Apollo 8 Christmas Eve Broadcast
Participates in the Christmas Eve television broadcast from lunar orbit and closes the crew's message to Earth.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1968 in United States of America — Page 5
Explore 273 historical events and records for United States of America in 1968.
Historical records for United States of America in 1968
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 273 unique records.
273Unique records
5 of 7Page
34Named events on this page
17Named people on this page
9Places on this page
December
Apollo 8 Earth Observation Photography
Photographs Earth and the lunar horizon during Apollo 8's historic lunar-orbit mission.
Apollo 8 Earthrise Observation
Observes Earth rising above the lunar horizon with the Apollo 8 crew during lunar orbit.
Apollo 8 First Lunar Far-Side Passage
Commands Apollo 8 as the crew passes behind the Moon and loses radio contact with Earth.
Apollo 8 Genesis Reading
Participates in the Christmas Eve Genesis reading broadcast to Earth from lunar orbit.
Apollo 8 Landing Site Survey
Observes and photographs lunar terrain to support planning for later Apollo landing missions.
Apollo 8 Lunar Navigation
Conducts landmark tracking and navigation observations during Apollo 8 lunar orbit.
Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit Circularization
Commands the second lunar-orbit insertion burn, circularizing Apollo 8's orbit around the Moon.
Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit Insertion
Serves as lunar module pilot during Apollo 8's first lunar-orbit insertion burn.
Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit Insertion
Commands the burn that places Apollo 8 into lunar orbit.
Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit Insertion
Serves as command module pilot during the burn that places Apollo 8 into lunar orbit.
Apollo 8 Lunar Photography
Photographs lunar terrain and prospective landing areas during Apollo 8’s ten lunar orbits.
Christmas Eve Television Broadcast
Leads a worldwide Christmas Eve television broadcast from lunar orbit.
Earthrise Mission
Commands the crew that first sees Earthrise from lunar orbit.
Earthrise Photograph
Photographs Earthrise during Apollo 8 lunar orbit.
First View of Lunar Far Side
Becomes one of the first humans to see the Moon’s far side when Apollo 8 passes behind it.
Apollo 8 Trans-Earth Injection
Commands the engine burn that sends Apollo 8 out of lunar orbit toward Earth.
Apollo 8 Trans-Earth Injection
Serves as command module pilot during the burn that sends Apollo 8 from lunar orbit toward Earth.
Apollo 8 Reentry
Returns through Earth's atmosphere with Borman and Lovell after the first crewed lunar-orbit mission.
Apollo 8 Reentry
Commands Apollo 8 through Earth reentry before splashdown in the Pacific.
Apollo 8 Reentry Navigation
Supports navigation and spacecraft operations during Apollo 8's return and reentry.
Apollo 8 Return
Returns from Apollo 8 after ten lunar orbits.
Apollo 8 Splashdown
Returns to Earth with Borman and Lovell after the first crewed lunar-orbit mission.
Other events (month unknown)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Directs 2001: A Space Odyssey, combining science fiction with pioneering visual-effects techniques.
Academy Award
Academy Award for Best Director The Graduate
Allman Brothers
Founder Member of The Allman Brothers
Armies of the Night
"Miami and the Siege of Chicago". "Armies of the Night"
Astronaut Rescue Agreement Enters Force
The Astronaut Rescue Agreement entered into force in December, elaborating the space treaty principles on assistance and return.
BAFTA
BAFTA Award for Best Director The Graduate
Bizarre Productions
Forms Bizarre Productions with manager Herb Cohen to gain greater control over recording and production projects.
Bombing of Vietnam
Announces the cessation of bombing North of the 19th parallel in Vietnam
Bombing of Vietnam
Sent as US representitive to propose bombing cessation but conditions are rejected
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel release, "Bookends"
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel release, "The Graduate". Simon & Garfunkel release, "Bookends"
Caltech Gravitational Wave Theory Group
Thorne establishes a Caltech research group devoted to gravitational-wave theory, astrophysical sources and the physical limitations that future interferometric detectors would need to overcome.
Casualties
The U.S. has lost over 31,000 lives & are losing 300 per week
Celebration of the Lizard
Develops Celebration of the Lizard as ambitious stage material.
Clark Panel
Attorney General Ramsey Clark convenes a medical panel whose conclusions are later compared with the Warren Commission's findings.
Coogans Bluff
Stars as an Arizona deputy in Coogans Bluff, directed by Don Siegel.
Couples
Publication of "Couples"
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.