This Day In United States Naval History

This Day In United States Naval History - November 15th

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1836 - Under the command of Lt. Henry H. Bell, the sloop-of-war Saint Louis conducts an exploratory expedition along the coast of Florida with four boats and 70 men.

1863 - Fort Moultrie opens a heavy evening bombardment on Union Army positions at Cummings Point, S.C., which also results in the Union monitor Lehigh running aground. Still under Confederate fire in the morning, the monitor Nahant is able to release her. Five sailors from Lehigh receive Medals of Honor for their heroic line work that frees their ship.

1932 - USS Indianapolis (CA 35) is commissioned. Toward the end of WWII, the Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I 58 in the Philippine Sea. Of the 1,196 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining sailors faced exposure, dehydration, and shark attacks while floating with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. 880 lives were lost.

1942 - Navy SBDs (VS-10) and TBFs (VT-10), Marine Corps SBDs (VMSB-132), and Marine Corps and Army coast artillery and gunfire from USS Meade (DD 602) sink four Japanese transports off the northern coast of Guadalcanal.

1943 - USS Crevalle (SS 291) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kyokko Maru off San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines.

1944 - USS Frament (DE 677), while escorting captured Italian submarine Luigi Settembrini, collides with the sub 685 miles west of Gibraltar. Frament is damaged but Luigi Settembrini sinks. Frament rescues 14 survivors.

1944 - USS Barbel (SS 316) attacks a Japanese convoy about 250 miles east of Tourane, French Indochina, sinks transports Misaki Maru and Sugiyama Maru, then escapes searches by minesweepers W.18 and W.20. USS Batfish (SS 310) sinks Japanese supply ship Kurasaki north-northwest of Cape Bolinao while USS Jack (SS 259) sinks transports Nichiel Maru and No.2 Yuzan Maru.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 17th

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1847 - During the Mexican-American War, 17 Marines and 50 Sailors from the sloop-of-war Dale land at Guaymas, Mexico. The Americans are pinned down in a brief fire-fight and their commander is seriously wounded before the defenders dispersed.

1863 - The screw sloop Monongahela escorts Army troops and covers their landing on Mustang Island, Texas while her Sailors shell Confederate works until the defenders surrender.

1917 - USS Fanning (DD 37) and USS Nicholson (DD 52) sink the first German submarine, U-58, off Milford Haven, Wales, upon entering World War I.

1941 - Congress amends the Neutrality Act to allow U.S. merchant ships to be armed.

1944 - TBMs (VC-82) from escort carrier USS Anzio (CVE 57) and USS Lawrence C. Taylor (DE 415) sink Japanese submarine I-26 in the Philippine Sea while USS Spadefish (SS 411) sinks escort carrier Shinyo in the Yellow Sea.

1958 - USNS Chain (T AGOR 17), the first of the Navys new oceanographic research ships, is placed in service and serves with the Military Sea Transportation Service.

2018 - USS Sioux City (LCS 11) was commissioned during a ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy. The Freedom-variant is the Navy's 13th littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the sixth of the Freedom variant.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 19th

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1813 - Capt. David Porter, commander of the man-of-war Essex, claims the Marquesas Islands for the U.S. In the following weeks, he establishes a base to overhaul Essex and builds a fort.

1943 - USS Nautilus (SS 168) enters Tarawa lagoon for the first submarine photograph reconnaissance mission. It is later damaged by friendly fire from USS Santa Fe (CL 60) and USS Ringgold (DD 500) off Tarawa because due to the mission, Nautilus presence was unknown to the vessels.

1943 - USS Sculpin (SS 191) is damaged by the Japanese and abandoned by her crew. Forty-one Sailors are taken as POWs, 21 of whom are taken on Japanese carrier Chuyo that is later sunk by USS Sailfish (SS 192).

1944 - USS Conklin (DE 439) and USS McCoy Reynolds (DE 440) sink the Japanese submarine I-37 100 miles west of Palaus.

1969 - Navy astronauts Cmdr. Charles Conrad, Jr. and Cmdr. Alan L. Bean become the third and fourth men to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 12 mission.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 21st

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1861 - During the Civil War, the screw steamer New London, along with screw steamer R.R. Cuyler and crew members of the screw steamer Massachusetts, capture the Confederate schooner Olive with a cargo of lumber in Mississippi Sound.

1918 - U.S. battleships witness the surrender of German High Seas fleet at Rosyth, Firth of Forth, Scotland to U.S. and British fleets.

1942 - USS Cincinnati (CL 6) and USS Somers (DD 381) uncover the Norwegian ship SS Skjilbred as being the German blockade runner Anneliese Essberger after setting explosions and boarding the ship. Survivors are taken on board USS Milwaukee (CL 5).

1943 - USS Nautilus (SS 168) lands U.S. Marine Corps Reconnaissance Company on Abemama, Gilberts while USS Trigger (SS 237) sinks Japanese freighter Eizan Maru in the Yellow Sea.

1944 - USS Sealion (SS 315) sinks the Japanese battleship Kongo and destroyer Urakaze north-northwest of Formosa.

2015 - The United States Navy commissioned littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) at a ceremony in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. USS Milwaukee, a Freedom variant littoral combat ship, is designed to operate in shallow and coastal waters throughout the world.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 23rd

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1777 - During the American Revolution, the Continental sloop Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, captures the British brig Mary. Two days later, Ranger captures the British brig George. The prizes are then sent to Bordeaux and Nantes.

1838 - The sloop-of-war Vincennes reaches Rio de Janeiro en route to the South Pacific during the U.S. Exploring Expedition.

1861 - During the Civil War, CSS Sumter evades the steam sloop-of-war Iroquois at Martinique then steams for Europe.

1914 - The title Director of Naval Aeronautics is established to designate the officer in charge of Naval Aviation. Capt. Mark L. Bristol, already serving in that capacity, is ordered to report to the Secretary of the Navy under the new title.

1940 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt appoints Adm. William D. Leahy, then retired, as the U.S. Ambassador to Vichy France in an attempt to prevent the French fleet and naval bases from falling into German hands.

1943 - The U.S. Navy enlisted rating of Ships Servicemen (SH) is established. Ships Servicemen manage and operate retail and service activities afloat, along with managing and operating the ships barber, laundry, and tailor shops.

1944 - USS Bang (SS 385) sinks Japanese freighter Sakae Maru and transport Amakusa Maru, USS Redfish (SS 395) sinks freighter Hozan Maru, and USS Picuda (SS 382) sinks freighters Fukuju Maru and Shuyo Maru.

1981 - In an effort to limit the amount of illegal drugs crossing into the US Border, the Navy is ordered to scout for drug smugglers. Also, USS Mississippi (CGN 40) is the first U.S. Navy ship to assist in the seizure of drug smuggling vessel.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 25th

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1943 - At the Battle of Cape St. George, Destroyer Squadron 23 intercepts five Japanese destroyers attempting to land reinforcements at Buka on Bougainville. During this night engagement, the Japanese destroyers Onami, Makiname, and Yugiri are sunk.

1943 - USS Radford (DD 446) sinks Japanese submarine I-19 north of the Gilbert Islands.

1943 - PB4Y-1 aircraft, piloted by Lt. j.g. Vance Dawkins from VB-107, sinks German submarine U-849 in the South Atlantic west of the Congo estuary.

1944 - USS Hardhead (SS 365) attacks a Japanese convoy 60 miles west of Manila and sinks Coast Defense Vessel No.38 off Bataan Peninsula while USS Atule (SS 403) sinks Japanese freighter Santos Maru off Sabtang Island, Luzon. Also, USS Mingo (SS 261) sinks Japanese army transport Manila Maru.

1961 - USS Enterprise (CVAN 65), the U.S. Navy's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is commissioned in Newport News, Va.

This Day In United States Naval History - November 27th

1941 - Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Harold R. Stark sends "war warning" to Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, Adm. Husband E. Kimmell, and Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, Adm. Ernest J. King.

1942 - By orders of French Vice Adm. Jean de Borde, the French fleet is scuttled in Toulon, France to prevent the ships being used by the Germans.

1943 - USS Callaghan (DD 792) is commissioned. Named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Rear Adm. Daniel J. Callaghan, who was killed during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal November 1942, she serves in the Pacific until she is sunk by a Japanese kamikaze July 28, 1945.

Photo: USS Callaghan (DD-792) underway, circa 1944



1943 - USS Bowfin (SS 287) sinks the Vichy French cargo ship Van Vollenhoven off the coast of French Indochina while USS Seahorse (SS 304) sinks the Japanese fleet tanker San Ramon Maru in the East China Sea.

1944 - Japanese kamikazes sink the submarine chaser SC 744 and damage USS Colorado (BB 45), USS St. Louis (CL 49) and USS Montpelier (CL 57). All the light cruisers are repaired and return to combat duty for the rest of World War II.