11 JANUARY 1820 USS LYNX In modern times, the unexplained disappearance of a vessel at sea would raise much interest, concern, news coverage, and even sensationalist speculation. Witness the loss of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in 2014. In the 19th century, Read More
3 SEPTEMBER 1804 BOMBSHIP INTREPID One of the first missions assigned to our fledgling Navy around the turn of the 19th century was the protection of US merchant shipping from the piracy of the southern Mediterranean Barbary States of Tripoli, Algeria, Read More
8 MARCH 1805 “…TO THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI” The Bey of Tripoli in 1795, Hamet Karamanli, was overthrown by his younger brother Yusuf. Hamet sought exile in Egypt where he remained for the next ten years. During this time the Barbary States, including Read More