SeaWaves Today in History January 7, 2008 ********************************************************************* January 7 1610 - Astronomer Galileo Galilei sighted four of Jupiter's moons 1800 - 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, was born in Summerhill NY 1813 - Lt. Colonel Bruyeres, of the Royal Engineers, reports his findings on the state of defenses along the St. Lawrence River. This is the main artery for transporting supplies and reinforcements from Lower to Upper Canada, and Bruyeres recommends a thorough strengthening of facilities along the route 1841 - During the Opium War with China, fought to allow British traders to continue illegally importing opium into the Manchu Empire, Major Pratt of the 26th Foot led an amphibious assault on the Chinese forts guarding the Canton estuary at Chuenpi and Tai kok tau. The Royal Navy squadron covering the attack overwhelmed a force of war junks, the commanding junk being sunk by a rocket from HMS Calliope. The victory led to the cession to the British of Hong Kong 11 days later 1877- The French steamer Amerique grounded off Sea Bright, New Jersey. The USLSS crew rescued 189 persons. Three died 1909 - Submarine HMS C31 laid down 1915 - Submarine HMS E36 laid down 1918 - Destroyer USS Crane laid down 1919 - Minesweepers USS Curlew & Osprey commissioned 1919 - Trawlers HMC TR-14, TR-36 & TR-19 paid off & returned to RN 1927 - Commercial transatlantic telephone service inaugurated between New York and London 1932 - Secretary of State Henry Stimson declares in notes to the Chinese and Japanese governments, as well as the Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK, the other signatories of the Nine-Power Treaty of 6 February 1922, that the US will not recognize any situation, treaty, or agreement brought about by means contrary to the Pact of Paris. This doctrine served as an American protest against the Japanese occupation of Manchuria 1937 - With growing tensions between Germany and Poland over the future of the Free State of Danzig, the Polish government attempts to avoid a conflict by negotiating an agreement with the Free State government 1938 - Italian government announces the beginning of a huge naval construction program including battleships. This plan augments the Italian rearmament program introduced in 1937 1938 - Italy announced new naval program including battleships 1938 - Submarine HMS Trident launched 1940 - German freighter SS Konsul Horn escapes from Aruba and, disguised as a Soviet merchantman, manages to deceive USN patrol planes from the Neutrality Patrol and light cruiser HMS Enterprise. The ship reaches Norwegian waters in February 1940 - In the North Sea off the small German island of Heligoland located about 38 nautical miles from the German coast, two British submarines are sunk. At 0940, HMS Undine sights what is thought to be three trawlers about 17 miles southwest of Heligoland. These three ships are actually German auxiliary minesweepers M-1201, M-1204 and M-1207. The submarine unsuccessfully attacks the leading vessel but after approximately five minutes an explosion shakes the sub, blowing her upwards and rendering the hydroplanes useless. The abandon ship order is given, demolition charges are set and the sub sinks; all crewmen are rescued by the Germans. HMS Seahorse sailed from England on 26 December 1939 and was never heard from again. Her operational area was to be initially off Helgoland then move to the mouth of the Elbe River on 30 December and return to base on 9 January. A report by the German 1st M-Flotille states that a submarine was sighted at 1318, the boat dives, is located and depth charges dropped at the location. Submarine noises are picked up on the hydroacustic listening devices, the echolocator indicates a clear echo and more depth charges are dropped. Fog prevents any sort of visual contact with possible debris being established. The fact that the report mentions a visual contact and that no boat returning from patrol reports this attack leaves only Seahorse as the target of the attack. The lack of evidence of a "kill" may just be attributed to the attack causing sufficient damage to prevent the boat from resurfacing but not wrecking the hull to the point of causing any parts thereof to surface 1940 - General Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko takes command of all Soviet forces engaged in the war with Finland 1940 - US passenger liner SS Manhattan, detained at Gibraltar by British authorities yesterday, is released 1940 - British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) begins broadcasting the BBC Forces Program 1940 - HMS Undine was on her fourth war patrol when her asdic failed due to a leak. At 0940, Undine sighted what was thought to be three trawlers 20 miles west of Heligoland; but were in fact German minesweepers. Undine unsuccessfully attacked the leading vessel; minutes later there was a large explosion followed by others as the minesweepers opened fire. Undine was at 50 feet and proceeding blind due to the loss of asdic. After 5 minutes of no further attacks Undine raised her periscope as she did so an explosion shook the submarine, blowing her upwards and rendering the hydroplanes useless. Without the use of the hydroplanes escape would have been impossible and the order to abandon ship was give. Whilst the crew entered the water, to be picked up by the minesweepers, demolition charges were set and the submarine scuttled 1940 - U-32 laid 8 mines off the Firth of Clyde without result 1941 - Italian submarine R. Smg. Nani attacks a convoy west of North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland and is sunk by corvette HMS Anemone off the Faeroe Islands 1941 - A special Committee of the Cabinet War Committee recommends that Japanese-Canadians not be allowed to volunteer for the armed services on the grounds that there is strong public opinion against them 1941 - Adolf Hitler places Luftwaffe I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 40 (I./KG 40 or 1st Group, 40th Bomber Wing), with its Fw 200C Kondors based at Merignac Airfield, Bordeaux, directly under the command of Vice Admiral Karl Doenitz, commander of submarines 1941 - Winston Churchill requests that General Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command, think twice before asking for more convoys of supplies as they are affecting the flow of supply to the British people: "Rations of heavy munitions workers are being cut down to levels of which British armies except in actual operations have never dreamed. Severe stringency in human rations and the slaughter of cattle through lack of feedstuffs lie before us. The voyage round the Cape imposes an almost prohibitive burden" 1941 - Corvette HMCS Prescott launched Kingston ON 1941 - Corvette HMCS The Pas laid down Collingwood ON 1941 - Italian submarine Nani attacks a convoy west of North Channel and is sunk by corvette HMS Anemone off the Faeroe Islands 1941 - Italian torpedo boat Clio sinks Free French submarine Narval off the coast of Tobruk, Libya 1942 - U-532 laid down 1942 - U-97 had to abort patrol in the Mediterranean because a crewmember was seriously ill 1942 - Corvette HMCS Battleford arrived Halifax NS 1942 - Trawler HMS Liscomb laid down Kingston ON 1942 - Submarine USS Pollack, on her first patrol, fires two torpedoes in a daylight periscope attack in position 34-27N 139-59E. One hits and sinks SS Unkai Maru #1 south of Mikomoto Island 1942 - Office of Production Management (OPM) is established within the Office for Emergency Management (OEM) by Executive Order to: "Formulate and execute in the public interest all measures needful and appropriate in order to (1) increase, accelerate, and regulate the production and supply of materials, articles and equipment and the provision of emergency plant facilities and services required for the national defense, and (2) to insure effective coordination of those activities of the several departments, corporations, and other agencies of the Government which are directly concerned therewith." The Council for this new organization is comprised of industrialist William S. Knudsen, labor leader Sidney Hillman, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson 1942 - During the night of 7/8 January, 62 of the 68 RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons dispatched attack German warships at Brest; and 25 of 27 aircraft dispatched attack the port area at St. Nazaire 1942 - A convoy arrives safely at Benghazi but because of rough seas, this port is not put into full operation 1942 - General Archibald Lord Wavell, who has been named Commander in Chief American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, arrives at Singapore to find out why the British are losing. He gets an earful. Brigadier Ivan Simson, the chief engineer, shows Wavell Singapore Island's north side, which is undefended. No defense works are being built, or even planned. Wavell, furious, asks Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya, why this is so; Percival replies that defenses would be bad for morale. Wavell says that the impact would be greater when retreating troops begin crossing the causeway from the mainland and orders Percival to build defenses. Percival doesn't 1942 - The siege of Bataan begins as US and Philippine forces complete their withdrawal from the Layac Lin 1942 - USN's authorized aircraft strength is increased from 15,000 to 27,500 1943 - U-470, U-957 commissioned 1943 - U-238 launched 1943 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Horatio torpedoed & sunk by German MTB S-58 in the western Mediterranean 1943 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Jura torpedoed & sunk by U-371 in the western Mediterranean off Algiers. SS Ville de Strasbourg damaged by U-371 in same action 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Amick laid down 1943 - Frigate HMS Derg launched 1943 - Destroyer HMS Teazer launched 1943 - Destroyer HMS Quail commissioned 1943 - Japanese supplies and reinforcements are landed at Lae, New Guinea under Allied air attacks 1943 - Six USAAF Sixth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and 12 P-38 Lightnings dispatched to Kiska Island turn back due to cloud cover. Six B-24 Liberators circle over Kiska for two hours until four can bomb the submarine base 1943 - A USAAF Ninth Air Force B-24 Liberator on a special mission bombs Maiouli Quay at Piraeus 1943 - The Americans take exclusive jurisdiction over port of Khorramshahr, Iraq where the first US troops arrived in December 1942 1943 - Twenty five USAAF Ninth Air Force B-24 Liberators are dispatched to hit the shipping in Palermo. Weather reduces the force and only ten bomb the target through broken clouds 1943 - The 7,152 ton British passenger/cargo ship SS Benalbanach is sunk about 150 nautical miles northwest of Algiers when a single German aircraft attacked the convoy she was part of. She is carrying 389 men of a motor transport unit and a crew of 74 and is en route from the UK to Bone, Algeria. Benalbanach is hit by two torpedoes launched from the aircraft. The ship catches fire, blows up and sinks almost immediately taking the lives of 57 crewmembers and 353 service personnel. Her captain, dies in the water just as he is about to be rescued 1943 - Two British minesweeping trawlers are sunk in the western Mediterranean: HMS Jura is torpedoed and sunk by U-371 about 38 nautical miles east-northeast of Algiers, Algeria, in position 36.58N, 03.48E. HMS Horatio is torpedoed and sunk by the German motor torpedo boat S-58 1943 - In the Solomon Sea off Finschhafen, the Japanese convoy bound for Lae, Northeast New Guinea, from New Britain is again attacked by USAAF Fifth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells and B-26 Marauders, supported by P-38 Lightnings and P-40s, and RAAF or RNZAF Hudsons and RAAF (PBY) Catalinas. During these attacks, an RAAF Catalina sinks an army cargo ship off Lae, and an army cargo ship is forced aground south of Arawe, Northeast New Guinea 1943 - In preparation for the offensive on 10 January, the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, leaves the Lunga perimeter for Mt Austen. The 147th Infantry Regiment Task Force, embarks at Kukum in two landing craft tanks (LCTs) for Beaufort Bay to block the trail leading north toward Kokumbona. About 50,000 Allied air, ground and naval forces are now in the Guadalcanal area 1943 - USAAF B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb Bougainville Island; they are met by twelve Zeke fighters (Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters); two are shot down without any US losses. B-26 Marauders with P-39 Airacobras escort attack Rekata Bay on Santa Isabel Island; two US aircraft are lost 1943 - Development of the first USN aircraft to be equipped with a turbojet engine is initiated with the issuance of a Letter of Intent to McDonnell Aircraft Corporation for engineering, development, and tooling for two fighter aircraft. Two Westinghouse 19-B turbojet engines are later specified and the aircraft is designated XFD-1. It became the prototype for the FH-1 Phantom jet fighter. The XFD-1 makes its first flight on 26 January 1946 1944 - U-107 was attacked four times (at 0008hrs, 0040hrs, 0104hrs, and 0120hrs) by Liberator aircraft, and replied each time with AA guns. The boat suffered no damage 1944 - U-1234 launched 1944 - U-368 commissioned 1944 - U-343 shot down RAF 36 Sqn Wellington. The boat survived a swamp operation, shooting down one of its attackers 1944 - Late in the afternoon, frigate HMS Tweed, part of Escort Group 5, is hit by a T5 (Gnat) electric torpedo fired by U-305. The ship sinks within two minutes about 552 nautical miles west-southwest of Galway, Ireland in position 44.18N, 21.19W. There are 52 survivors 1944 - About 150 USMC and USN SBD Dauntlesses and TBF Avengers, escorted by 72 fighters, attack targets on the Cape Saint George area, New Ireland Island 1944 - Admiral Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Commander Southeast Asia Command, drops plans for Operation CUDGEL, small-scale operation in the Arakan coastal sector of Burma 1944 - Four USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and six P-40s sink two large boats on the Yangtze River south of Hukow and sink a large powerboat, a barge, and a small ore craft at Shihhweiyao; 11 P-38 Lightnings claim between 30 and 40 sampans destroyed along the river from Hankow to Chiuchiang; and two B-25s on a sea sweep claim a 300-foot passenger vessel sunk south of Hong Kong 1944 - 21 USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses, with P-38 Lightning escort, bomb a torpedo plant at Fiume 1944 - In Northeast New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, P-39 Airacobras, and P-47 Thunderbolts attack the Alexishafen-Madang area strafe huts and barges near Sidor 1944 - While in the tow of submarine HMS Syrtis, miniature submarine X-22 is run down by her and sunk when Syrtis reverses course to search for a man washed overboard. The sinking occurs in Pentland Firth, Scotland. All three of the crew of X-22 are lost 1944 - Eight USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the port area at Split 1944 - HMC MTB 727 commissioned 1944 - Frigate HMCS Waskesiu was narrowly missed by a torpedo, which carried on to strike & sink sistership HMS Tweed. Both were part of Escort Group 6, which had been carrying out 'offensive ASW sweeps' in the Bay of Biscay. The attack was conducted by U-305, Kptlt Rudolf Bahr, CO. U-305 a medium range VIIC U-boat built by Flender-Werke, at Lübeck. Commissioned 17 Sep 42. U-305 conducted 4 patrols compiling a record of 4 ships sunk for a total of 15,605 tons. Among those ships sunk by U-305 was HMCS St Croix on 20 Sep 43. U-305 was sunk on 17 Jan 44 in the North Atlantic, SW of Ireland, in position 49.39N, 020.10W, by depth charges from HMS Wanderer & Glenarm. All 51 crewmen from U-305 were lost. Rudolf Bahr was born in 1916, at Landsberg. He joined the navy in 1935. His first operational duty was as Watch Officer in the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen from Aug 40 to Jun 41, which included Operation Rheinübung & the sinkings of Hood & Bismarck. He transferred to the U-boat force in Jul 41 & completed his conversion training in Oct. He served until Jun 42 as the First Watch Officer in the 'top boat' U-69, Kptlt. Wilhelm Zahn, CO, when he was selected for command. He underwent his U-boat Commander's Course from Jul to Sep 42. OLtzS Bahr was appointed to command U-305 on 17 Sep, at the age of 26. He was promoted to Kptlt. on 01 Oct 42. Rudolf Bahr was lost when U-305 was sunk 1944 - Frigate HMCS Royalmount laid down 1944 - Frigate USS Gladwyne launched 1944 - Frigate HMS Taff commissioned 1944 - Destroyer escort USS Kephart commissioned 1944 - Submarine USS Perch commissioned 1944 - Submarine USS Kingfish, on her sixth patrol, is patrolling the waters off Palawan. At position 9-27N 117-36E, she attacks on the surface at night using her radar. Of the four torpedoes fired, two fish hit the vessel and sink tanker Fushimi Maru #3 1944 - While under tow by submarine HMS Syrtis, miniature submarine X-22 is run down by her and sunk when Syrtis reverses course to search for a man washed overboard. All 3 of the crew of X-22 are lost. Location - Pentland Firth, Scotland 1945 - Minesweeping destroyer USS Palmer sunk by Japanese aircraft in Lingayen Gulf 1945 - U-3018 commissioned 1945 - The following UP report was released to the newswires - A German communiqué asserted today that U-boats had sunk an 11,000-ton vessel used as a troop transport off Cherbourg, one of the main Allied supply ports in France, and that they had sent nine other vessels, including five warships, to the bottom in attacks on Allied shipping since January 1. There was no Allied confirmation of these claims. The troop transport in question was the SS Leopoldville 1945 - Corvette HMCS Thorlock departed Halifax for work ups Bermuda 1945 - Corvette HMCS Trail departed work ups Bermuda for Boston 1945 - In the Baltic Sea, Soviet submarine S-4 is most likely rammed and sunk by the German torpedo boat T 3 or T 33 about 38 nautical miles north of Danzig, Poland, in position 54.59N, 18.33E 1945 - Five USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Ft Bayard and attack shipping in Samah Bay on Hainan Island, sinking a stores ship 1945 - In the South China Sea at about 2230, destroyers USS Charles Ausburne, Braine, Russell and Shaw open fire with their guns and sink destroyer HIJMS Hinoki, about 86 nautical miles west of Manila 1945 - Underwater demolition teams begin a search for underwater obstacles in Lingayen Gulf as preinvasion aerial and naval bombardment of Luzon continues 1945 - The light cruiser USS Dayton is commissioned. The USN now has 42 light cruisers in commission1945 - Submarine USS Picuda, on her fifth patrol, prowling east of Formosa, fires four torpedoes at tanker Munakata Maru in a daylight periscope attack in position 25-38N 121-08E. Two torpedoes strike home. Japanese sources claim heavy damage to the tanker. The postwar Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee corroborates Japanese sources, which claim the vessel was sunk at Keelung on 21 January 1945 by aircraft. However, USS Barb, sailing with Picuda, claims in her patrol report that the ship was seen to blow up at the time of the attack 1946 - Minesweeper HMCS New Liskeard recommissioned for research duties 1947 - Icebreaker Northwind successfully completed first major rescue mission involving a submarine. Sennet and supply ships Yancey and Merrick were stuck in ice flow at Antarctic Circle 1953 - President Truman announced in his State of the Union address that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb 1960 - Launch of first fully-guided flight of Polaris missile at Cape Canaveral (flew 900 miles) 1965 - USS Yorktown port call Buckner Bay 1965 - USS Ranger port call Subic Bay 1967 - Mobile Riverine Force begins arriving at Vung Tau, Vietnam 1968 - USS Enterprise port call Pearl Harbor 1972 - USS Hancock commenced Vietnam deployment 1989 - Japanese Emperor Hirohito died at age 87 1991 - In Operation Sharp Edge, USMC Fleet Antiterrorist Security Team (FAST) relieves Marine Amphibious Readiness Group at US Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia providing security 1994 - The barge Morris J. Berman, carrying a cargo of 750,000 gallons of oil, struck a reef off Puerto Rico. Coast Guard units including the National Strike Force responded 1995 - Submarine HMS Victorious completed 2003 - Destroyer USS Kinkaid decommissioned at San Diego 2004 - Taiwan Ministry of the Interior announced the establishment of the nation's first ocean national park around Dongsha Island 2004 - Frigate RSS Formidable launched in France. First of a class of six; next five built in Singapore 2005 - The Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service in Seattle was contacted by the pilot of the Zeus II at 2030 who reported the vessel had lost steering and propulsion near Edmonds. Vessel Traffic Service monitored the rate of drift and closest point of land for the pilot as he handled the emergency. The pilot of the vessel contacted Foss Tug, which dispatched two tugboats from Shilshole Bay, Wash. The David Foss arrived at the Zeus II at 2106 and took the vessel in tow. Crewmembers aboard the Zeus II evaluated the situation and discovered a clogged valve in the engine. The vessel was able to restart the engines and get underway under its own power 2005 - BNS Belgica drydocked at Antwerp 2005 - Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. (HHI) launched its first ship built using a new "On-ground Build" method. According to the company, the crude oil carrier, ordered by Novoship of Russia and christened the NS Challenger, was the first vessel constructed by HHI's homegrown "On-ground Build" method. The Challenger, with a length of 244 meters and beam of 42 meters, will go into service plying Asian and South American routes with a maximum speed of 14.6 knots 2005 - A North Korean ferry that has been under increased Japanese scrutiny has called off its port call planned for this month in Niigata due to a problem related to obtaining insurance. The port call was canceled because it is taking the owner of the Mangyongbong-92 time to take out internationally credible indemnity insurance, as required by the Niigata prefectural government 2005 - With the help and cooperation from many parties, MV Global Challenger, was pulled free and re-floated at 1015 this morning in the Columbia River. No fuel was released into the river 2005 - Two RNLN P-3C Orions arrived home, returning from the last operational deployment to Hato AB, Curacao (Dutch Antilles). Due to the very strong wind they unfortunately did not arrive in formation but landed shortly after each other on Valkenburg's runway 23. While P-3C #300 was landing, #307 flew overhead crossing the air station. After landing #300 waited for #307 and they taxied to their parking spot together. RNLNAS Valkenburg's fire brigade gave both aircraft the traditional "shower". The Farewell flight brought the two Orions from Hato to NAS Key West (Florida), NAS Brunswick (Maine), CFB Greenwood (Canada) and RAF St. Athan (Wales, UK). Due to weather conditions a planned formation fly past over Pembroke Dock could not take place 2005 - US Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced the resignation of Captain William G. Schubert, Maritime Administrator of the Department’s Maritime Administration 2006 - Media invited to observe salvage operations to raise the capsized fishing vessel Hail Mary II from Shinnecock Inlet, Long Island NY at Soleau Marina off Dune Road in Shinnecock. The vessel capsized in heavy seas shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday while returning to port with 30,000 pounds of fish and 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The fuel remains contained and very little sheening has been reported. It remains 95-percent submerged about 50 feet from Shinnecock Inlet's western jetty 2006 - A suspected rebel attack sank a naval patrol boat off Sri Lanka's eastern coast, killing 13 sailors. If confirmed, the explosion would be the first suicide attack by the Tamil Tigers since the country's ceasefire was announced in 2002. The incident took place off the northeastern port city of Trincomalee; five days after five students were killed by the Sri Lankan military. Only two sailors survived the explosion, which happened shortly after midnight. The pair were found clinging to wreckage 2006 - A woman in her early 20s has died after a horrific shark attack off North Stradbroke Island, east of Brisbane. The woman lost both arms and suffered severe wounds to her torso and legs in the savage attack at Amity Point about 1700. A rescue helicopter rushed her to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital but surgeons could not save her 2006 - A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew rescued four people aboard a liferaft after their vessel began taking on water approximately seven miles north of Provincetown MA at 0730. The crewmembers of the 38-foot, Scituate-based, vessel were hoisted into the helicopter and transported to Air Station Cape Cod. They were medically evaluated. No injuries were sustained. The Kathy Elizabeth crewmembers including names, ages, and hometowns are Philip Lynch, 35, Scituate Brendan Duffey, 36, Scituate McLean Vuilleumier, 23, Scituate Stephen Kenney, 30, Scituate The crewmembers quickly reacted to the sinking vessel by making a distress call to the Coast Guard, donning survival suits and abandoning ship into a liferaft. All three factors greatly contributed to a successful rescue. They were in the liferaft no more than 15 minutes before the Coast Guard rescue arrived on scene. The Kathy Elizabeth has sunk. No pollution or navigational hazards have been reported. The cause of the incident is under investigation 2006 - USCG Station Fort Myers Beach introduced the newly formed Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 9-1 in a Chartering Ceremony held at 1000 at the station. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach is the busiest station in Sector St. Petersburg’s area of responsibility and is the most southern station in the Sector - located just inside Mantanzas Pass at Fort Myers Beach. Flotilla 9-1 will directly augment the station. Known as “America’s Volunteer Lifesavers”, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was established by Congress in 1939 to assist the Coast Guard in promoting boating safety. It boasts more than 35,000 members from all walks of life who receive specialized training. Operational Auxiliarist also must pass background checks so that they may be a functional part of Coast Guard forces. Auxiliarists assist the Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs such as public education, vessel safety checks, safety patrols, search and rescue, maritime security and environmental protection and Coast Guard Academy introduction programs for youth. Auxiliarists volunteer more than two million hours annually to benefit other boaters and their families. Since September 11, 2001, the mission of the Auxiliary is expanding to include missions of port safety and security and maritime domain awareness 2006 - The number of fishermen who were stranded on ice floes in the north of the Caspian Sea but have been rescued in an operation begun two days ago rose to 50 as 25 more were saved, a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman told Interfax. Authorities were contacting the families of people who had gone fishing into the Caspian recently in a bid to make a list of those who might remain trapped. Earlier a Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry helicopter made a three-hour flight over an area indicated by Russian authorities. However, it found no fishermen there Serikali Kubenov, a senior official in the emergency situations service of the Kazakh region of Atyrau, told Interfax. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said a Kazakh icebreaker was heading for the area to look for the fishermen 2006 - The Coast Guard and Lee County Sheriff's Office suspended their search for Michael Sanfilippo in Matanzas Pass at 1620. Sanfilippo and his friends Tracy Jones and Linda Burkard capsized on a dinghy around 0200 while enroute to Sanfilippo's 28-foot sailing vessel Andiamo in calm but cold conditions. A good Samaritan rescued Jones and Burkard at 0300. After receiving the report, the Coast Guard launched two rescue boats from Station Ft. Myers Beach and a Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater. Lee County Sheriff's Office also sent a helicopter, a rescue boat and a dive team to aid in the search. Jones and Burkard are in good condition and were not in need of medical treatment. They as well as Sanfilippo are Ft. Myers Beach residents 2006 - The US Navy turned over a sailor to Japanese police, who arrested him on robbery and murder charges in a case that could trigger more opposition to the US. military presence in Japan. William Oliver Reese, 21, is accused of beating and robbing 56-year-old Yoshie Sato of about $129 on a Yokosuka street on January 3, a Kanagawa Prefectural (state) Police official said on condition of anonymity, citing police protocol. Sato died of her injuries 2006 - A Naval Academy professor who allegedly made sexually offensive remarks to midshipmen has been charged with conduct unbecoming an officer and other offenses. An attorney for Lt. Bryan Black, who teaches oceanography at the academy in Annapolis, said the charges are baseless and that the language his client used was mild in a military setting. According to court documents, Black used "crude, sexual terms" to refer to his ex-wife in at least two conversations with midshipmen. He's also accused of using sexually offensive language to describe his admiration for battleships in a conversation with several midshipmen, at least one of them female. Both incidents occurred in August 2006 - Police believe as many as three bull sharks were responsible for a fatal attack on a Brisbane woman, with at least one shark chasing rescuers as they dragged her mauled body to the shore. Witnesses said the shark continued to savage Sarah Kate Whiley, 21, after she lost both arms in the vicious attack just 20m offshore at a beach on North Stradbroke Island. She is the first person killed by a shark attack at a protected beach in the 44-year history of Queensland's controversial Shark Safety Program. According to police, witnesses thought Ms Whiley was joking when the attack began and she started yelling "shark". She was pronounced dead shortly after being airlifted to Brisbane's Princess Alexander Hospital. Ms Whiley lost both arms below the elbow, was mauled around the torso and also sustained major wounds to one of her legs. Ms Whiley, from the Brisbane suburb of McDowall, went to the Rainbow Channel beach at dusk with eight friends from a church group, which was renting a nearby holiday house. A witness to the attack said the victim was about 20m from shore in chest-deep water, 5m out from a cluster of three or four friends 2006 - Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 4's "Black Stallions" began their relocation from Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella to their new homeport of Norfolk. Four of the squadron's five MH-53E Sea Stallion heavy lift helicopters lifted off for a seven-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), before joining the remaining aircraft and crew in Norfolk. The move is part of the Navy's ongoing transformation, which will ensure increased efficiency in the use of its forces 2007 - The body of Maksum (36), one of the missing passengers of MV Senopati Nusantara which sank last Dec 30, was found on Saturday (Jan 6, 2007) in waters off Sumenep, Madura, East Java 2007 - Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta came under militant attack at Soku in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State while on a routine patrol and abducted two naval personnel 2007 - Russian Foreign Ministry made public the names of Russian amateur scuba divers who went missing in the Red Sea 06 Jan. According to preliminary information obtained by the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Egypt, these are Yelena Sundukova (born in 1981) and Dmitry Kapitonov (born in 1979) 2007 - The 13 month Submariner Course reached its completion in a festive ceremony held at the presence of Navy Commander, Major General David Ben-Ba'ashat. During the ceremony, the soldiers of the 90th graduating class received the Navy Seaman rank and the submariner pin. In his speech, Navy Commander, Major General Ben-Ba'ashat, stressed that the submariner's course is one of the most prestigious, important, and difficult courses in the IDF 2008 - HMCS Protecteur deployed for a two month task as the mid-Pacific tanker responsible for replenishment at sea (RAS) to Canadian and Allied warships. This is the second time in 10 years Protecteur has provided this service in the mid-Pacific ============================================================= Sources: Colton Shipping Report, NOAA, MARAD, Marine Digest, Leo Pettipas, Kommersant, Samuel Loring Morison, Frank Pierce Young, Navy Times, Naval Institute Proceedings, www.uboat.net, Andrew Etherington, John Nicholas, US Naval Historical Center, Ministry of Defense, US Coast Guard, Thomas N. Carlson, Jack Arrowsmith, Allan Snowie, Ken Hansen, Andy Barber, John Weiss, Jack McKillop, Bernard de Neumann, Sympatico Today in History, Washington History Link, Lloyds List, Fairplay, New York Times, I-Newswire and other news sources in the public domain. Additions, submissions and corrections are always welcomed. ============================================================= Today in History Archives at: http://www.seawaves.com/newsletters/today_in_history_archive.htm Copyright 2007 Shirlaw News Group ISSN 1710-6966 Photos courtesy of US Naval Historical Center, US Coast Guard Historical Center, Wikipedia Encyclopedia or Naval Museum of Manitoba unless otherwise noted. Images may be subject to copyright. Ask before you right-click.