SeaWaves Today in History March 15, 2009 44 BC - Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius 1493 - Columbus returns to Spain following his first voyage to the New World 1778 - Capt Cook discovers Nootka Sound 1820 - Maine became the 23rd state 1824 - Work on John Rennie's London Bridge begins 1865 - In largest amphibious operation of US Civil War, Union forces capture Ft. Fisher, NC 1889 - Six German and US warships founder at Apia, Samoa 1910 - Submarine HMS D3 laid down 1916 - Submarine HMS V4 completed 1917 - Destroyer HMS Vimy laid down 1917 - Submarine HMS H26 launched 1917 - Emperor Nicholas I abdicates in Russia 1918 - Destroyers HMS Whirlwind & Winchelsea commissioned 1928 - Destroyer FS La Railleuse commissioned 1930 - Submarine USS Nautilus launched 1933 - Destroyers HMS Encounter & Electra laid down 1934 - Submarine HMS Clyde launched 1934 - Destroyers FS L'Audacieux & La Fantasque launched 1935 - Destroyer USS MacDonough commissioned 1936 - U-32 laid down 1937 - U-37 laid down 1937 - Minesweeper HNLMS Jan van Amstel commissioned 1938 - Submarines USS Salmon & Stingray commissioned 1938 - Submarine HMS Sturgeon launched 1939 - Destroyer HMS Bedouin commissioned 1940 - ASW trawler HMS Peridot mined & sunk in English Channel off Dover 1940 - Submarines HMS Trusty & Turbulent laid down 1941 - U-82, U-433, U-434 launched 1941 - U-371 commissioned 1941 - U-168, U-181, U-210 laid down 1941 - Minesweeper HMS Sidmouth launched 1941 - ASW trawler HMS Quadrille launched 1941 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Rysa launched 1941 - Minesweepers HMS Alarm & Algerine laid down 1941 - Submarine HMS Umbra launched 1941 - Corvette HMS Bryony launched 1941 - Tug HMCS Hodgeville assigned to St John's 1941 - Winston Churchill to the Admiralty controller - Give me a report on the progress of the ships to carry and disgorge tanks. How many are there? What is their tonnage? How many tanks can they take in a flight? When will each one be ready? Where are they being built? What marks of tank can they carry? 1941 - German ships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau sink or capture 16 unescorted ships in the Newfoundland area over the course of March 15 and 16 1942 - U-503 sunk in the North Atlantic SE of Newfoundland, in position 45.50N, 48.50W, by depth charges from a USN VP-82 Hudson. 51 dead (all hands lost) 1942 - At 0722 the unescorted & unarmed Ario was 11 miles SW of the Cape Lookout Buoy and had to change her course, because a small vessel crossed the port bow. So the tanker was not steering a zigzag course, when a torpedo struck her three minutes later from U-158 on the starboard side at #9 tank. The radio operator sent a distress signal and received an answer. The master ordered the ship abandoned, but before any of the boats could be launched the U-boat opened fire at the vessel. For 30 minutes the ship was shelled with 40 rounds, while the crew of eight officers and 26 crewmen cleared the ship. The #3 boat containing 12 men was struck by a shell before it reached the water, killing five men, while two others were picked up by another lifeboat but died of injuries and one man died later in hospital. U-158 closed in to view the vessel and almost collided with a lifeboat before leaving the area. Later the master, the chief mate, the second mate, the chief engineer and an able seaman reboarded the Ario to check for possible salvage, but the vessel was in sinking condition. After seven hours the survivors were picked up by destroyer USS Du Pont & landed at Charleston. One officer and seven men died in the attack. Ario was still afloat when last seen at 18.30 hours on 15 March. She finally sank in shallow water about 10 miles east of Cape Lookout in 34°14N/76°27W 1942 - At 0604, the unescorted Olean was hit by one torpedo from U-158 about 15 miles south of Cape Lookout. The torpedo struck the port quarter in the machinery space, causing the vessel to veer out of control. The gun crew spotted the U-boat but could not depress the gun enough to fire. The eight officers, 30 crewmen and four armed guards began abandon ship, but the first lifeboat capsized because the ship had still headway. These men transferred to another boat, which was destroyed when a coup de grâce hit on the starboard side in the engine room at 06.18 hours, killing one officer and five crewmen. The survivors escaped in one boat or swam to three rafts. The Cape Lookout and Fort Macon Lifeboat Stations each sent a motor lifeboat, which arrived nine hours after the attack, picked up the survivors and landed them at Morehead City, North Carolina. Olean was later towed to Hampton Roads and dry-docked. First she was declared a total loss, but on 13 June requisitioned by the US War Shipping Administration (WSA), reconstructed as Sweep and returned to service. On 12 Jul, 1944, the Sweep was acquired on a bare-boat basis by the US Navy as mobile floating storage tanker USS Silver Cloud (IX 143) at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. The tanker was stationed in the Marshall Islands until 17 August when she sailed for Manus Island, Admiralty Islands. On 28 August, Silver Cloud dropped anchor in Seeadler Harbor and fueled almost 200 ships before leaving on 28 December for San Pedro Bay, Leyte via Hollandia, New Guinea. On 15 Jan 1945, she arrived at Leyte and remained in the Philippine Islands until 30 December when she sailed via Panama for New Orleans for disposal, arriving on 10 Mar 1946. The next day the tanker sailed for Mobile, arriving one day later, where she was decommissioned and delivered to the US War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 29 March. Struck from the US Navy list on 17 Apr 1946 & sold to Pinto Island Metals Co on 21 Jan 1947 1942 - The lighthouse tender USCGC Acacia was shelled and sunk by U-161 south of Haiti. This was the only Lighthouse Service vessel lost during the war. Built as minefield tender General John P. Story; 14 Apr 1927 acquired by the Lighthouse Service of the US Coast Guard, rebuilt as lighthouse tender & renamed Acacia 1942 - Destroyer HMS Vortigen lost 1942 - Corvette USS Restless commissioned 1942 - Corvette HMCS Moose Jaw arrived Saint John NB for repairs 1942 - Submarine HMS P-512 assigned to ASW training Pictou & Halifax NS 1942 - Submarine HMS P-514 assigned to ASW training Halifax NS 1942 - Canadian bulk carrier SS Sarniadoc (1,940 GRT) torpedoed & sunk in the Caribbean Sea in position 15.45N, 065.00 W, by U-161, Kptlt Albrecht Achilles, Knights Cross, CO. There were no survivors. U-161 was a long-range Type IXC U-submarine built by Seebeck Yard, at Bremen. She was commissioned on 08 Jul 41. U-161 completed 6 patrols and compiled a record of 14 ships sunk for a total of 64,542 tons & a further 6 ships damaged for another 41,122 tons. Her first CO was Kptlt. Hans-Ludwig Witt, Knights Cross, one of Germany's best U-boat commanders. U-161 was sunk 27 Sep 43 in the South Atlantic near Bahia, in position 12.30S, 035.35W, by depth charges from a USN VP-74 Mariner. There were no survivors from U-161's crew of 53 men. U-161 was a 'Top Boat' & her loss was both a serious one for the U-boat force & a sign of the increasing allied air cover in nearly all theatres of operation. Albrecht Achilles was born in 1914, in Karlsruhe. He began his naval career in April 1934 & served on the school ship Schleswig-Holstein & on the battlecruiser Gneisenau before he transferred to the U-boat force in Apr 40. He made three patrols as the First Weapons Officer in U-66 under the 'ace' KKpt. Richard Zapp. He left the boat in November 1941 & in Jan 42 took command of the Type IXC boat U-161. He operated mostly in the Caribbean, but also in Brazilian & African waters. In Mar 42 he sank USCG Acacia & in Oct of that year damaged light cruiser HMS Phoebe (5,450 tons). In all, he conducted 6 patrols & compiled a record of 14 ships sunk for a total of 64,542 tons & 6 ships damaged for a further 41,122 tons, ranking him as the 71st highest U-boat 'ace' of the war. He was awarded the Knights Cross on 16 Jan 43 (144th in the Kreigsmarine & 76th in the U-boat force). Albrecht Achilles died when U-161 was sunk with all hands in Sep 43 1942 - USCGC Acacia was shelled and sunk by U-161 in the Caribbean. 1942 - U-503 (Type IXC) is sunk in the North Atlantic SE of Newfoundland, position 45.50N, 48.50W, by depth charges from a US Hudson aircraft (Sqn VP-82). 51 dead (all hands lost). The Hudson PBO-1 aircraft was from a US Navy patrol squadron (VP-82) that was flying support for convoy ON.72. The Hudson PBO-1 was one of 20 Lend-Lease Hudson IIIA's used by the USN to equip one squadron. These aircraft sank the first 2 U-boats sunk by the USN, U-656 on 1 March 1942 and U-503 on 15 March 1943 - Submarine HMS Muskallonge commissioned 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Andres commissioned 1943 - Destroyer USS McCook commissioned 1943 - Frigate HMS Essington laid down 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Kirkpatrick laid down 1943 - Aircraft carriers USS Antietam & Lake Champlain laid down 1943 - Submarines USS Picuda & Pampanito laid down 1943 - Escort carrier USS Shamrock Bay laid down 1943 - Three Japanese destroyers sink submarine USS Triton 1943 - ASW trawler HMS Bombardier commissioned 1943 - U-1230 laid down 1943 - SS Wyoming sunk by U-524 40.18N, 28.56W 1943 - At 1845, Ocean Seaman in Convoy ET-14 was torpedoed and badly damaged by U-380 about 60 miles west of Algiers. The ship was taken in tow by destroyer USS Paul Jones & beached the next day near Algiers, where she was declared a total loss. The master, 48 crewmembers and ten gunners were picked up by minesweeper HM MMS-133 and the British SS Eildon & landed at Gibraltar & Oran 1943 - Castle-class corvettes ordered from Canadian yards (all later cancelled) - HMS Bodiam Castle, Bolton Castle, Bramber Castle, Bridgenorth Castle, Brough Castle, Chepstow Castle, Clare Castle, Clavering Castle, Clitheroe Castle, Dhyfe Castle, Cornet Castle, Cowes Castle, Cowling Castle, Cromer Castle, Dunster Castle, Canterbury Castle, Christchurch Castle, Colchester Castle, Clun Castle, Aydon Castle, Barnell Castle, Beeston Castle, Bowes Castle, Divizes Castle, Egremont Castle, Criccieth Castle, Fotheringay Castle, Helmsley Castle, Malling Castle, Malmesbury Castle, Raby Castle, Trematon Castle, Tutbury Castle 1943 - Algerine-class minesweepers ordered in Canada - HMS Jaseur, Laertes, Maened, Magicienne, Mameluke, Mandate, Marvel, Michael, Minstrel, Myrmidon, Mystic, Nerissa, Niger (cancelled), Nicator (cancelled), Nonpareil (cancelled), Nox (cancelled), Odin (cancelled), Orcadia, Ossory, Pluto, Polaris, Pyrrhus, Romola, Rosamund, Styx (cancelled) 1943 - Numbered fleet system established in US Navy 1943 - US submarine Triton, commanded by George K. Mackenzie, Jr., is sunk by a Japanese destroyer north of Admiralty Island. All hands are lost. A Gearing Class destroyer is later named after Mackenzie 1943 - Admiral Carpender commands the US 7th Fleet as it becomes operational. It is formed to control naval operations around New Guinea 1944 - U-653 sunk in the North Atlantic, in position 53.46N, 24.35W, by depth charges from a Swordfish aircraft of escort carrier HMS Vindex, and depth charges from sloops HMS Starling & Wild Goose. 51 dead (all hands lost) 1944 - U-1104 commissioned 1944 - Escort carrier USS Shamrock Bay commissioned 1944 - Frigate USS Racine launched 1944 - Destroyer escorts USS Fowler & Spangenberg commissioned 1944 - Submarine USS Piper laid down 1944 - Minesweeper HMS Lioness launched Toronto ON 1944 - Tug HMCS Glenwood laid down Weymouth NS 1944 - Frigate HMCS Cheboque departed Esquimalt BC for Halifax NS 1944 - Tug HMCS Roseville assigned to Liverpool NS 1944 - Escort carrier HMS Puncher arrived Lapointe Pier Vancouver for RN modifications 1944 - Invasions of Manus (Admiralties) and Emirau (St. Mathias Islands) 1944 - U-653 (type VIIC) is sunk in the North Atlantic by depth charges dropped by a Swordfish from Escort Carrier HMS Vindex, and depth charges from HMS Starling and HMS Wild Goose. All 51 of U-653's crew are lost 1945 - Matsuwa in the Kurile Islands is bombarded by the US Navy 1945 - Corvette HMCS Lindsay departed Halifax for refit Saint John NB 1945 - Frigate HMS Carnarvon Bay launched 1945 - Repair ship HMS Dungeness launched 1946 - Destroyer USS Charles H Roan launched 1946 - HM MTB-313(PT-55 USN BPT-7) Released for disposal 3/15/46 1947 - Ensign John W. Lee becomes first African American officer commissioned in regular USN. He was assigned to USS Kearsarge 1949 - HMCS Crescent suffered mutiny Nanking, China. 83 ratings involved 1951 - Destroyer HMCS Huron arrived Korean War area from Halifax via Panama Canal 1952 - Destroyer HMCS Haida commissioned for Korean service 1952 - Danish Naval Home Guard is established, directed by Captain G. E. C. de Lichtenberg 1953 - The Military Ministry and the Military and Navy Ministry are reorganized into the Defense Ministry. NA Bulganin is appointed the first Defense Minister 1954 - USN LCM collided with a 26-foot whaleboat at Yokosuka. 3 crew and 5 libertymen rescued & transferred to destroyer HMCS Cayuga for treatment. Later taken ashore to USN Hospital Yokosuka 1955 - Coastal escort (ex-minesweeper) HMCS Minas commissioned 1956 - Submarine HMS Narwhal laid down 1957 - Airship ZPG-2 lands NAS Key West after 11 day non-stop flight across the Atlantic 1960 - Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve established - the fist underwater nature reserve 1962 - USN Task Group 81.9 consisting of USS Wasp (carrier), USS Robert A Owens, New, Holder, Rich, Robert L Wilson, Basilone, Damato and McNair (all destroyers), USS Bang (sub) and Salamonie (tanker) visit Rotterdam 1966 - Establishment of River Squadron Five in Vietnam 1966 - Submarine HMS Alcide departed Halifax following ASW training 1975 - Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis died near Paris at age 69 1979 - In the Cabot Strait the British tanker Kurdistan breaks in two in heavy seas and ice. A Canadian Coast Guard vessel rescues 40 seamen from the sinking ship 1983 - The service retires its last HC-131A Samaritan 1991 - Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrol and minesweeping operations. 166 mines destroyed to-date 1991 - Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 30 departs USS John F. Kennedy 1997 - Operation Gulf Shield begins. This operation is a counterpart to the counter narcotics operation Frontier Shield 1999 - Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan departed Halifax to Join STANAVFORLANT in Hamilton Bermuda 2003 - Ton Class Minesweeper seminar held at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth. The seminar studied the involvement of these coastal minesweepers in home waters and overseas between 1953 and 1994 2003 - USS George Philip decommissioned at San Diego 2005 - A 63-year-old North Vancouver man charged with several sexual offences against a child dating back to the early 1990s. John Stewart-Williams is charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference of a person under 14 from Sea Cadets 2005 - An ancient-style ship departed from Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province for a renavigation of the maritime Silk Road opened by a prestigious Chinese sea voyager 600 years ago. A ceremony held in Qingdao City for the voyage, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the seven voyages of Zheng He, a Muslim eunuch in the imperial Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) who traveled to West Asia and East Africa between 1405 and 1433, according to local sources. Pioneering the first express sea-route through the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, Zheng He's voyages were 87, 92 and 114 years earlier than those of Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Magellan. The seven voyages are also considered early demonstrations of China's peaceful diplomacy. Dubbed "Lu Meimao", or "Green Eyebrow", the ship is said to be China's largest imitation of an ancient ship model dating back 800 years ago. The model was used for the fleet of Zheng He during his legendary voyages. The Putuo New Port Shipyard in east China’s Zhejiang Province built the vessel, 31 meters long and 6.8 meters wide, with 3 masts and 4 sails 2005 - The full fleet of 18 upgraded AP-3C Orions have been successfully delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Defense Minister Robert Hill announced. The last of the upgraded AP-3C Orion aircraft have been delivered from the production facility at Avalon airfield in Victoria and will be based at RAAF Edinburgh in South Australia 2005 - The Tasmanian government's financially troubled Sydney to Devonport ferry service has been thrown a $115 million lifebuoy, ensuring its future for another three years. The rescue package was announced by the government today after months of speculation about the future of the loss-making Spirit of Tasmania III service, launched in 2003 2005 - Indonesia sent three navy warships on a hunt for pirates that captured three crewmembers of a Japanese-registered tugboat in the Malacca Straits 2005 - Isramco, Inc announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Magic 1 Cruise Line, Corp., entered into a lease agreement pursuant to which it will lease the cruise liner Mirage 1 to a cruise line tour operator for the period from April 14, 2005 through October 31, 2005 at a daily rate of $8,000. The tour operator will operate the cruise liner on a "bareboat lease" basis under which it will solely bear all outlays associated with the operation, maintenance and upkeep of the cruise liner. As previously disclosed, Isramco purchased the Mirage 1, a luxury cruise liner containing 270 passenger cabins spread out over nine decks, in March 2004 2005 - Trico Marine Services, Inc. today announced that it has successfully completed its Chapter 11 reorganization and it and two principal subsidiaries have also emerged from bankruptcy 2005 - SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced that WSI Corp., a leading provider of premium weather services and precision forecasts, will provide SIRIUS with a full suite of marine weather content for a new service, which is expected to begin late this year. SIRIUS plans to create a special marine weather service that will include a variety of graphical and text information, including water surface temperatures, lightning strikes, coast-to-coast US and Canadian weather radar, storm tracking, winds and wave heights 2005 - Belfast Coastguard coordinated the medical evacuation of a French tourist after he slipped and damaged his knee at Carrickarade rope bridge, County Antrim. The man was airlifted by the Royal Navy Rescue helicopter to the Causeway Hospital. A Coastguard team from Ballycastle assisted at the scene and Portrush Coastguard Team manned the ambulance landing site 2005 - Clyde Coastguard began to co-ordinate the search after they were informed by airport control. The aircraft which had two people, a pilot and a paramedic, onboard, disappeared eight miles short of the airport south of Islay, Mull of Kintyre. The following units assisted: Campbeltown all weather lifeboat, Portrush all weather lifeboat ,Campbeltown Inshore lifeboat, Navy helicopter Prestwick and RAF helicopter Valley Tarbert and Campbeltown Coastguard Rescue teams HMS Penzance is also on its way to join the search 2005 - Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. announced that their 251' deep ocean archaeological platform, the Odyssey Explorer, has arrived in the western Mediterranean to begin work on the shipwreck site believed to be HMS Sussex. Odyssey has received final approval on the technical and staffing portions of the Project Plan from the UK Government to proceed with the project. Once final mobilization is complete, the work outlined in the Project Plan will begin. Mobilization of equipment, crew and minor repairs necessary from the transatlantic crossing are expected to be completed within a week 2005 - Port of Los Angeles launches new and improved web site: www.portoflosangeles.org 2005 - Port of Los Angeles announced that former assistant director of marketing, Michael DiBernardo, has been named director of planning. In his new role, DiBernardo will manage the Port's land use, facility-site, maritime and trade research activities, including management of cargo forecast data and socioeconomic impact analyses 2005 - B + H Ocean Carriers Ltd. announced that all three of the mid-1990's double-hull combination carriers, which it recently acquired for $110,200,000, had now been delivered to the Company - on February 28 2005, March 8 2005 and March 14 2005. Each of the three vessels was delivered simultaneously to a major energy company on a 5-year time charter. With these acquisitions, the Company's fleet of combination carriers, which are capable of trading as both tankers and dry bulk carriers, increased to four vessels totaling approximately 350,000 dwt 2006 - Frigate SPS Extremadura decommissioned at Ferrol; two years earlier than planned due to fire in December 2005 2006 - Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen announced the following flag officer assignments: Rear Adm. Carl V. Mauney is being assigned as director, Submarine Warfare Division, N77, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Rear Adm. Derwood C. Curtis is being assigned as commander, Naval Surface Force, US Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Va. Rear Adm. Joseph A. Walsh is being assigned as commander, Submarine Force, US Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Rear Adm. (Selectee) Jeffrey L. Fowler is being assigned as commander, Submarine Group Eight, Naples, Italy. Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark W. Balmert is being assigned as commander, Amphibious Group Three, San Diego, Calif 2006 - South Korea's STX Shipbuilding Co. received a $266.7M order to build six petrochemical product carriers. An STX spokesman said the South Korean shipbuilder won the order from a Hong Kong-based company, but declined to identify the company. STX will deliver the tankers - which will have the capacity to load 51,000 tons of petrochemical products 2006 - The USCG stated that an errant barge struck the Route 50 highway bridge over the Severn River near Annapolis, Maryland and became wedged between two support pilings. The Coast Guard is coordinating removal of the barge. The police have halted traffic on the bridge until it has been determined that the bridge suffered no structural damage 2006 - US Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) has increased its flexibility and operational strength with the addition of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 to its assigned units. Formerly known as Destroyer Squadron 6 and based in Pascagoula, Miss., DESRON 40 has relocated to Mayport. The squadron’s new command structure better reflects its mission as the tactical destroyer squadron for NAVSO 2006 - The nation's tenth and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, George HW Bush, grew by nearly 800 tons today as Northrop Grumman Corporation lowered the upper bow section of the ship into place. The addition of the upper bow completes the flight deck and extends the overall length of the carrier to its full size, which is as long as the Empire State Building is tall 2006 - At 1515 Solent Coastguard were contacted by the Police who reported that a man had been seen boarding the Lymington Wightlink Ferry Caedmon, with his bicycle, however he failed to disembark at Yarmouth. His bicycle was still onboard the ferry, which raised enough concern to require a search. Solent Coastguard tasked the Coastguard team in Lymington and the Coastguard team in Needles to liaise with ferry staff and undertake coastline searches for this man on the Lymington side of the Solent. The Coastguard rescue helicopter India Juliet was scrambled and searched the ferry route, along with the Hampshire Police Spotter plane. The Lymington inshore lifeboat and Police Launch Lord Ashburton were also on scene and searching. The police and coastguard teams checked CCTV footage from the ferry to try and establish this man’s whereabouts. The man was eventually found to be safe and well at home after some diligent detective work and utilization of Local Knowledge by the Needles Coastguard team. The weather in the search area was fair with good visibility 2006 - Antisubmarine ships from Russia's Pacific Fleet began major naval exercises off the Kamchatka peninsula. The three-day exercise, involving field firing practice, will focus on safety as well as search and elimination of enemy sea and aerial targets, the spokesman said, adding that Rear Admiral Alexander Vitko, acting Commander of Russia's Northeastern Forces, would oversee the exercises in Russia's Far East 2006 - Kerr-McGee Corp. and partners were high bidders on four deepwater leases in today's Central Planning Area Gulf of Mexico lease sale 198. Kerr-McGee's net total exposure for all deepwater high bids is approximately $8.2 million. The bids are subject to approval by the US Interior Department's Minerals Management Service. Kerr-McGee currently is designated operator of all of the high-bid leases, with an average working interest of approximately 50% 2006 - Corpus Christi Day Cruise, Ltd., operator of the MV Texas Treasure, has pleaded guilty to obstructing a USCG investigation into whether the ship had illegally discharged waste oil and deliberately bypassed its pollution prevention equipment, the Justice Department announced today. The ship's chief engineer, Gojko Petovic, has also pleaded guilty to making false statements to USCG inspectors regarding the existence of tank sounding records and then attempting to destroy the records in order to prevent their discovery by inspectors. Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2006 2006 - The Coast Guard, working with a Sitka search and rescue team found and airlifted a stranded mountain climber north of Petersburg today at approximately 1830. After reportedly climbing the mountain known as The Devil's Thumb on Saturday, Zack Hoyt became stranded in worsening weather conditions. When a Temsco rescue crew was forced to turn back from hazardous winds, the Coast Guard was asked to dispatch a larger HH-60 helicopter crew as well as a Sitka search and rescue crew in an attempt to locate the trapped hiker. Hoyt was airlifted to a Petersburg hospital where he was treated for a shoulder injury and frostbite to his hands and feet 2006 - The Coast Guard rescued three Maine fishermen today near midnight after their boat sank 55 miles southeast of Portland, Maine. The Coast Guard received a distress signal from the 44-foot Celtic Pride's Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, followed by a mayday from the crew of the Portland based boat indicating that it was taking on water about 2230. The crew gave their position and said they were getting into survival suits and preparing to abandon ship just moments before they lost communications. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod launch an HU-25 Falcon jet and HH-60 helicopter about 2300. The jet arrived on scene and located the survivors and the helicopter safely hoisted them from their life raft. Tim Daggett, 39, of Portland, Mitch McNeil, 22, of South Portland and John Emerton, 41, also of South Portland, were taken to Air Station Cape Cod with no injuries 2006 - Coast Guard Cutter Metompkin repatriated 44 Cuban illegal immigrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba yesterday. The 44 illegal immigrants were rescued in the following events during the week of March 5-10 2006 - USS Decatur became the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force's (JMSDF) 600th customer when the Japanese oiler JDS Tokiwa refueled the guided-missile destroyer in the Arabian Sea 2007 - USCG Admiral Thad W. Allen testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard on the FY 2008 budget request 253 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 2007 - Aegis destroyer JDS Atago commissioned at Nagasaki 2007 - The Treasury and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) have agreed a £3.9 billion budget to build two Royal Navy aircraft carriers 2007 - Quintana Maritime Limited took delivery of Iron Miner, a newbuilding Capesize bulk carrier of 177,000 DWT from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co 2007 - Ten divers and three underwater photographers are in the team conducting surveys to recover artifacts from a 16th-century Portuguese warship lying four nautical miles off the mouth of the Malacca River 2007 - Seven sailors from aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious flown ashore for precautionary checkups after being affected by fumes believed caused by a mixture of cleaning chemicals. They have since been discharged from hospital. The ship will carry out an investigation into the incident 2007 - Second of eight Orca Class was delivered to the navy. Patrol Craft Training (PCT) Raven 56 arrived just over four months after the initial delivery of PCT Orca 55 2008 - Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said repair of submarine Zaporizya will be completed in a year and will be put into service for the Ukrainian Navy and frigate Hetman Sahaydachnyi will be heading for NATO Active Endeavour operations in the Mediterranean 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. Royal Navy photos are Courtesy of www.oldships.org.uk unless otherwise indicated. To contact us: 418-145 West Keith Rd North Vancouver BC V7M 1L3 Canada Phone: 778-968-7447