This Week in Naval History

11 Jul 1798: Reestablishment of USMC under the Constitution1861
On 11 July 1798, President John Adams signed an act which reestablished the Marine Corps under the Constitution. The following day, Major William W. Burrows was appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps.


12 Jul 1988: Women authorized on board supply vessels
On 12 July 1988, Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci III approved opening the Navy’s Underwater Construction Teams, fleet oilers, ammunition ships and combat stores ships to women.

13 Jul 1812: USS Essex captured British brig Lamprey
On 13 July 1812, the frigate Essex, commanded by Captain David Porter, captured the merchant brig Lamprey in the Atlantic. Previously, on the 11th, she cut out the British transport brig Samuel and Sarah from a convoy of seven protected by HMS Nimrod near Bermuda. She was ransomed for $12,000.

14 Jul 1955: 1st flight of jet-propelled Martin P6M seaplane
On 14 July 1955, the first flight of jet-propelled Martin P6M seaplane was completed at Baltimore, Maryland. The seaplane was powered with four J-71 jet engines. The P6M was designed for mine laying and reconnaissance tasks and adaptable to other missions. The craft was phased out in late 1959.

15 Jul 1862: CSS Arkansas engaged Union gunboats
On 15 July 1862, while CSS Arkansas made her way down the Yazoo River, she encountered the Union gunboats Carondelet, Tyler, and Queen of the West. In the ensuing battle, Arkansas damaged the first two vessels and made her way into the Mississippi River, where she boldly fought through the Federal fleet to find refuge at the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg.

16 Jul 1957: Major J. Glenn broke transcontinental speed record
On 16 July 1957, an F8U-1P Crusader (Bu#144608), piloted by Major John H. Glenn, Jr., USMC, broke the transcontinental speed record with a crossing from Los Alamitos, California, to Floyd Bennett Field, New York, in 3 hours and 22 minutes, 50.5 seconds for an average speed of 723.517 mph. This was the first upper atmosphere supersonic flight from the West Coast to the East Coast.

17 Jul 1927: 1st Organized Dive Bombing Attack in Combat
On 17 July 1927, Major Ross E. Rowell, USMC, led a flight of five DHs in a strafing and dive bombing attack against bandit forces surrounding a garrison of US Marines at Ocotal, Nicaragua. Although instances of diving attacks had occurred during World War I and Marine Corps pilots had used the same technique in Haiti in 1919, this attack was made according to doctrine developed in training and is generally considered the first organized dive bombing attack in combat. Rowell would latter attain the rank of Lieutenant General.