This Day in Navy History – February 13, 2023

Radiophone Transmitter courtesy of Naval History Museum

1913 – The Naval Radio Station, Arlington Va., begins operations. The station is a pioneer in communications, most notably with the Eiffel Tower in France.

1917
Marine Capt. Francis T. Evans performs the first loop with a seaplane in an N-9 float plane at 3,000 feet, then forces it into a spin and successfully recovers. For this contribution to the science of aviation, he is later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

1943
Women Marines were reestablished as the Marine Corps Womens Reserve. Col. Ruth Cheney Streeter, the first Director of the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, serves until Dec. 7, 1945.

1945
USS Sennet (SS 408) is damaged by gunfire of Japanese gunboat (No.8 Kotoshiro Maru or No.3 Showa Maru), east of Tanega Shima, but then Sennett sinks No.8 Kotoshiro Maru after it had been shelled by USS Lagarto (SS 371) and USS Haddock (SS 231). Haddock then sinks No.3 Showa Maru, which had already been shelled by Lagarto and Sennett .