SeaWaves Today in History March 20, 2009 1549 - Death of Thomas Seymour, Lord High Admiral of England, who married Henry VIII's widow Catherine Parr. When she died, he planned to marry Princess Elizabeth - but was arrested for treason and executed 1815 - After his banishment to Elba, Napoleon returned to regain power in France. It was his "Last Hundred Days", ended by defeat at Waterloo 1833 - CDR Geisinger of USS Peacock negotiates first commercial treaty with King of Siam 1854 - In Ontario, Edward W. Serell finishes building Queenston-Lewiston Suspension Bridge, formally opened this day; engineers 318m span supported by stone towers 1878 - Rumors of preying Russian naval squadrons prompt the manning of coastal batteries at St. Andrews NB and Yarmouth NS. Eventually, no Russians appear and Canada will return to more peaceful pursuits 1896 - US Marines landed in Nicaragua to protect US citizens in the wake of a revolution 1909 - Submarine HMS C19 launched 1909 - Submarine HMS C26 launched 1914 - Submarine HMS W4 laid down 1917 - Submarine HMS H21 launched 1917 - Submarine HMS H27 laid down 1918 - Submarine HMS H26 completed 1920 - Cruiser HMS Frobisher launched 1920 - Battleship USS Maryland launched 1922 - USS Jupiter recommissioned as Langley, Navy's first aircraft carrier 1929 - The Canadian schooner I'm Alone was taken under fire and captured by USCGC Wolcott for violating the Volstead Act. This precipitates an incident that was adjudicated by an international tribunal 1930 - Destroyer HMS Antelope commissioned 1930 - Destroyer HNLMS Van Nes launched 1931 - Destroyer HMS Keith commissioned 1932 - Soviet submarines SC-101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, and 112 laid down 1933 - Destroyer HMS Echo laid down 1934 - Destroyers USS Drayton & Lamson laid down 1936 - Destroyer HMS Grafton commissioned 1939 - Naval Research Lab recommends financing research program to obtain power from uranium 1940 - President Roosevelt's envoy, Sumner Welles, sails from Genoa, ending his efforts on behalf of the US to end the war 1940 - Corvette HMCS Napanee laid down 1940 - German bombers attacking convoys driven off in consort with aircraft of Fleet Air Arm and warships 1940 - British Home Fleet battlecruisers to the north of the Shetlands cover a cruiser sweep into the Skagerrak. As they do, screening destroyer HMS Fortune sinks U-44 1940 - US Ambassador to Brazil, Jefferson Caffery, reports to Secretary of State Cordell Hull that the Brazilian government's protesting HMS Dorsetshire's stopping SS Wakama on 12 February had not pleased the British. The British maintained that they were protecting Brazilian commerce. "Indeed you are not," the Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs Oswaldo Aranha retorts, "you are definitely not protecting our commerce by maintaining your warships off our coast. It is apparent to me that your blockade of Germany is plainly ineffective. If it were effective, you could stop the German boats [sic] on the other side before they entered German ports" 1941 - Submarine HMS Graph launched as U-570 1941 - Sabotage discovered on Italian vessel at Wilmington, NC. Coast Guard investigated all Italian and German vessels in American ports and took 28 Italian (27 damaged). 2 German (1 damaged) and 35 undamaged Danish vessels into protective custody, 850 Italian and 63 German officers and crew were imprisoned. Two months later these vessels were requisitioned by order of Congress for the Latin American trade 1941 - Patrol vessels HMCS Leelo & Moolock ordered 1941 - Tug HMS Sir Bevois lost; cause unknown 1941 - Minesweepers HMCS Truro & Digby laid down 1941 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Romeo launched 1941 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Juliet commissioned 1941 - Telegram from Admiralty to C-in-C Mediterranean - Argus is embarking 2 Skuas and 12 Hurricanes for Malta. These are to transfer to Ark Royal at Gibraltar. A signal will follow giving ... flying-off plan from long. 6 degrees 30 minutes east 1941 - A US Naval squadron comprising two cruisers and five destroyers pays a visit to Australia and New Zealand. Admiral Newton who, at a dinner given by the Commonwealth government to himself and his officers, declared that the US was behind Britain and her dominions in their great fight for freedom commands it. American sailors and marines who marched through Sydney followed by detachments of militia and the Royal Australian Air Force, receive a tremendous welcome from the people of the city 1942 - Russian Government announced one year extension of Soviet-Japanese fisheries agreement 1942 - An unarmed US tanker is shelled by German submarine U-71 about 430 miles (692 kilometers) east of Norfolk, Virginia and abandoned; U-71 then torpedoes the tanker and shells her until she sinks 1942 - Japanese Mitsubishi G4M, Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers (later assigned the Allied Code Name Betty), attack the Broome Airfield, Western Australia, at high altitude. There are a number of craters off the end of the strip and in the tidal flats; one aboriginal is killed by a bomb splinter but no other casualties or damage was caused 1942 - First South Dakota-class battleship, USS South Dakota, is commissioned at Philadelphia 1942 - At 1054, destroyer HMS Heythrop was hit by one of four fired torpedoes from U-652 about 40 miles NE of Bardia and was then taken in tow by destroyer HMS Eridge towards Tobruk, but foundered five hours later. HMS Heythrop carried out an ASW search together with five other Hunt-class destroyers between Alexandria and Bardia during that night, because another Malta convoy was planning to leave Alexandria for Malta (Operation MG-1) on 20 March 1942 - Submarine USS Scorpion laid down 1942 - Light cruiser USS Birmingham launched 1942 - Destroyers USS McCalla & Lardner launched 1942 - Corvette HMCS Vancouver commissioned 1942 - Minesweeper INS Punjab commissioned 1942 - Submarine USS Growler commissioned 1942 - Submarine HMS X3 completed 1942 - The Second Battle of Sirte. Four merchant ships carrying 26,000 tons of supplies sail from Alexandria at dawn for Malta, to supply food and munitions to the besieged island. Its escort, commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Phillip Vian, consisting of five light cruisers HMS Cleopatra, Dido, Euryalus and Penelope, the antiaircraft light cruiser HMS Carlisle and 18 destroyers faces opposition from the entire Italian Mediterranean Fleet. Spies report the sailing to Axis forces 1942 - RAF Bomber Command dispatches 13 Manchesters and six Lancasters on daylight minelaying in the Frisian Islands; only 11 aircraft reached the correct area. Two Wellingtons on a mission to Essen returned because of lack of cloud. There are no losses 1942 - Heavy air attacks on Malta begin as Axis forces hope to eliminate the island as useful British base of operations in the central Mediterranean Sea 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Breeman laid down 1943 - Patrol Vessel District YP-438 destroyed by grounding at Port Everglades Florida 1943 - Minesweeper HMS Rinaldo launched 1943 - Destroyer escorts USS Marchand & Fogg launched 1943 - Destroyers USS Ammen & Dashiell commissioned 1943 - Submarine USS Billfish commissioned 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Edgar G Chase commissioned 1943 - Submarine HMS Volatile launched 1943 - HMCS Griffin renamed HMCS Ottawa 1944 - Corvette HMCS Hepatica arrived New York City for refit 1944 - Destroyer escort USS Rolf laid down 1944 - Destroyer minelayer USS Adams laid down 1944 Submarine HMS Graph lost when she ran aground on the west coast of the Island of Islay, Scotland 1944 - Frigate HMCS Strathadam launched 1944 - Destroyer escort USS Haas launched 1944 - Rescue tug HMS Freedom commissioned 1944 - Destroyers USS Preston & Blue commissioned 1944 - Destroyer escorts USS Mason & Dennis commissioned 1944 - Submarine HMS Graph (ex-U-570) lost when she ran aground on the west coast of the Island of Islay, Scotland 1944 - HMS Unswerving sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire off Crete 1945 - Submarine USS Kete, commanded by Edward Ackerman, is listed as missing between Okinawa & Midway. The probable cause of loss is by a Japanese submarine. All hands are lost 1945 - U-683 listed as missing in the North Atlantic after today SW of Ireland or in the English Channel. 49 dead (all hands lost). Probably sunk 12 March 1945 in the English Channel near Land's End, in position 49.52N, 05.52W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Loch Ruthwen and the sloop Wild Goose 1945 - Tug HMCS Glendyne launched Owen Sound ON 1945 - Frigates HMCS Beacon Hill, Sussexvale, New Glasgow & Ribble sailed from Londonderry for training at Loch Alsh. After the group passed the Foyle buoy it, formed up, a mile apart & zigzagging independently, making about fourteen knots with CAT gear streamed. A periscope & Schnorkel were visible on New Glasgow's port bow, action stations were sounded & a shallow depth-charge pattern was ordered however, it was too late. The U-boat struck New Glasgow just below the bridge. Subsequent searches by EG 26, C-4 & EG 25 failed to reveal U-1003. U-1003 a VIIC/41 type U-boat, Built by Blohm & Voss Hamburg, on her second war patrol, Oblt Werner Strubing CO, launched 27 Oct 43, commissioned 9 Dec 43, in service 15 months, with no record of sinking any ships 1945 - In the afternoon, U-968 attacked Convoy JW-65 and reported a destroyer and a Liberty sunk and another Liberty ship torpedoed. In fact, sloop HMS Lapwing of the 7th Escort Group & Liberty ship Thomas Donaldson were sunk. HMS Lapwing was hit amidships at 1325 and sank 20 minutes later 1945 - Escort carrier USS Tinian laid down 1945 - Submarine HMS Achates launched 1945 - Aircraft carrier USS Midway launched and christened at Newport News 1945 - Destroyer USS Myles C Fox commissioned 1946 - Twenty-one ex-RN Fairey Swordfish biplanes at the Naval Air Facility at RCAF Station Dartmouth were taken on strength by Eastern Air Command on behalf of the RCN. Half of them were struck off strength the same day, being destined to serve as ground instructional material for maintenance training at Reserve divisions across the country. Several went on to serve with FRU 743 as general-purpose utility a/c 1946 - Destroyers HMCS Haida & Huron paid off 1949 - Thirty-two ratings of the Aircraft Handling Party in HMCS Magnificent refused to fall in because of dissatisfaction with working conditions aboard ship. This incident and others like it on other RCN ships in the early post-war period led to a commission of investigation headed by RADM Edmond Rollo Mainguy. The resulting "Mainguy Report" was significant in its recommendations for improvements in the handling and resolution of lower-deck grievances in the Service 1974 - USS Kitty Hawk port call Mombassa 1980 - The pirate radio station Radio Caroline, on the ship Mi Amigo, sank after 16 years of broadcasting 1991 - Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols and minesweeping operations 1993 - Frigate HMCS Winnipeg laid down 2001 - The CO of USS Greeneville took the stand in a Navy court and accepted sole responsibility for the Feb. 9 collision of his submarine with a Japanese trawler off Hawaii that killed nine Japanese 2003 - US warships fire at least 3 dozen Tomahawk missiles in opening of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004 - Final ANZAC frigate, HMAS Perth, launched at Tenix Williamstown by Margaret Gee, daughter of the late Able Seaman First Class Allan Gee who survived the sinking of the first HMAS Perth 2005 - Navy personnel from 13 countries kicked off Exercise Arabian Gauntlet 2005 aboard USS Duluth in Manama, Bahrain. More than 3,000 people and 19 ships from France, Australia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, the United States and other allies, are using the latest in tactical detection and deterrent measures designed to improve and sharpen Maritime Security Operations (MSO). Duluth, an amphibious transport ship, serves as the command platform for the multinational exercise that runs through March 29 2006 - All American Marine Inc. launched a 56 x 21 ft. catamaran, built under contract for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The high-speed patrol vessel has been assigned to operate in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) and its Tortugas Ecological Reserve off the Southern coast of Florida 2006 - Moose Boats has delivered another Moose M2-37 security and patrol vessel to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Benicia, Calif. This is the second delivery of a two-boat contract that was awarded through GSA (General Services Administration) by the Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration 2006 - Horizon Lines, Inc. announced it reached an agreement in principle to charter five new US flag, foreign built vessels for 12 year terms from Ship Finance International Limited. The five vessels will be of a proven, international design and will each carry 2,800 twenty-foot equivalent containers and have 23-knot service speed 2006 - The Norwegian Hydrographic Service (NHS), operator of the Primar Stavanger electronic navigational chart (ENC) service, has signed a distribution agreement for Japanese ENCs with the Japan Hydrographic Association (JHA). Japan has full coverage of ENCs in usage bands from harbor to general. In addition, oceans around the country are covered with ENCs in overview scales 2006 - Green Reefers ASA has agreed to buy the Silver Fjord (ex. "Frio Hamburg") for $10,4 mill. The vessel is 194,000 cu. ft. and built in Denmark in 1997. Delivery will take place in June/July 2006 and the vessel will be renamed Green Tromsø 2006 - Stolt-Nielsen announced an agreement in principle between Stolthaven Terminals BV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNSA, and Oiltanking GmbH whereby Stolthaven Terminals BV will acquire a 50% interest in Oiltanking Antwerp NV 2006 - Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGS) announced today that it has signed an agreement of main commercial terms to build a new third generation Ramform vessel at Aker Yards, Langsten. The new and improved Ramform class seismic vessel has a cost of NOK 562 million (ex cost of seismic equipment). The agreement is subject to satisfactory completion of a final contract and board approval in Aker Yards. The new Ramform is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter 2008, in time for the North Sea season. PGS will also have an option of building a sister vessel at the same yard. Aker Yards has previously constructed all of the PGS' six current Ramform vessels, demonstrating a strong track record for timely and cost effective construction of this advanced design. This is the first PGS new build since the delivery of Ramform Vanguard in 1999 2007 - Saddam Hussein's former deputy was hanged before dawn, the fourth man to be executed in the killings of 148 Shiites. Taha Yassin Ramadan, who was Saddam's vice president when the regime was ousted, went to the gallows on the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq 2007 - President General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said the operationalization of the country’s first deepsea port would turn Gwadar into a major industrial, trade and energy hub of the region and will usher in an era of progress and prosperity. Inaugurating the Gwadar Port, the President also announced plans for setting up the country’s fourth port at Somiani with a resolve to undo the neglects of the past by the previous governments, by launching several mega development projects for the province 2007 - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Iran said that Pakistan has planned to link the Gwadar port in southwestern Balochistan province to neighboring Iran 2007 - Ship Finance International Limited agreed to acquire three new building seismic vessels from SCAN Geophysical ASA based on a total delivered price of $210 million, or $70 million per vessel, including complete seismic equipment 2007 - Crew of a Panamanian-registered ship refuse to sail from Belfast in a row over pay and conditions, a union has said. Among the complaints of the Filipino crew of the Naxos are claims that the ship leaks in heavy seas. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is due to inspect the ship 2007 - A pilot assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 aboard USS John C. Stennis rescued shortly after ejection from an aircraft in the North Arabian Sea. The pilot ejected from the aircraft, an F/A-18C Super Hornet assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, at approximately 3:19 p.m. (local time). The search and rescue (SAR) helicopter recovered the pilot at 3:35 p.m. and transported the pilot to John C. Stennis where a further medical evaluation will be conducted 2007 - Humber Coastguard assist Ro-Ro cargo vessel Humber Way which had developed a 12 - 15 degree list in gale force weather off Spurn Point. This has now increased to 20 - 25 degrees 2007 - Transport Minister Gillian Merron announced that she has approved the Mersey Docks and Harbor Company's proposed Seaforth River Terminal near Liverpool 2007 - Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, in its ongoing investigation of the sinking of the Lady Luck, a Newburyport, Mass., based fishing vessel missing since February 1, has located the vessel 20 nautical miles southeast of Portland, Maine, using a remote operated vehicle 2007 - American Association of Port Authorities announced selection of Panama President Martin Torrijos as the association’s “Port Person of the Year” for leadership in promoting maritime commerce. Torrijos honored for his efforts to spearhead the US$5.5 billion project to expand the 92-year-old Panama Canal, and to promote continued development of Panama’s seaports 2008 Deputy Secretary Of Defense Gordon England speaks at Sea Air Space Luncheon Secretary Of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts Brazil's Minister of Defense Nelson Azevedo Jobim at the Pentagon Secretary Of Defense Robert M. Gates hosts Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili at the Pentagon 2008 - An army of ghost workers was created in a £500,000 scam by the boss of a company involved in a huge Ministry of Defense contract to upgrade a nuclear submarine facility 2008 - Chief of Maritime Staff, Canadian Navy, Vice Adm. Drew William Robertson visited Commander 2nd Fleet 2008 - Capt. Rodelio Laco relieved Capt. Randall C. Snyder of command of DESRON 40 2008 - Remains of a military aircraft trawled by an Argentine fishing vessel 159 kilometers off Santa Cruz belong to an Argentine Navy North American SNJ-5C Texan that went down in 1961 and not to any aircraft involved in the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict as originally believed 2008 - While transiting off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS), High Speed Vessel 2 Swift received a distress call, relayed from MRCC Lisbon, of a Portuguese fishing vessel, the Princesa Di Guadiana, stranded 100 nautical miles off the Liberian Coast with no food, water or fuel 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