SeaWaves Today in History March 28, 2009 1795 - Spanish evacuate trading post at Friendly Cove (Nootka Sound) to British. 1800 - Essex becomes first US Navy vessel to pass Cape of Good Hope 1814 - HMS Phoebe and Cherub capture USS Essex off Valparaiso, Chile. Before capture, Essex had captured 24 British prizes during the War of 1812 1848 - USS Supply reaches the Bay of Acre, anchoring under Mount Carmel near the village of Haifa, during expedition to explore the Dead Sea and the River Jordan 1854 - Britain and France declared war on Russia during the Crimean War 1860 - Seaman Odgers was awarded the Victoria Cross for his leading role in an assault on Maori positions at Waireka, New Zealand 1915 - Submarine HMS G11 laid down 1917 - Destroyer HMS Wolsey laid down 1917 - Russian submarine A-5 laid down 1918 - Submarine USS R-12 laid down 1918 - Destroyers USS Robinson & Schley launched 1919 - Submarine USS R-4 commissioned 1919 - Destroyer USS McCalla launched 1922 - Submarine HNLMS K VIII launched 1935 - Sloop HMAS Yarra launched 1936 - Sloop HMAS Swan launched 1936 - Destroyer HMS Grenade commissioned 1936 - Light cruiser HMS Manchester laid down 1939 - Destroyer HMS Mashona commissioned 1940 - HM Armed Merchant Cruiser Transylvania intercepts the German merchant ship Mimi Horn, in the Denmark Strait, but she is scuttled by her crew 1940 - One German bomber was shot down off the NE coast of Scotland and another damaged by fighters over the North Sea. A trawler was damaged in an attack by 8 German aircraft in the North Sea; the trawler was damaged and 2 men wounded 1940 - U-77, U-78, U-203 laid down 1940 - Destroyer HMS Opportune laid down 1941 - HMS Utmost attacks a convoy of 5 German merchants and three Italian destroyers and torpedoes and sinks the German merchants Heraklea and torpedoed and damages the Ruhr 22 nautical miles south-east of Kuriat, Tunisia 1941 - HMC ML 072 & 073 ordered 1941 - Italian torpedo boat Chinotto sinks on a mine laid by HMS Rorqual 1941 Andrew Browne Cunningham, Admiral of the British Fleet, commands the British Royal Navy's destruction of three Italian heavy cruisers and two destroyers in the Battle of Cape Matapan in the Mediterranean. The destruction, following on the attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto by the British in November 1940, effectively put an end to any threat the Italian Navy posed to the British 1941 - Destroyer USS Coghlan laid down 1941 - U-336 laid down 1941 - ASW trawler HMS Veleta launched 1942 - HMC ML 069 commissioned 1942 - US Navy codebreakers at Pearl Harbor decipher a message that reveals the Japanese plan a major offensive north of Australia in early May 1942 - British sub (identity unknown) near Antipaxo sunk the Italian ocean liner, which was being used to transport troops from North Africa back to Italy. The loss of the liner entailed the loss of 768 Italian soldiers and crewmen 1942 - The Vatican established diplomatic relations with Japan 1942 - Perhaps the most audacious of all Commando raids, Operation Chariot, was mounted in the early hours of the morning against the Normandie drydock at St Nazaire, the largest in Europe and the only facility on the Atlantic seaboard capable of supporting the battleship Tirpitz. The elderly destroyer HMS Campbeltown, formerly the USS Buchanan given to the Royal Navy 9 September 1940, led the attack, her bows packed with 4.5 tons of explosive to make her into a massive bomb. Campbeltown's superstructure had also been modified, to give her the approximate appearance of a German Mowe-class escort vessel, in the hope that uncertainty as to her identity would help her get past the formidable shore batteries guarding the Loire estuary. Accompanied by a flotilla of 16 small and vulnerable Motor Launches, a Motor Gun Boat and a Motor Torpedo Boat, Campbeltown made her way up the Loire under heavy fire and rammed the dock gates at high speed at 0134. An assault force of Army Commandos stormed ashore, with the task of destroying dockside facilities. The Germans reacted swiftly and extremely fierce fighting ensued for several hours. Only four of the 16 motor launches survived to get back out to sea. The delayed action fuses in Campbeltown's bows detonated ten hours after she hit the docks. 360 German troops were killed in the blast - they had not realized the true purpose of the attack - and the dock was put out of action for the remainder of the war. Of the 611 Royal Navy and Army personnel involved, 222 were brought out on the Motor Launches, five escaped on foot south through Occupied France and into Spain, 215 were captured, and 169 were killed. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded - Commander Ryder, who led the flotilla in MGB314. Lieutenant Commander Beattie, commanding Campbeltown. Sergeant Ryder, Royal Engineers, who died of his wounds sustained aboard ML306. Able Seaman Savage killed in action aboard MGB314. Lieutenant Colonel Newman, who led the Commando force 1942 - U-222 launched 1942 - U-261 commissioned 1942 - U-715 laid down 1942 - Destroyer HMS Urchin laid down 1942 - Rescue tug HMS Integrity launched 1942 - Corvette HMS Meadowsweet launched 1942 - Minesweeper USS Token launched 1942 - U-97 had to return from patrol in the Mediterranean due to technical problems 1943 - U-77 was attacked by an aircraft in the Mediterranean, suffering heavy damage. 38 men died when this U-boat was lost & 9 men survived 1943 - Corvette HMCS Shediac departed Londonderry for refit Liverpool NS 1943 - The Finns and Germans begin laying an anti-submarine net across the Gulf of Finland. When patrolled actively, it effectively closes the Soviet submarines at the eastern end of the Gulf 1943 - At 1448, the Lagosian in Convoy RS-3 was torpedoed & sunk by U-159 SE of the Canary Islands. Eleven crewmembers were lost. The master, 24 crewmembers and ten gunners were picked up by British tug Empire Denis and landed at Bathurst 1943 - At noon, the Moanda in Convoy RS-3 was torpedoed and sunk by U-167 about 80 miles NW of Villa Cisneros. 29 men of the 46 crewmembers and ten gunners on board were lost and two men were injured 1943 - At 2202, U-81 fired a spread of two torpedoes at the Roushdy and hit her with one torpedo in the stern. The vessel disappeared in a great explosion and debris fell on the U-boat, wounding the war correspondent standing on the bridge slightly at the knee. The U-boat had missed the vessel with a first torpedo at 2143 1943 - Destroyer HMS Cavalier laid down 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Bowers laid down 1943 - Destroyers USS Black & Chauncey launched 1943 - Minesweepers USS Deft & Delegate launched 1943 - A man was lost from U-564 in the North Atlantic. [Fähnrich zur See Heinrich Feuerhake] 1943 - Destroyer escorts USS Levy & McConnell launched 1943 - HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the French merchant Lillios off Cape Scalea, Italy 1944 - Frigates HMCS Hallowell & Stone Town launched 1944 - Destroyer HMS Carron launched 1944 - Minesweeping trawlers HMS Hascosay & Mincarlo launched 1944 - Submarines USS Sea Dog & Sea Fox launched 1944 - Minesweepers USS Strategy & Strength launched 1944 - Destroyer escort USS William T Powell commissioned 1944 - Destroyer USS Compton laid down 1944 - Minesweeper HMS Stormcloud commissioned 1944 - Escort carrier USS Sitkoh Bay commissioned 1944 - HMS Sportsman torpedoes and sinks the small German tanker MT 3/Vienna off Monemvassia, Greece 1944 - HMS Truculent torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Yasushima Maru in the Strait of Malacca 1944 - Submarine HMS Syrtis mined & sunk. Syrtis left Lerwick on 16th March 1944 for a patrol off the Norwegian coast. On 20th March she was ordered to an area near Bodo, some 70 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Two days later she sank the steamer Narvik with gunfire. On the 28th a signal was sent to Syrtis ordering her to return to Lerwick. This signal was never acknowledged and the submarine failed to return. German reports indicate the sinking of a submarine in the Bodo area at the time by shore batteries, but the most likely cause of her loss is a mine 1945 - Workshop, Floating (Non Self-Propelled) YR-43 lost in the Gulf of Alaska 1945 - Submarine Trigger, commanded by David R. Connole is lost. Probable cause of loss attributed by ASW and a/c in East China Sea. All hands are lost 1945 - Corvette HMCS Belleville departed St John's to escort Convoy HX-346 1945 - Minesweeper USS Skylark sunk by mine off Okinawa 1945 - Submarine HNLMS Tijgerhaai (ex-HMS Tarn) commissioned 1945 - Minesweeper USS Pigeon launched 1945 - Minesweeper USS Skylark mined & sunk 1945 - Submarine HMS Alliance launched 1945 - At 0545, the unescorted Oklahoma was hit by one torpedo from U-532 while steaming on a nonevasive course at 14.5 knots. The torpedo struck on the starboard side between the #6 and #7 tanks aft of the pump room, igniting the cargo and the tanker exploded. The wind and the speed of the ship kept the flames aft, allowing some of the eight officers, 28 crewmen and 26 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) to abandon ship in two of the forward boats in the rough seas and force four winds. But one of the boats caught fire and the four occupants had to jump into the water, while the other boat rowed around the wreck picking them up and looking for more survivors. Flames surrounded the ship for a distance of 500 feet and the flaming cargo blazed on the water a mile astern. The lifeboat containing four officers, six crewmen and twelve armed guards was not seen by an PBM aircraft and a US Navy blimp on 11 April, but three days later another aircraft directed the American steam tanker Delaware to the survivors in 11°45N/66°06W. They were landed at San Nicholas, Aruba on 15 April. The Oklahoma was last seen ablaze from stem to stern and eventually sank 1945 - HMS Thule sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire off the west coast of Siam 1946 - Destroyer USS Robert L Wilson commissioned 1949 - RCN 743 Sqn, OFTS, Sea Fury a/c #TG123, A/LCdr (P) Robert "Bob" Alan MONKS; flying the Sea Fury on a routine acceptance test flight collided with a flight of four Harvard II's, practicing formation flying. Two of the Harvards & the Sea Fury crashed off McNabb Island 1953 - During entrance to Rønne, an explosion occurred in the engine room on board the minelayer Lougen, commanded by Lieutenant, count, Karl-Christian Trampe. 3 men are killed and another 7 were severely injured 1958 - Destroyer HMCS Huron recommissioned 1960 - Destroyers HMCS Ottawa, Saguenay & St Laurent departed Hong Kong 1964 - Pirate station Radio Caroline begins transmitting from a ship in the North Sea 1968 - The Secretary of Transportation released his Report on Recreational Boat Safety. The report contained a detailed explanation of the proposed legislation and the programs the department intended to undertake if the proposal was adopted 1970 - USS Hancock port call Subic Bay 1979 - One of the most frightening industrial accidents in the US occurred on this day. It was 4 a.m. at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant on the Susquehanna River, south of Harrisburg, Pa. A cascading chain of events started when someone mistakenly cross- connected air and water lines in the plant's number 2 reactor. Before the crisis was over, the plant came close to a hydrogen gas explosion and a meltdown of its uranium core, which would have caused extensive radiation contamination. The incident sparked a large-scale review of how nuclear power plants were built and operated 1991 - Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols, minesweeping, and maritime interception operations 1991 - USS William V. Pratt diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea 1991 - The first Navy carrier battle groups to return to CONUS, USS John F. Kennedy and USS Saratoga, arrive at homeports: Norfolk VA: USS John F. Kennedy, the 4th carrier deployed, departed with just five days notice, leading a seven-and-a-half month battle group deployment that maintained a close watch on shipping in the Red Sea and launched 11,000+ combat sorties against Iraq. Aircraft from USS John F. Kennedy conducted the first war-time use of the Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM), and battle group ship USS San Jacinto fired the first Tomahawk cruise missile against Iraq. During the 226 day deployment, USS John F. Kennedy was underway for 196 days, traveled 50,000 miles, and made the first-ever aircraft carrier Red Sea port visits to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Hurghada, Egypt. USS Mississippi conducted operations as part of the Maritime Intercept Force Red Sea escort unit. During a seven-and-a-half month deployment, the cruiser's crew boarded 73 merchant ships to enforce UN sanctions and fired Tomahawk cruise missiles on Iraqi targets. USS San Jacinto conducted maritime intercept operations preventing cargo shipments to or from Iraq and served as the antiwarfare commander protecting the Red Sea battle force from preemptive Iraqi or terrorist attacks. On 16 January, USS SAN JACINTO made naval history by firing the first Tomahawk cruise missile in combat to support air strikes by USS John F Kennedy and USS Saratoga. The AEGIS cruiser completed its seven-and-a-half month deployment protecting the battle force from any Iraqi air strikes. USS Thomas S Gates conducted operations in the Maritime Intercept Force, and under the command of Destroyer Squadron 36, the Red Sea escort cruiser played a decisive role in maritime interceptions during Operation Desert SHIELD and DESERT STORM. Newport RI: USS Samuel B Roberts conducted operations with the Red Sea Maritime Interception Force working cooperatively with an international force of ships to enforce UN sanctions against Iraq. The frigate alone conducted over 100 boardings of merchant ships to prevent cargo shipments to or from Iraq. Colts Neck NJ: USS Seattle, provided the ships of the USS John F. Kennedy Battle Group with fuel, ammunition and stores during the seven-and-a-half month deployment. Mayport FL: USS Saratoga, the 3rd carrier deployed, led a high-speed transit of the Atlantic to the gulf region, making the normally ten-day voyage in seven days -- the fastest Atlantic crossing since World War II. On station, the battle group units were strategically positioned to guard the northern and southern Red Sea entrances, then conducted the most successful maritime interdiction operation ever undertaken by the US, challenging 1,500+ merchants ships, intercepting and boarding 242, and diverting 13 from delivering contraband cargo. Following the tragic drownings of 21 crewmembers during a holiday port visit to Haifa, Israel, the carrier launched around-the-clock strikes on targets in Iraq and occupied Kuwait, registering 12,664 sorties, 11,700 launchings, 217 days underway, and only 20 days in port. USS Philippine Sea escorted the USS Saratoga across the Atlantic and through the Suez Canal - eventually becoming the first Navy ship to ever transit the Suez Canal six times -- to join the Maritime Interception Force in the Gulf of Aqaba. On two occasions while enforcing UN sanctions, USS Philippine Sea fired warning shots from its five- inch batteries and .50 caliber machine guns to stop vessels seeking to elude the quarantine. With the onset of hostilities, the guided missile cruiser, fired its Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets in Iraq before assuming operational duties. USS Spruance conducted assignments ranging from goodwill visits to submarine hunting to firing its Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in northern Iraq to assisting in the evacuation of the American Embassy in Beirut. In addition the destroyer operated as a member of the Maritime Interception Force, boarding three merchants and diverting one before completing its nearly eight-month deployment. USS Sampson performed the final Adams-class guided missile destroyer deployment as a unit of the Maritime Interception Force, conducting the first boarding and search of a merchant during Operation Desert Shield and the first diversion of a ship with prohibited cargo. After conducting the first-ever exercise ASROC shot in the Red Sea, USS Sampson operated with ships of various NATO navies conducting surveillance and protection of shipping in the approaches to the Suez Canal. USS Elmer Montgomery fired the first warning shots by US forces during an interception and was the first ship in theater to conduct 100 boardings. The fast frigate also diverted 6 merchants with prohibited cargo, supported by embarked Helicopter Squadron (Light) 36, Detachment 9, before assuming anti-air warfare defense of the Suez Canal and Mediterranean. Norfolk VA: USS Biddle conducted 36 boardings and diverted 8 merchant ships--the highest percentage of the Navy's maritime interceptions force--assisted by embarked Helicopter Detachment One's 375 antisub and anti-surface warfare sorties. The guided missile cruiser then assumed anti-aircraft defenses for the combined battle force in the Red Sea, coordinating 850 + aircraft interceptions with carrier-based combat air patrols. USS Thomas C Hart conducted 43 boardings and over 300 interrogations of merchant vessels near the Gulf of Aqaba, in the Northern Red Sea. Her 131 days in the Red Sea made the ground offensive easier by choking off supplies to Saddam Hussein's war machine. USS South Carolina spearheaded maritime interceptions in the Red Sea, boarding 26 merchant vessels before shifting to anti-air warfare commander for the Mediterranean Sea, protecting and identifying hundreds of coalition aircraft transiting to and from air strikes. Colts Neck NJ: USS Detroit replenished 250+ ships, including USS John F. Kennedy, USS Saratoga and USS America battle groups and 52 coalition ships, with 70 million gallons of diesel and jet fuel, and thousands of tons of ammunition and general stores by the end of deployment. USS Wisconsin, the first battleship to return to CONUS, arrived at Norfolk VA homeport. Braving mine fields and enemy fire in the Arabian Gulf, USS Wisconsin fired her 16-inch guns 324 times during 34 naval gunfire support missions, accounting for some 874,800 pounds of high explosives on enemy targets including command posts, infantry bunkers, missile and artillery sites and communication bunkers in occupied Kuwait. The battleship's barrages were so deadly, hundreds of Iraqis surrendered to the Remotely Piloted Vehicle -- the unmanned drone aircraft -- that was the spotter for the guns, a first in history 1991 - Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 130 of Carrier Air Wing 3 (embarked on USS John F. Kennedy) arrives at Whidbey Island WA homeport 1991 - Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 of Carrier Air Wing 17 (embarked on USS Saratoga) arrives at Whidbey Island WA homeport 1998 - MCDV HMCS Summerside laid down Halifax NS 2005 - Patagonia regional commanders of the Chilean and Argentine navies will evaluate in Puerto Williams the performance of this summer’s Combined Naval Antarctic patrolling. The Chilean side will be headed by Rear Admiral Edmundo Gonzalez commander of the III Naval Zone and Argentina will be represented by Austral Naval Area commander Guillermo Jose Estevez and his group. The evaluation process will include the four segments of this season’s patrolling, Alfa, Bravo, Charlie and Delta which were accomplished alternatively by a Chilean and an Argentine vessel. In spite of the end of the season, a vessel remains in full duty for any Antarctic emergency or logistics support to Antarctic exploration vessels. The patrolling this summer was done by the Argentine vessel “Suboficial Castrillo” and the Chilean icebreaker “Almirante Viel”, plus the support of the heavy duty Chilean tug, “Lautaro”. The combined Argentine Chilean Naval Antarctic Patrol was began in 1998 as a confidence building decision, with the purpose of safeguarding human lives, controlling and combating environmental contamination and mutual support in emergency situations in Antarctica 2005 - Experts warn that HMS Unicorn in Dundee is in danger of terminal decline without significant financial support 2005 - 50 people died on the island of Nias, near the epicenter of a massive earthquake off Indonesia. At least 300 dead in Indian Ocean area. A three-meter-high tsunami struck Simeuleu Island near Aceh minutes after the huge earthquake that struck off Indonesia's western coast, Kyoto and Agence France-Presse news agencies reported. A military commander in Indonesia's Aceh Province said the tsunami had caused extensive damage. According to an Aceh-based journalist who made contact with the island, the main hospital in Sinabang had been destroyed and could not be used. He said there were unconfirmed reports of 25 dead on the island 2005 - For the first time since 2001, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 personnel began to embark aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier's flight deck certification, following a four-year mid-life overhaul. During flight deck certification, the flight deck goes through rigorous testing to get certified to launch and recover aircraft; this is the next milestone for Ike's return to the fleet. Helicopters arrived March 29, and Ike's flight deck was busy with the arrival of the air wing's fixed-wing aircraft, marking the first arrested landing in four years 2006 - Three Arab states have promised to donate two ferries each to Egypt, nearly two months after an Egyptian ferry sank in the Red Sea leaving some 1,000 people dead. The six 70-million-dollar ferries shall operate in the Red Sea and be use d primarily to transport Muslim pilgrims and Egyptian expatriates in the Gulf 2006 - Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star returned to Seattle after a whirlwind two-month Antarctic deployment in support of the scientific community at McMurdo Station. The National Science Foundation contracted with the Russian icebreaker Krasin to break a re-supply channel into the science station this year, keeping the Polar Star on standby in Seattle in case it was needed. When the Krasin experienced mechanical problems, the 399-foot Polar Star was given 48 hours advance notice to get underway Jan. 20 2006 - A Coast Guard Station Point Allerton 47-foot motor life boat crew dewatered and towed the grounded fishing vessel Guardian from Grave's Light to safety at Boston's Fish Pier today. Coast Guard Sector Boston received a report that the 71-foot fishing vessel homeported in Boston, with four crewmembers aboard, ran aground on the northeast side of Graves Light at 0500. Coast Guard Station Point Allerton deployed the MLB, a 41-foot utility boat and a 25-foot rescue boat. Assets were on scene within 13 minutes of the call. The vessel sustained serious damage to its bilge and was taking on water. The Coast Guard response crew control the flooding using multiple dewatering pumps. No injuries were reported. The Guardian was inbound Boston on its last day of a 12-day fishing patrol around the George's Bank area. Aboard were operator George Walsh of Quincy, Mass, owner Michael Hillier of Gloucester, Mass, and crewmembers Jonathan and Larry Avanzino of Waltham, Mass. All crewmembers donned survival suits as a precaution. Boom was placed around the vessel to contain a minor hydraulic leak at the pier while temporary repairs were made to the bilge. Their catch has been offloaded 2006 - The European Commission (EC) has cleared the proposed acquisition of the French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique by Aker yards ASA. The main impact of the proposed take-over would be in the market for the construction of large cruise ships (above 30,000 gross tonnes). The market for the construction of such cruise ships is global in scope with the main suppliers situated in Europe 2006 - Schat-Harding has expanded production at its Chinese plant to build the first of a series of new design high-speed patrol boats. The first 10 meter UP1000 patrol boat can reach 32 knots with and was delivered during March to Shan Dong Maritime Safety Administration for use in coastal patrol work 2006 - COSCO Corp. (Singapore) Ltd. has sold four of its older vessels for $34 million as part of an ongoing fleet renewal exercise and will realize a profit of about $14.2 million from the sale 2006 - The Canadian Coast Guard heavy icebreaker, Louis St. Laurent, will spend the next several weeks at the Halifax Shipyard undergoing refit before launching its summer program 2006 - Deep Blue Marine Inc. (Pink Sheets: DPBM) is pleased to announce that the company has signed an agreement to purchase a 62-foot research vessel known as Deep Scan. The boat was originally built to operate as a stable search and recovery platform for metal objects on the ocean floor. The boat was inspected on June 23, 2005, and any and all items of concern were repaired or replaced. The boat comes completely equipped and ready for service 2006 - In a ceremony at Yeovilton the F2A Sea Harrier last of the RNs dedicated fixed wing carrier aircraft will officially be withdrawn from service 2007 - USCG Commandant for Operations Rear Admiral David Pekoske and Director of Health and Safety Rear Admiral Paul Higgins will testify before the Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard on the future of the Coast Guard Dive Program 2007- Frigate CNS Almirante Lynch (ex-HMS Grafton) commissioned at Portsmouth 2007 - Smugglers taking illegal migrants from Somalia to Yemen forced hundreds of Africans overboard in stormy seas in an effort to make a fast getaway from security forces 2007 - Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov dismissed Nakhimov Naval College chief Rear Adm. Alexander Bukin for flaws in the organization of the cadets' training and welfare 2007 - Aker American Shipping subsidiary Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc., signed an agreement with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. extending the current relationship to include additional tankers as well as containerships. This further solidifies the strong partnership between Aker American Shipping, a leading Jones Act ship owner, and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard 2007 - Dock landing ship Pearl Harbor departed San Diego for a deployment to warmer tropical climes. The ship, along with its crew of more than 300, will join a US Navy Task Group for a series of exercises called the “Partnership of the Americas 2007,” in Latin America and the Caribbean. The task group will include two other Navy ships — Norfolk-based destroyer Mitscher and the Mayport-based frigate Samuel B. Roberts — along with the Chilean Navy frigate Almirante Latorre, which arrived in Mayport in mid-March after transiting the Panama Canal. Capt. Randall Snyder, who commands Destroyer Squadron 40 in Mayport, will lead the task group in support of the US Southern Command 2007 - ABG Shipyard secured a repeat order for construction of 1 No. APS 100 MT Tug at a price of USD 13.50 million from Lamnalco, Cyprus. This is the 12th ship order from Lamnalco and the company has already delivered 6 vessels and other 5 vessels are under construction 2007 - NOAA named Charles S. Baker deputy assistant administrator of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service 2007 - Authorities are searching for a man missing in Long Island Sound near Milford Point CT after two friends aboard his sailboat noticed he was missing at 1830 2007 - CACI International’s Dr. J.P. (Jack) London, Chairman, President & CEO, has received the Navy League of the United States Fleet Admiral Chester A. Nimitz Award 2008 - Egypt has started to install security cameras along the Suez Canal after a warning shot fired from a cargo ship chartered by the US Navy killed an Egyptian trader on a motorboat 2008 - Nigeria announces new patrol boats for Niger Delta to be delivered in April 2008 - Vice Admiral Ram Prem Suthan, Vice Chief of Naval Staff designate of the Indian Navy sternly warned all Indian fishermen not to enter the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. 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