About the day » Friday March 20, 1942Calender converter

• John Laurens Gerardus Blansjaar, Leiden († 1990)
• Hans Bos, Vlaardingen, Nederland († 2000)
• Beitske Postma, Kornhorn, Gem. Grootegast († 2003)
• Geertje van Dijk († 2006)
• Johanna C.A. Geerts, Chaam († 1997)
• Ellij Justina Petronella Volleman, Hontenisse († 1942)
• Henk Graat, Bladel en Netersel († 1983)
• Marinus Wilhelmus Maria van KAMPEN Azn († 1953)
• Ernst Robert Cornelis HALBERSTADT († 1994)
• José Jonas Paraná Fagundes, Mallet, Paraná, Brasil († 2005)

• Adrianus van der Cammen, Twin (73), Veghel, Noord-Brabant, Nederland
• Aart van de Brug (78), Amersfoort
• Charles Martin Allmaras (51), New Rockford, North Dakota
• Antonius Theodorus Roest (70), Amsterdam,Gemeente Amsterdam,Noord Holland,Nederland
• Anthony van den Hoek (84), Sint Maartensdijk
• Adrianus Alsemgeest (82), Schiedam
• Adrianus van der Steur (62), Ermelo
• Arnolda Woltera Hermanna Siegerink (60), Rijssen
• Anna Gertrudis Omloo (63), Susteren
• Berend Lammechien Hendrik Leondardus Cate gr (35), Groningen {GR}

• 1940 » Giampiero Moretti, Italian race car driver and businessman, founded the Momo company († 2012)
• 1940 » Mary Ellen Mark, American photographer and journalist († 2015)
• 1940 » Stathis Chaitas, Greek footballer and manager
• 1941 » Kenji Kimihara, Japanese runner
• 1941 » Pat Corrales, American baseball player and manager
• 1943 » Douglas Tompkins, American businessman, co-founded The North Face and Esprit Holdings († 2015)
• 1943 » Gerard Malanga, American poet and photographer
• 1943 » Paul Junger Witt, American director and producer († 2018)
• 1944 » Camille Cosby, American author, producer, and philanthropist
• 1944 » John Cameron, English composer and conductor

• 1929 » Ferdinand Foch, French field marshal (b. 1851)
• 1930 » Arthur F. Andrews, American cyclist (b. 1876)
• 1931 » Hermann Müller, German journalist and politician, 12th Chancellor of Germany (b. 1876)
• 1933 » Giuseppe Zangara, Italian-American assassin of Anton Cermak (b. 1900; executed)
• 1940 » Alfred Ploetz, German physician, biologist, and eugenicist (b. 1860)
• 1945 » Dorothy Campbell, Scottish-American golfer (b. 1883)
• 1946 » Amadeus William Grabau, American-Chinese geologist, paleontologist, and academic (b. 1870)
• 1947 » Sigurd Wallén, Swedish actor and director (b. 1884)
• 1952 » Hjalmar Väre, Finnish cyclist (b. 1892)
• 1958 » Adegoke Adelabu, Nigerian merchant, journalist, and politician (b. 1915)

• Koningin Wilhelmina (Huis van Oranje-Nassau) was from 1890 till 1948 sovereign of the Netherlands (also known as Koninkrijk der Nederlanden)
• In The Netherlands , there was from July 27, 1941 to February 23, 1945 the cabinet Gerbrandy II, with Prof. dr. P.S. Gerbrandy (ARP) as prime minister.
• The Netherlands had about 9.0 million citizens.
• May 27 » World War II: In Operation Anthropoid, Reinhard Heydrich is fatally wounded in Prague; he dies of his injuries eight days later.
• June 4 » World War II: The Battle of Midway begins. The Japanese Admiral Chūichi Nagumo orders a strike on Midway Island by much of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
• June 12 » Anne Frank receives a diary for her thirteenth birthday.
• July 1 » The Australian Federal Government becomes the sole collector of income tax in Australia as State Income Tax is abolished.
• July 22 » The United States government begins compulsory civilian gasoline rationing due to the wartime demands.
• November 10 » World War II: Germany invades Vichy France following French Admiral François Darlan's agreement to an armistice with the Allies in North Africa.

The temperature on March 20, 1942 was between 0.4 °C and 2.5 °C and averaged 1.8 °C. The average windspeed was 2 Bft (weak wind) and was prevailing from the north-northwest.