January 1 - Cuban President Batista resigns and flees - Castro takes over.
March 31 - Tibet's Dalai Lama escapes to India.
April 25 - St. Lawrence Seaway opens, allowing ocean ships to reach the midwest.
Alaska and Hawaii become states.
| Rowland Felt |
Harold Hilker |
 Chong Ho |
||
| Cheng-Chien Hsu |
 Arlo Johnson |
 Bruce Lorenz |
||
| Hsiang Lu |
Richard Mackrill |
 Lewis Neal |
||
| George Rey |
Joseph Rippee |
 Ronald Rogstad |
||
| J. Brent Thomson |
 Alvin Tuten |
J. Reed Welker |
||
| Charles Wilson |
