Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse

Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, often called simply Lapérouse, was a French naval officer and explorer. Having enlisted at the age of 15, he had a successful naval career and in 1785 was appointed to lead a scientific expedition around the world. His ships stopped in Chile, Hawaii, Alaska, California, Mauritius, Reunion, Macau, Japan, Russia and Australia before wrecking on the reefs of Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands.

23 August 1741

Born on the same birth day (23 August): Abraham Yates Jr. • Betty Robinson • Bob Crosby • Bobby G • Bruno Spengler • Douglas Sequeira • Edwyn Collins • Marian Seldes • Mark Hudson (musician) • Mark Russell • Mike Yastrzemski • Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences • Sean Marks • Seth Curry • Will Cuppy

Born in the same month (August 1741): Jean-Paul-Égide Martini • Karl Friedrich Bahrdt