Boer War.
November 29 » FC Barcelona is founded by Catalan, Spanish and Englishmen. It later develops into one of Spanish football's most iconic and strongest teams.
Day of death February 5, 1959
The temperature on February 5, 1959 was between -3.4 °C and 3.2 °C and averaged -0.9 °C. There was 7.7 hours of sunshine (83%). The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the east-northeast. Source: KNMI
February 20 » The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.
February 28 » Discoverer 1, an American spy satellite that is the first object intended to achieve a polar orbit, is launched but fails to achieve orbit.
July 24 » At the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow, U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev have a "Kitchen Debate".
October 30 » Piedmont Airlines Flight 349 crashes on approach to Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport in Albemarle County, Virginia, killing 26 of the 27 on board.
November 21 » American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term "rock and roll" and music of that style, is fired from WABC-AM radio over allegations he had participated in the payola scandal.
December 13 » Archbishop Makarios III becomes the first President of Cyprus.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Hendrik Dreyer, "Dreyer Tree", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/dreyer-tree/I13280.php : accessed February 7, 2026), "Petrus Adriaan Johannes (Piet) Dreyer (1899-1959)".
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