"Old times there are not forgotten"
The Census Bureau set the population of the United States at 226,542,203. Double digit inflation continued for a second straight year and the Federal Reserve raised the discount rate to 13 percent. Unemployment averaged 7.1 percent. Automobile sales fell to a 19 year low. The Iranian hostage crisis continued through the entire year. The first female graduates of the United States Military Academy, The United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy received their degrees and their commissions. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. This caused the United States to boycott the Summer Olympics held in Moscow. Ronald Reagan was elected 40th president of the United States, oldest man elected to the office. The United States Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union and Finland to win the gold medal in the Winter Olympics.
New book titles: A Confederacy of Dunces, Creek Mary's Blood, Loon Lake, The Covenant and The Second Coming.
At the movies: Ordinary People, Raging Bull, Coal Miner's Daughter and Melvin and Howard.
On stage: Amadeus, Evita, 42nd Street, and Children of a Lesser God.
Emmy Awards: Powers Boothe for Guyana Tragedy, Patty Duke Astin for The Miracle Worker, Ed Asner for Lou Grant and Barbara Bel Geddes for Dallas.
January 29
Six Americans who had taken refuge in the Canadian Embassy in Teheran, Iran escaped that country with the aid of Canadian Embassy personnel.
April 7
The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran.
May 25
Classmate Johnnie Herbert Hoskins received an Associate of Arts degree in Management and Supervision from the University of Maryland.
September 1
Classmate Johnnie Herbert Hoskins retired from the United States Air Force with 21 years, 10 months and 9 days active service.
November 12
Voyager I launched in 1977 flew by Saturn discovering more rings than previously identified and three new moons.