This Week in Naval History

This Week in Naval History

9 May 1926:MOH – LCDR Byrd & Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd Boyd

On 9 May 1926, Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Byrd and Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett report reaching the North Pole in their heavier-than-air-flight aircraft, both received the Medal of Honor for this event.

10 May 1960: USS Triton completed submerged circumnavigation

On 10 May 1960, USS Triton (SSRN-586), commanded by Captain Edward L. Beach, completed a submerged circumnavigation of the world in 84 days following many of the routes taken by Magellan. Triton’s cruise proved invaluable to the US. Politically, it enhanced the nation's prestige. From an operational viewpoint, the cruise demonstrated the great submerged endurance and sustained high-speed transit capabilities of the first generation of nuclear-powered submarines. Moreover, during the voyage, the submarine collected reams of oceanographic data. At the cruise's conclusion, Triton received the Presidential Unit Citation and Captain Beach received the Legion of Merit from President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

11 May 1943: Invasion of Attu, Aleutian Islands

On 11 May 1943, in the Attu Operation, Task Force 16, commanded by Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, landed a force of 3,000 US Army troops of the 7th Division in the cold and the mist of the Aleutians. Organized resistance by the Japanese ended on 30 May. Only the third amphibious landing by the Americans during WWII, the logistics were studied for future operations in the Atlantic and the Pacific.

12 May 1938: USS Enterprise (CV 6) was commissioned

On 12 May 1938, USS Enterprise (CV 6) was commissioned. Notable service during WWII included: the Doolittle Raid, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal Campaign, Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the Okinawa Campaign, where she was badly damaged by a kamikaze strike. Decommissioned in 1947 and after failed campaigns to make her a museum ship, Enterprise was sold for scrapping in July 1958.

13 May 1908: Navy Nurse Corps was established

On 13 May 1908, the Navy Nurse Corps was established by Public Law No. 115, though nurses volunteered on board US Navy ships beforehand such as during the Civil War on board USS Red Rover and during the Spanish-American War on board USS Solace (AH-2). Note, on 16 April 1947, Congress passed the Army-Navy Nurses Act, giving Army and Navy Nurse Corps members permanent commissioned rank.

14 May 1801: Tripoli declared war on the United States

On 14 May 1801, Tripoli declared war on the United States for not increasing the annual tribute paid as protection money to prevent raids on it ships. Within less than a week a squadron, under Commodore Richard Dale, set sail to protect American interests and arrived on 1 July at Gibraltar. The squadron ships were: the frigates -- President, commanded by Captain James Barron, Philadelphia, commanded by Captain Samuel Barron, and Essex, commanded by William Bainbridge. Notable events were the Burning of the Philadelphia, the bombardment and raids on Tripoli harbor, and the first U.S. Flag Raising on foreign soil by U.S. Marines at Derna. On 4 June 1805, Tripoli made peace with favorable terms to the United States. The treaty required no payment for the peace, nor did it provide for future tribute, but involved a ransom of sixty thousand dollars for the release of the prisoners from the frigate Philadelphia. The US also agreed to evacuate Derne.

15 May 1800: USS Essex arrived at Java for escort duty

On 15 May 1800, the frigate Essex, commanded by Edward Preble, arrived in Batavia, Java, to escort United States merchant ships. During her journey, she was first US Navy warship to cross the Equator and to first U.S. man-of-war to double the Cape of Good Hope, Essex completed her escort mission in November.