1 DECEMBER 1778 “COME AND TAKE IT!” The colony of Georgia was a late arrival to our Revolutionary War, her citizens needing British protection from hostile Creeks and Cherokees to their west. Nevertheless, the Continental Congress authorized the construction of forts Read More
24 NOVEMBER 1992 US DEPARTS THE PHILIPPINES The presence of American military bases in the Philippines was a consequence of our acquisition of that archipelago in 1898 after the Spanish-American war. When independence was granted to the Republic of the Philippines Read More
12-19 NOVEMBER 1814 McGOWAN’S RAID The British and American naval fleets on Lake Ontario contested that region throughout the War of 1812. In fact, the British began the 1814 fighting season by chasing American Commodore CAPT Isaac Chauncey’s squadron from its Read More
10-11 NOVEMBER 1975 50th ANNIVERSARY THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD (cont.) No Coast Guard vessel in the area was capable of braving such heavy seas this night, but an HU-16 “Albatross” and an HH-52 “Sea Guard” helicopter were launched. In addition, Anderson Read More
10 NOVEMBER 1975 50th ANNIVERSARY THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD When she slid off the ways in 1958, the 729-foot SS Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest man-made object ever to hit freshwater, indeed her size took Great Lakes freighting Read More
31 OCTOBER-28 NOVEMBER 1873 VIRGINIUS AFFAIR Historically our Navy has been tasked with the protection of American citizens overseas, as witnessed by a nearly explosive brush with Spain in 1873. Cuban rebels were well into their 40-year struggle for independence from Read More
TODAY IN NAVAL HISTORY 24 OCTOBER-14 NOVEMBER 1995 THE LAST CRUISE OF DIXON At 1600 on the sunny Tuesday afternoon of 24 October 1995 the L.Y. Spear-class submarine tender USS DIXON (AS-37) cast off from middle pier at SubBase Point Read More
27 OCTOBER 1948 THE BERLIN AIRLIFT After the surrender of the Axis, the major Allied powers occupied Germany’s territory under a divided arrangement. Then shortly, France, England, the US, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg began working to rebuild the tattered German Read More
21 OCTOBER 1805 THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR (cont.) Watching the British advance, Villeneuve ordered his fleet into a traditional line-ahead (historians suspect a lack-luster execution was made in spite of Villeneuve’s suspicion that Nelson might break his line). The vacillating Villeneuve Read More
21 OCTOBER 1805 THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR It was the fifth year of Napoleon Bonaparte’s fifteen-year empire-building reign in France. Having already conquered Belgium, the Low Countries, Spain, and much of Italy, Napoleon’s next target was England. He planned a cross-channel Read More