Category: This Week in Naval History

1813 – The frigate Essex, commanded by Capt. David Porter, becomes the first U.S. Navy warship to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific Ocean.

1778
Continental ship, Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, receives the first official salute to a U.S. Stars and Stripes flag by a foreign government (the French fleet) at Quiberon, France.

1814
The frigate Constitution, commanded by Capt. Charles Stewart, captures the British Lovely Ann off Guiana, the first of four during a five-day period.

1945
USS Gato (SS 212) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.9 in the Yellow Sea and USS Hawkbill (SS 366) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 4 and Cha 114 in the Java Sea.

1945
Water Tender Second Class Elmer C. Bigelow heroically fights a blaze after USS Fletcher (DD 445) is hit by enemy shelling. Bigelow dies the next day from his injuries. He is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity.” USS Bigelow (DD 942) is named in his honor in 1957.

1998
Guided Missile Destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) is commissioned

1800
USS Essex becomes first U.S. Navy vessel to cross the Equator.

1832
The frigate Potomac, commanded by Capt. John Downes, shells a pirate stronghold at Qualla Battoo, Sumatra, destroying a fort. The day before a Potomac landing party destroys four forts, killing 150 pirates and the pirate leader, Rajah Po Mohamet. The Malays agree not to make further attacks on American ships

1943
USS Growler (SS 215) fights a desperate night battle with the Japanese supply ship Hayasaki, during which the boat’s commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore, rams the enemy ship, badly bending Growler’s bow. Wounded by machine gun fire and unable to go below, Gilmore gives the order “Take her down!” sacrificing himself so his submarine could dive to safety. For his “distinguished gallantry and valor” on this occasion and earlier in the patrol, he is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted one rank.

1945
USS Thomason (DE 203) sinks the Japanese submarine RO 55 off Iba, Luzon. USS Bergall (SS 320) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks Coast Defense Vessel No. 53 off Cam Ranh Bay. USS Guavina (SS 362) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks merchant tanker Taigyo Maru, off Saigon, French Indochina while USS Parche (SS 384) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Okinoyama Maru in Tokara Retto.

1955
Seventh Fleet ships begin evacuation of Chinese nationalists from Tachen Islands

1965
In response to a Viet Cong attack on barracks area at Pleiku, South Vietnam, aircraft from carriers, USS Coral Sea, USS Hancock, and USS Ranger attack North Vietnamese area near Donghoi.

1984
Naval Aviator/Astronaut Bruce McCandless II makes the first untethered spacewalk as he flies some 300 feet from the Space Shuttle Challenger in the first test of the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU).

U.S. Navy History

This week in U.S. Navy History, February 7-13, marks several important events in the history of the United States Navy.

On February 7, 1943, the U.S. Navy launched the invasion of the Pacific island of Guadalcanal, marking the first major U.S. offensive in the Pacific theater during World War II. The battle for Guadalcanal lasted for six months, with naval forces playing a crucial role in securing the island and helping to turn the tide of the war in the Pacific.

On February 9, 1964, the USS Orleck, a destroyer, was decommissioned after over 20 years of service. The Orleck served in World War II and the Korean War and was one of the last destroyers of its kind to be taken out of service by the U.S. Navy.

February 11, 1966, marked the launch of the USS Enterprise, the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Enterprise served for over 50 years, participating in several conflicts, including the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. It was decommissioned in 2012 and is now a museum ship.

In conclusion, this week in U.S. Naval History is marked by significant events that shaped the course of the U.S. Navy and helped shape the history of the world. These events demonstrate the bravery and dedication of the men and women who have served in the U.S. Navy, and their commitment to protecting the nation and safeguarding freedom and democracy.