SeaWaves Today in History February 25, 2009 1570 - Pope Pius V excommunicated England's Queen Elizabeth I 1799 - President Adams authorized by Congress to place revenue cutters in the naval establishment 1836 - Inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver 1861 - Saratoga, member of US African Squadron, captures slaver sloop Express 1901 - United States Steel Corp. was incorporated by J.P. Morgan 1915 - Hospital ship Glenart Castle of Hartland sunk by a German submarine while on its way to Brest to pick up wounded Portuguese soldiers 1918 - Destroyer HMS Wrestler launched 1919 - Destroyer USS McKean commissioned 1925 - Congress empowers Revenue Marine to enforce state quarantine laws 1933 - Commissioning of USS Ranger, first true US aircraft carrier 1935 - Submarine USS Perch laid down 1936 - Submarine HMS Grampus launched 1936 - Destroyer HMS Hunter launched 1937 - U-32 launched 1937 - Destroyer USS Craven launched 1939 - Minesweeper FS Commandant Delage launched 1940 - U-63 sunk in the North Sea south of the Shetland Islands, in position 58.40N, 00.10W, by depth charges and torpedoes from destroyers, HMS Escort, Inglefield & Imogen with submarine HMS Narwhal. 1 dead and 24 survivors 1940 - Corvette HMS Windflower laid down 1940 - Soviet submarine M-31 launched 1940 - Off Venezuela, the unarmed US freighter SS West Camargo is stopped by an unidentified French cruiser off north coast of Venezuela. The French make no attempt to board but only request information "where from, where bound & what cargo" before allowing the merchantman to proceed after a 20 minute delay 1940 - In Gibraltar, the unarmed US freighter SS Exochorda is detained for several hours by British authorities, but is allowed to proceed 1941 - Submarines HMS United & Unruffled laid down 1941 - Corvette HMS Nigella commissioned 1941 - Destroyer HMS Exmoor sunk by torpedo in position 52.32N 02.05E while escorting Convoy FN-417. Hit aft by a torpedo fired by the German MTB S-30, she caught fire & sank quickly 1941 - U-180 laid down 1941 - On patrol off the east coast of Tunisia, submarine HMS Upright torpedoes & sinks Italian cruiser Armando Diaz as she covers a convoy from Naples to Tripoli. She sank in six minutes 1942 - Wartime port security delegated to Coast Guard by Executive Order 9074 1942 - Escort carrier USS Breton laid down 1942 - Destroyer KNM Stord (ex-HMS Success) laid down 1942 - U-235, U-738 laid down 1942 - At 0218, the unescorted steam tanker La Carriere was torpedoed by U-156 about 70 miles SW of Guanica, Puerto Rico. The ship sank only after two additional hits and two missed torpedoes at 0839. Eleven crewmembers and four gunners were lost. The master and four crewmembers were picked up by a USCG cutter & landed at Trinidad. 21 crewmembers landed at Guanica the same day 1942 - U-381 commissioned 1942 - A Dutch PBY Catalina spots Japanese transports moving to invade Java. At 1125 all available Allied cruisers and destroyers are ordered to join Admiral Doorman's Eastern Striking Force at Surabaja, Java. The cruisers HMS Exeter & HMAS Perth with destroyers HMS Jupiter, Electra & Encounter sail from Batavia to Surabaja. Without waiting for the arrival of the British reinforcements, Admiral Doorman sails with heavy cruiser USS Houston, the Dutch light cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter, Java & seven destroyers from Surabaja at dusk. He carries out a sweep to the east along the coast of Madoera Island in the hope of intercepting the Japanese transports reported near Bawean Island. No contact is made however and the Allied force return the next morning to Surabaja where it is joined by the British detachment from Batavia. From then onwards the Eastern Striking Force became known as the Combined Striking Force, under the command of Dutch Rear-Admiral Karel Doorman. One of the problems faced by this force is that each Navy uses their own standards that are not compatible, e.g., signalmen must grapple with four different types of flag codes 1942 - RAF Bomber Command dispatches 61 aircraft, 43 Wellingtons, 12 Manchesters & six Stirlings, to visually bomb a floating drydock at Kiel. 36 aircraft bomb the target. In the bombing of the harbor area, the accommodation ship Monte Sarmiento is hit and burnt out with the loss of 120-130 lives; 16 people are also killed and 39 injured in the town. Three Wellingtons are lost. Nine Hampdens also fly a mining mission along the coast 1942 - British Commandos land on the Italian held Island of Castelorizzo in the Dodecanese Islands 1942 - Submarine HMS P-38 is sunk off the coast of Tunisia by Italian destroyers 1942 - Japanese force lands on Bawean Island, 85 miles north of Surabaya, Java and set up a radio station 1942 - In the US, the USCG assumes responsibility for US port security 1942 - Black Sea Fleet & Azov Flotilla minesweeper TSch-405 Vzrivatel sunk by field artillery close to Eupatoria (later raised) 1943 - Minesweeper HMS Mary Rose (ex-HMCS Toronto) laid down Toronto ON 1943 - Frigate HMCS Levis laid down Lauzon PQ 1943 - Frigate HMCS (ex-HMS) Ettrick launched 1943 - Submarine USS Sea Lion laid down 1943 - Minesweepers USS Triumph, Swerve & Spear launched 1943 - Sloop HMS Redpole launched 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Daniel T Griffin launched 1943 - Destroyer USS Endicott commissioned 1943 - Light fleet carrier USS Princeton commissioned 1943 - Submarine HMS Sea Rover launched 1943 - U-965 commissioned 1943 - At 0817, U-628 fired a spread of four FAT torpedoes & one stern torpedo at Convoy ON-166 about 400 miles ESE of Cape Race and reported one ship sunk. The Manchester Merchant sank within 90 seconds. 29 crewmembers and six gunners were lost. The master, 27 crewmembers and four gunners were picked up by destroyer HMS Montgomery & frigate HMCS Rosthern & landed at St John's 1943 - US Fifth Air Force B-17s & B-24s attack shipping at Rabaul 1944 - U-91 is sunk in Northern Atlantic, in position 48.12N, 40.56W by destroyers HMS Affleck, Gore and Gould. 36 dead & 16 survivors 1944 - USN Destroyer Division 90 (DesDiv 90) under Commander Edmund B. Taylor, bombards Rabaul on New Britain Island. Destroyer Squadron 12 (DesRon 12) under Captain Rodger W. Simpson, en route to bombard Kavieng on New Ireland Island and its airstrips, shipping, and fortifications, encounters a Japanese army cargo ship. In the ensuing action, destroyers USS Farenholt, Buchanan, Lansdowne, Woodworth & Lardner sink the enemy freighter. Japanese shore batteries subsequently give DesRon 12 a warm reception, damaging USS Buchanan and USS Farenholt 1944 - US Fourteenth Air Force P-40s attack docks, railroad yards and warehouses at Hongay. One large boat is sunk & another damaged. 2 P-40's hit a cargo vessel at Campha Port, leaving it sinking 1944 - In the Pacific, USN submarines sink two fleet tankers, an army cargo ship and a merchant cargo ship 1944 - President Ramirez, of Argentina, resigned and was succeeded by General Edelmiro Farrell 1944 - Destroyer HMCS Columbia rammed a cliff in fog at Motion Bay, Newfoundland due to faulty radar. Repairs to make her seaworthy for towing were carried out in Bay Bulls in May. In Sep 44 she was taken to Liverpool, NS, where she served as an ammunition depot ship. She was paid off on 12 Jun 45 & sold for scrap later the same year 1944 - Lieutenant Jack Eardely Koyl RCNVR, HMC 3rd LCI(L) Flotilla, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 26 February 1944 and London Gazette of 25 January 1944, the citation read: "For gallant and distinguished services and untiring devotion to duty in operations, which led to the capture of Sicily by Allied Forces." He also received a Mention in Despatches on 26 Feb 44. Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 26 February 1944 and London Gazette of 21 December 1943, the citation read: "For good service in the first landing of troops on the mainland of Italy." Jack Koyl was born at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He joined the Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned at a Lt. (Temporary) on 18 Aug 41. He was assigned to the HMC 3rd LCI(L) Flotilla on 21 Jan 44. After his service in Sicily and Italy, Lt. Koyl was assigned to HMCS Prince Robert, a Prince-class anti-aircraft ship on 23 Apr 44. He was demobilized on 20 Oct 45 1944 - Frigate HMCS Montreal departed St John's for EG C-4 in Londonderry 1944 - HMC MTB 460 commissioned 1944 - Submarine HMS Tiptoe launched 1944 - Escort carrier USS Rudyerd Bay commissioned 1944 - Destroyer USS O'Brien commissioned 1944 - Corvette HMS Dumbarton Castle commissioned 1944 - Destroyer HMS Inglefield sunk by glider bomb off Anzio 1944 - At 2055, destroyer HMS Mahratta was hit by a Gnat from U-990 about 280 miles from the North Cape, while escorting the stern sector of Convoy JW-57. The destroyer exploded and sank within minutes. Despite the fact that destroyers HMS Impulsive & Wanderer were quickly on the scene to pick up survivors, only 16 survivors could be recovered from the freezing waters. The commander, ten officers and 209 ratings lost their lives 1944 - U-601 sunk in the Arctic Ocean NW of Narvik, Norway, in position 70.26N, 12.40E, by depth charges from an RAF 210 Sqn Catalina aircraft. 51 dead (all hands lost) 1944 - U-1276 launched 1945 - A mob of more than 1,000 drove out 100 police who had rounded up deserters and military call-up delinquents in Drummondville, Quebec 1945 - Submarine USS Clamagore launched 1945 - Destroyers USS Norris & Goodrich launched 1945 - Destroyer USS Duncan commissioned 1945 - SS Egholm in Convoy FS-1739 was torpedoed & sunk by U-2322 SE of Holy Island. Two crewmembers & three gunners were lost. The master and 20 crewmembers landed in Tyne 1945 - US Task Force 58 attacks targets in the Tokyo area despite bad weather. Nine USN carrier aircraft are lost, along with four pilots, but the raids destroy 150 Japanese aircraft on the ground plus five small ships. Two aircraft factories are also hit. Navy and Marine pilots, flying F6F Hellcats and F4U Corsairs respectively, down 46 Japanese aircraft in the air over the Tokyo area; 46 are destroyed between 0850 and 1040 hours and Marine F4U pilots destroy another seven over Tokyo Bay between 0930 & 1015. Plans for afternoon strikes are canceled at 1215 when the weather deteriorates 1945 - U-1018 depth charged & sunk. 2 crewmembers self escape with Dräger gear during sinking and taken POW 1945 - Escort HIJMS Shonan is sunk south of Hainan Island by submarine USS Hoe 1945 - In the Pacific, two USN destroyers sink three guardboats; USN submarines sink a guardboat, two merchant cargo vessels, and an escort vessel; an RN submarine sinks a cargo vessel; and aircraft sink a merchant cargo ship 1946 - Frigate HMCS Grou paid off Esquimalt BC 1949 - Firefly aircraft from HMCS Magnificent lost at sea 1953 - Destroyer HMCS Crescent paid off to commence Type 15 conversion 1953 - HMCS Algonquin recommissioned after Type 15 conversion 1958 - RCN VF 871 Sqn Banshee a/c #126428 lost in fog east of Jacksonville FL. Pilot lost 1959 - USS Galveston fires first Talos surface-to-air missile 1966 - USS Enterprise port call Subic Bay 1973 - USS Enterprise port call Subic Bay 1974 - USS Oriskany port call Subic Bay 1991 - Naval forces, including USS Wisconsin and Missouri are continuing naval gunfire support and other operations. Missouri alone fires 133 rounds or 125 tons of ordnance on targets. Minesweepers cleared additional fire support areas for the battleships. HMS Gloucester, escorting USS Missouri in Arabian Gulf, destroys an incoming Iraqi Silkworm missile aimed at Missouri with two Sea Dart missiles. A second Silkworm missile was fired but fell in the gulf. USN aircraft destroyed the missile launch site 1991 - At 1735 (EST), Baghdad Radio announced that Iraq's "Foreign Minister informed the Soviet ambassador....which constitutes a practical compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 660n," and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had ordered his troops to make a fighting withdrawal from occupied Kuwait and return to the positions they occupied before the 2 August 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The White House responds, stating there is "no evidence to suggest the Iraqi army is withdrawing. In fact, Iraqi units are continuing to fight.... We continue to prosecute the war. We have heard no reason to change that.... And because the announcement from Baghdad referred to the Soviet initiative, Saddam Hussein must personally and publicly accept explicitly all relevant UN Security Council resolutions" 1991 - Navy implements third "stop loss" action, applying to Navy (Regular and Reserve) cryptologic technician interpreters who are Arabic linguists, and whose effective dates of retirement or separation fall on or after 2 March 1991 2003 - Amphibious ship USS Mesa Verde laid down at Pascagoula 2003 - US Coast Guard welcomed Homeland Security Department Secretary Tom Ridge aboard today as its new chief civilian during a symbolic transfer of leadership 2004 - Tanker Partizansk of the Maritime Steamship Line rescued 19 of 20 crewmembers of MV Asian Noble loaded with coal from Vostochny 2004 - USCGC Vashon decommissioned for modernization 2004 - Flexible command ship HDMS Absalon launched 2005 - Portuguese MoD confirmed that it is to buy five used P-3C Orions from The Netherlands for 81 million Euro (USD 110.6 million). Two aircraft, in the partial P-3C CUP (coastguard) configuration, will be delivered ready for operations but are subject to a modification program expected to start around 2008 at the OGMA facilities at Alverca, Portugal. These two are bought for 27 million Euro (USD 36.9 million) each. The other three aircraft are in the original P-3C-II.5 configuration and are bought for 9 million Euro (USD 12.3 million) each 2005 - The Queen Mary, in collaboration with the City of Long Beach, presents Siyavuka, a three-day celebration of Black History aboard the historic ocean liner, -- Feb. 25, 26 and 27. The word "Siyavuka," which means, "we are waking up," originated from an indigenous South African tribe known as Xhosa (pronounced Ko-sa). Siyavuka, which is sponsored by PacifiCare's African American Health Solutions (AAHS), promises to be a one-of-a-kind wakening experience that will stimulate the mind, heart and soul of the community and surrounding residents of Southern California. A formal affair will kick off the three-day celebration Friday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Queen's Salon of the Queen Mary 2005 - Ministry of Defense awarded the contract to build a brand new warship to VT Group, as production began on another vessel, the third Type 45 Destroyer HMS Diamond, at the Portsmouth shipyard. The £30 million contract for a new Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) will create 100 new jobs and sustain around 400 posts at VT's shipbuilding facility. The new OPV will patrol waters round the Falkland Islands and is being acquired under an innovative charter and logistic support contract. Scheduled to enter service in 2007, the new OPV will be the first warship to be launched at Portsmouth since the frigate HMS Andromeda in 1967. Minister for Defense Procurement, Lord Bach, was at Portsmouth Dockyard today to announce the OPV contract award and officially launch production of HMS Diamond 2005 - Chinese fishing boat sunk after colliding with a South Korean merchant ship off the peninsula's south coast, the Korea Coast Guard said. Two Chinese sailors were rescued by the 5,457-ton Korean ship after it collided with the Chinese vessel but 10 other crewmembers were still missing several hours after the incident, said Son Min-ho, an officer with the Jeju Coast Guard. The collision occurred at 1315 in waters 93 kilometers southeast of the resort island of Jeju in the South Sea, reported local authorities. The Coast Guard and the Navy dispatched eight rescue boats and helicopters to the area to search for the missing Chinese sailors, but had to call off the search two hours later after thick fog and inclement weather, including waves that rose to 3-4 meters. All of the crew from the South Korean commercial vessel were found safe, the Coast Guard said, adding that nine of the 10 missing sailors from the Chinese vessel were reportedly in their bunks at the time of the accident. Officers are questioning both the Korean seamen and the rescued Chinese sailors to piece together the exact cause of the collision. The Chinese vessel from Zhejiang Province left the South Korean port of Busan on Thursday and was sailing for Shanghai 2005 - The Japanese Government issued permission for 16 North Korean cargo ships to call at Japanese ports under a new insurance law that will take effect next Tuesday. Nine vessels are general freighters, and seven refrigerator ships for marine products, government officials said 2005 - MC Shipping announced today the acquisition of two very large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessels from the Bergesen Group of Norway. The vessels, MV Berge Flanders of 75,000 m3 capacity and MV Berge Kobe of 77,000 m3 capacity, which were built in Japan in 1991 and 1987 respectively, were acquired for a total consideration of $83 million. The acquisition is being funded out of current cash holdings and a bank loan from one of the Company's regular financiers. The vessels will be time-chartered to the Bergesen Group for a minimum period of five years. Bergesen are the world's leading operator of very large gas carriers (VLGC's) 2005 - The Coast Guard responded to a report of 35-foot derelict vessel that was slowly sinking in Liberty Bay, near Pearson Point, Wash. After a thorough assessment of the vessel, the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound determined that the condition of the vessel posed a substantial pollution threat to the waters of Puget Sound. Global Diving and Salvage was hired to remove all oil and other hazardous material from the vessel. As a result of the proactive response, 80 gallons of gasoline, three cans of paint and one battery were recovered. The derelict vessel was left in its position after it was determined that it no longer was a pollution threat. The average oil spill in Puget Sound is less than 10 gallons and usually comes from a recreational or fishing vessel 2005 - The Coast Guard, working with local agencies, rescued 19 people who were stranded on an ice floe about a half mile off shore near Crane Creek State Park. The Coast Guard received the report of multiple people stranded on the ice around 11:30 a.m. today. The Coast Guard launched three rescue helicopters from Air Station Detroit, an ice rescue team from Coast Guard Station Marblehead, and a shoreline team from Coast Guard Station Toledo. The ice rescue team pulled 10 people to safety, while local agencies brought nine people to shore 2005 - The first Project 21630 gunboat for the Russian Navy will be laid down at the Almaz Shipyard in St Petersburg. The vessel have a displacement of 500 metric tons was designed in the federal state unitary enterprise Zelenodolskoye Design Bureau. The first Project 21630 gunboat was named Kaspiisk and is designed to protect the 200-mile Russian economic zone in the Caspian Sea. In spring 2003, Almaz won the tender held by the Russian Navy to build Project 21630 type ship named Astrakhan. Astrakhan is to be built by the end of 2005. Kaspiisk is to be put on combat duty in 2007. Both ships will protect Russian borders in the Caspian Sea 2005 - VAdm Harry Ulrich, commander, US 6th Fleet, transferred his flag from USS La Salle to USS Mount Whitney in a ceremony aboard both ships. La Salle sailed for home to decommission 2005 - A French Navy Lynx helicopter became the first aircraft to land onboard FS Mistral at 1010 with an army Cougar landing at 1030 2006 - Armed Forces of the Philippines and US forces with Joint Task Force Balikatan 2006 ended a week-long search and rescue operation at the direction of the governor of Leyte Island in the wake of a massive mudslide that destroyed the village of Guinsaugon Feb. 17 2006 - Coast Guard Cutter Metompkin repatriated 86 Cuban illegal immigrants to Bahia de Cubanas, Cuba today bringing the calendar year total to 469 Cuban migrants repatriated 2006 - Ro/ro/c.c. Tor Flandria (33652 grt, built 1981) struck the Noord Bridge at Terneuzen at 1110 local time. The vessel has sustained damage to the starboard bow 2007 - The state Department of Ecology says up to 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Puget Sound this evening after a Canadian naval vessel took on fuel at Manchester in Kitsap County. Officials say it was quickly cleaned up and there is no apparent environmental damage. The Ecology Department says the spill occurred this evening about two hours after the vessel Protecteur -- a Canadian navy fueling ship -- had taken on 50-thousand barrels of diesel and six-thousand barrels of jet fuel. A containment boom was already in place around the ship, and crewmembers used absorbent materials to capture the fuel in the water. The department says Navy divers examined the hull of the ship and two naval vessels checked outside the boomed area for any oil. No oil was found outside the boom 2007- William R. Anderson, 85, who as a naval officer captured the imagination of the world by sailing the Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine, beneath the North Pole and then served four terms in Congress, died of kidney failure in Leesburg, where he resided 2007 - Nuclear Research Submarine NR-1, towed by Submarine Support Vessel (SSV) Carolyn Chouest, pulled into Galveston to take part in an expedition to survey the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and other sites of interest in the Gulf of Mexico 2008 - Pakistan Navy Commodore Khan Hasham Bin Saddique handed over command of Combined Task Force 150 to French Navy Rear Admiral J L Kerignard during an impressive and colorful change of command ceremony onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Tippu Sultan in Bahrain. The ceremony was attended by high ranking military and civilian officials from different countries. A 5-member delegation from Pakistan led by Vice Admiral Saleem Ahmad Meenai HI (M) also graced the occasion 2008 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Rear Adm. William H. McRaven for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as commander, Joint Special Operations Command/commander, Joint Special Operations Command Forward, US Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. Navy Rear Adm. Michael C. Vitale for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as commander, Navy Installations Command, Washington 2009 - The Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program office (PMA-271) accepts first modified E-6B Mercury from Rockwell Collins and L-3 Integrated Systems at Waco, Texas Copyright 2009 Shirlaw News Group ISSN 1710-6966 Today in History Archives This information is licensed to the recipient only. Images may be subject to copyright. Ask before you right-click. 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