28 FEBRUARY 1803 THE GUNBOAT NAVY “We are sacrificing everything to navigation and a Navy,” was candidate Thomas Jefferson’s slogan in the presidential election campaign of 1799-1800. Jefferson was an agrarian Southerner, distrustful of New England merchants and skeptical of our Read More
21 FEBRUARY 1945 TWO CARRIERS IN HARM’S WAY As the third day of the battle for Iwo Jima began, the ships of Task Force 58 kept up their shore bombardment and their efforts against Japanese sea and air defenses. Indeed, on Read More
TODAY IN NAVAL HISTORY 16 FEBRUARY 1965 VUNG RO INCIDENT In 1965, the US was becoming more heavily involved in Vietnam with each passing day. Though war had not been declared and we were officially only “advising” the South Vietnamese, Read More
9 FEBRUARY 2001 GREENEVILLE COLLISION At 0800 local time this day, USS GREENEVILLE (SSN-772) departed Pearl Harbor carrying 14 corporate CEOs, a civilian sportswriter, and his wife for a submarine demonstration cruise as part of the Navy’s Distinguished Visitor Embarkation program. Read More
17 OCTOBER 1858-FEBRUARY 1859 PARAGUAY PUNITIVE EXPEDITION At 1325 the six guns of Fort Guardia Cerritos erupted! USS WATER WITCH was struck ten times. Three of her Dahlgren howitzers answered only once as the fort’s barrage chased her sailors from their Read More
1 FEBRUARY 1855 WATER WITCH INCIDENT Our Navy launched a series of geographical explorations in the 19th century, focusing in part on South and Central America. Here, the US had both strategic interests, in terms of the Monroe Doctrine prohibiting European Read More
26-29 JANUARY 1862 RECONNAISSANCE-IN-FORCE By January 1862, Union MGEN Thomas W. Sherman was ready to attempt to close the Savannah River, isolating the city of Savannah lying 15 miles upstream. But the mouth of that river was guarded by masonry Fort Read More
19 JANUARY-12 MARCH 1854 LT STRAIN’S EXPEDITION (cont.) After six weeks of indescribable tribulation, with his men now unable to continue, LT Strain bedded his party and selected three of the strongest to accompany him further. On they pressed until finally Read More
19 JANUARY-12 MARCH 1854 LT STRAIN’S EXPEDITION In 1513, the Spanish explorer Balboa took 190 well-supplied troops and enlisted the aid of local natives as guides to make his famous march of discovery across Isthmus of Darien. Since, the concept of Read More
15 JANUARY 1865 FIGHTING FATHER AND SON CAPT Benjamin Franklin Sands, USN, came from a military family, having 11 relatives and descendants with military service. His combat tours during the Mexican War were bracketed by duty of a more scientific nature. Read More