Timeline March 1978

Events in March 1978 12

• 1905 – 1978 Karl Wallenda (1905-1978) Died 22 March 1978, aged 73 Wallenda was the founder of the high-wire circus troupe The Flying Wallendas. He fell to his death while attempting to walk a cable strung between two hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• 1939 – 1978 Claude François (1939-1978) Died 11 March 1978, aged 39 François was one of France's biggest pop stars of the 1960s and 70s, co-writer of the song that became "My Way". He died of electrocution while adjusting a lamp in his bathtub.
• 1978 Iditarod 1978 Winner: Dick Mackey — by one second The most controversial finish in Iditarod history. Dick Mackey beat Rick Swenson by just one second — the closest finish ever. Swenson protested but the result stood.
• 1978 – present Pretenders British-American rock band Chrissie Hynde's band — Brass in Pocket, Back on the Chain Gang and I'll Stand by You.
• 1978 Pretenders formed in London Chrissie Hynde The Ohio-born music journalist forms a band with three musicians from Hereford.
• 1978 Naomi Uemura reaches the North Pole solo First person to reach the North Pole alone Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura departed Ellesmere Island by dog sled and became the first person to reach the North Pole solo and unsupported. The 700-kilometre trek took nearly two months across shifting sea ice.
• 1978 – present Didier Drogba The Titan Chelsea legend and twice African Footballer of the Year; famous for his clutch performances in finals.
• 1978 Amoco Cadiz oil spill Supertanker wreck causes one of the largest oil spills in history The supertanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground off the coast of Brittany after its steering failed in a storm, spilling its entire cargo of 1.6 million barrels of crude oil. The spill devastated over 300 kilometres of French coastline and remains one of the largest in history.
• 1978 Kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro Red Brigades abduct and kill Italy's former prime minister The Marxist Red Brigades kidnapped former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in Rome, killing his five bodyguards. He was held for 55 days and murdered after the Italian government refused to negotiate, one of the defining crises of Italy's "Years of Lead".
• 1978 US Senate ratifies Panama Canal Treaties Treaties set course for handover of canal to Panama The US Senate narrowly ratified the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which set a schedule for transferring control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama by the end of 1999. The votes ended decades of dispute over the canal's sovereignty.
• 1978 Elvis Costello releases This Year's Model With the Attractions His first album with the Attractions.
• 1978 U2 win a talent contest in Limerick St. Patrick's Day The prize includes studio time that leads to their first demo.