October 13, 1884 – Greenwich was established as the universal time from which standard times throughout the world are calculated.
October 14, 1947 – U. S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier flying in a rocket-powered research aircraft.
October 15, 1860 – 11-year old Grace Bedell writes to Abraham Lincoln telling him to grow a beard, which he does.
October 18, 1962 – The Cuban Missile Crisis begins as President John F. Kennedy is shown photos confirming the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba.