SeaWaves Today in History October 16, 2008 1690 - The commander of the British forces besieging Quebec sends a delegation to meet with Frontenac and demand the town's surrender. Frontenac announces that his reply will come "from the mouths of my cannon and muskets" 1790 - Contract entered into for the construction of the first of the 10 revenue cutters, Massachusetts at Newburyport, MA 1793 - During the French Revolution, Queen Marie Antoinette was beheaded 1813 - John Jacob Astor with his Pacific Fur Company partners, sells Fort Astoria to the North West Company; proclaimed British territory 1820 - Cape Breton Island officially rejoins Nova Scotia 1859 - Abolitionist John Brown led a group of about 20 men in a raid on Harper's Ferry. A fiery ideologue, Brown's expectation was that his takeover of the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, which was also a railway center, would inspire a great uprising of slaves in the area to join and be armed by him, whereupon they would then all progress further. What happened was that the men at and around the arsenal resisted long enough to slow him down and also telegraphing out what was happening. Receipt of this wire saw a force of hastily picked up Marines, under command of US Army Engineers Colonel Robert E. Lee, promptly sent by rail to Harper's Ferry, where a militia had gathered and Brown's group had retreated into the arsenal building. Thus contained, Brown's men were slowly picked off until a charge was possible and the Marines and militia smashed into the arsenal. Brown was captured, tried for armed rebellion and treason, convicted, and hanged under supervision of the man who later became Lee's right-hand Confederate leader -- "Stonewall" Jackson 1885 - CAPT Alfred Thayer Mahan, USN, becomes Superintendent of the Naval War College 1891 - Baltimore Incident, Valparaiso, Chile 1901 - Inauguration of the Victoria Bridge in Montreal 1911 - Gunboat HNLMS Brinio laid down 1913 - Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth launched 1916 - Destroyers USS Conner & Stockton laid down 1917 - Drifters HM CD 2 & CD 8 completed. Built by Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd, Lauzon PQ, 99t, 84x19.3x10ft, 9kts, 1-6pdr 1917 - Submarines USS R-1, R-2, R-4 & R-5 laid down 1919 - Destroyer USS Williamson launched 1919 - Minesweeper USS Vireo commissioned 1937 - Destroyer USS Helm commissioned 1939 - Ju-88s of the 1st Group of the Luftwaffe's 30th Bomber Wing under Captain Pohle, bomb ships in the Firth of Forth and slightly damage cruisers HMS Southampton & Edinburgh 1939 - British women are taking up their knitting needles in accordance with instructions from the admiralty. Basic specifications for every shape of garment from the sea-boot stocking to the Balaclava helmet have been issued and unending supplies are needed. A firm of wool experts is currently advising the admiralty on the production of detailed patterns, but in the meantime British knitters of all ages are urged to get clicking 1939 - German warships are ordered to torpedo allied merchant shipping without warning 1939 - In Mexico, the German tanker SS Emmy Friedrich, whose cargo includes refrigerants needed for the magazine cooling systems in armored ship Admiral Graf Spee, then on a raiding foray into the Atlantic, departs Tampico. The USN Neutrality Patrol assets, including the aircraft carrier USS Ranger & heavy cruiser USS San Francisco, are mobilized to locate and trail the ship if the need arises 1939 - In the U.K., US freighter SS Gateway City is detained by British authorities while US freighter SS Black Heron, detained by the British at Weymouth, England, since 7 October, is released 1939 - While providing escort for a North Sea convoy, destroyer HMS Mohawk was attacked by a German Ju88 aircraft. Before the dive-bomber was destroyed, it released two bombs which fell to starboard (abreast of the bridge) and to port (abreast of the torpedo tubes). The bombs exploded on the surface of the sea well before most men had time to reach their action stations. Machine gun bullets and jagged metal splinters decimated the mooring party on the focsle, slashed through the bridge, the wheelhouse, the director and the communications system. The personnel manning the machine guns, the search light position and after control position were mowed down by the projectiles. Fifteen men were killed and thirty injured; mostly experienced executive officers. On the bridge, Commander Jolly suffered a mortal stomach wound. While denying the comfort of medical attention, and in great pain and suffering, he commanded his ship for 35 miles until she was safely in port. After being taken to hospital at South Queensferry, England, he died several hours later. For his gallantry, the Captain was awarded the George Cross posthumously. The ship was patched up at Rosyth then made her way to the Hawthorn Leslie Yard on the Tyne River for permanent repairs and a refit 1939 - AMC HMS Ascania commissioned 1939 - Destroyer HMS Havelock launched 1939 - U-205, U-206, U-207, U-208, U-209, U-210, U-211, U-212, U-375, U-376, U-377, U-378, U-379, U-380, U-381, U-382, U-405, U-406, U-407, U-408, U-435, U-436, U-437, U-438, U-559, U-560, U-561, U-562 ordered 1939 - U-19 laid a field of 9 mines; this field was responsible for the loss of three ships some days later 1940 - Destroyer HMCS Saguenay departed Halifax for UK to join EG 10, Greenock. 1940 - The Canadian Great Lakes Carrier bulk cargo ship Trevisa (1,813 GRT) was sunk in the North Atlantic in position 57.28N, 020.30W, by U-124, KptLt. Georg-Wilhelm Schulz, Knight's Cross, CO. Seven men were lost from her 21 crewmembers. U-124 was a long-range Type IXB submarine built by AG Weser, at Bremen. She was commissioned on 11 Jun 40. U-124 conducted 12 patrols and compiled a most impressive record of 50 ships sunk for a total of 236,791 tons and two ships damaged for a further 18,233 tons. U-124, commanded by KKpt Johann Mohr, Knight's Cross, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, CO, was sunk on 02 Apr 43 west of Oporto, in position 41.02N, 015.39W, by depth charges from the British Flower-class corvette Stonecrop and the sloop Black Swan. All 53 of her crewmembers were lost. Trevisa was a 'straggler' from convoy SC-7. Because of this, she is not listed among the 15 ships lost from the 34 ships in that convoy. While Trevisa was sunk on 16 Oct, allied records indicate the first ship sunk from the convoy was not until 17 Oct. German records, which include the sinking of 'stragglers' and 'rompers', indicate a total of 21 ships sunk for a total of 79,592 tons. Eight U-boats attacked SC-7 during the nights of 17 – 19 Oct. Among the attackers were the 'top boats' U-46 (Endrass), U-99 (Kretchmer), and U-100 (Schepke). U-124 (Schultz) did not sink any ships other than Trevisa in this battle. Georg-Wilhelm Schulz was born in 1909, at Cologne. He began his naval career after ten years in the merchant marine, including service in large sailing ships. He joined the Kriegsmarine in Oct 33 and joined the U-boat force on 27 Sep 35. He was appointed to command the small coastal Type IIA submarine U-10 in Jan 39. On 16 Dec 39 he commissioned the long-range Type IXB submarine U-64, at the age of 33. U-64 was sunk during the Norwegian Campaign by bombs from a British 'Swordfish' patrol plane from the British battleship Warspite 13 Apr 40. The 38 survivors, including KptLt. Schulz, made a free ascent from their sunken submarine and were rescued by troops of a German 'mountain division'. Schulz commissioned U-124 in Jun 40. In total, Schulze sank 19 ships for a total of 89,886 tons and damaged one ship for a further 3,900 tons, making him the 39th highest scoring U-boat ace. He was awarded the Knight's Cross on 04 Apr 41, the 27th presented in the U-boat force). Some of U-124's watch officers also went on to become great aces. These included Hardegen, Henke and Mohr. KptLt. Schulz left U-124 in Sep 41 and became the commander of the 6th Flotilla, first in Danzig, then in St. Nazaire. In Oct 43, he was posted as the admiral's staff officer for the Commander U-boat flotillas, in Gotenhafen. He was also the leader of the U-boat testing group, where the new type XXI and XXIII boats were tested. On 22 Apr 45 he was appointed to the command of the 25th U-Flotilla. KKpt. Schulz was detained briefly after the capitulation and was released on 15 Jul 45. Georg-Wilhelm Schulz died in Hamburg on 05 Jul 86. 1940 - During battle against convoy OB- 228, U-93 was attacked three times - in the early morning by three escorts with 19 depth charges, the second time at 1015 hrs by an escort with 7 depth charges, and the third and last time in the evening by a Sunderland aircraft with a bomb. The boat suffered no damage at all 1940 - Corvettes HMCS Trail & Chicoutimi launched 1940 - Destroyer USS Hambleton laid down 1940 - Corvette USS Tenacity ex-HMS Candytuft 1940 - Corvette HNLMS Friso ex-HMS Carnation commissioned 1940 - U-458 laid down 1940 - U-145 commissioned 1940 - Dunkirk is bombarded by ships of the Royal Navy 1940 - The fifth group of ten USN ships involved in the destroyers- for- bases agreement with Britain--USS Twiggs, Philip, Evans, Wicke, McCalla, Rodgers, Conner, Conway, Stockton & Yarnall--arrive at Halifax NS 1940 - Fleet Air Arm Skua and Swordfish aircraft from HMS Furious raided the German base facilities at Tromso 1941 - U-204 entered the Spanish harbor of Cadiz to take on supplies from the German tanker Thalia 1941 - Destroyer HMS Chiddingfold commissioned 1941 - U-638 laid down 1941 - U-600 launched 1941 - U-160, U-592, U-703 commissioned 1941 - Japanese Prime Minister Konoye resigns. General Tojo Heidiki (Japanese order) is appointed to the position of Prime Minister, War Minister and Home Affairs Minister. In Prince Konoye's cabinet he had been War Minister. Although the decision to go to war has not been finally taken, these changes show the rise of those wishing to go to war. The Chief of Naval Operations sends the following message to the fleet commanders - "The resignation of the Japanese Cabinet has created a grave situation X If a new Cabinet is formed it will probably be strongly nationalistic and anti American X If the Konoye Cabinet remains the effect will be that it will operate under a new mandate which will not include rapprochement with the US X In either case hostilities between Japan and Russia are a strong possibility X Since the US and Britain are held responsible by Japan for her present desperate situation there is also a possibility that Japan may attack these two powers X In view of these possibilities you will take due precautions including such preparatory deployments as will not disclose strategic intention nor constitute provocative actions against Japan X Second and third addressees (in the Pacific) inform appropriate Army and Naval district authorities X Acknowledge XX 1941 - Marshal Petain orders the arrest of Daladier, Reynaud and Blum, former Prime Ministers of France. They are charged with the French defeat 1941 - During the night U-568 will strike the destroyer USS Kearny. This convoy battle involves British, Canadian and US ships. In the Atlantic, the battle to protect convoy SC-48 continues. German submarines U-502 and U-568 reestablish contact before retiring upon arrival of the USN's Task Unit 4.1.4 (Captain Hewlett Thebaud). Destroyer USS Livermore sweeps ahead of the convoy, and depth charges U-553; destroyer USS Kearny, sweeping astern, drops charges to discourage tracking submarines. Later, U-502 and U-568, augmented by U-432, U-553, and U-558 renew attack upon SC-48. The U-boats commence a determined assault on SC 48 during the night of 16-17 October. Whilst escorting convoy SC-48 which is facing a concentration of U-boats, Flower class corvette HMS Gladiolus disappears. Early the following morning a very loud explosion is heard behind the convoy, following an attack by U-568, but there is no conclusive evidence of this loss, or any survivors. Possible location of this loss Atlantic, 67N 25W 1941 - U-568 sank SS Empire Heron in Convoy SC-48 1941 - Romanian forces capture the Black Sea port of Odessa 1942 - U-160 sank SS Castle Harbor & damaged SS Winona in Convoy TRIN-19 1942 - Submarine USS Jack launched 1942 - Minesweeper HMS Circe commissioned 1942 - Trawler HMS Ironbound commissioned & loaned to RCN 1942 - Destroyers USS Bullard & Kidd laid down 1942 - U-340 commissioned 1942 - U-353 sunk in the North Atlantic, in position 53.54N, 29.30W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Fame. 6 dead and 39 survivors. U-353 was the second U-boat to be sunk around convoy SC-104. U-661 was destroyed the day before with all hands 1942 - During the night, a Japanese surface force (Rear Admiral Omori Sentaro), with heavy cruisers HIJMS Maya & Moko, and light cruiser HIJMS Isuzu and seven destroyers (Rear Admiral Tanaka Raizo), shells Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. USMC SBD Dauntlesses and P-39 and P-400 Airacobras fly 7 ground-attack missions against the Japanese invasion force landing at the Kokumbona-Doma Reef area just 8 miles way however, the enemy continues to bombard Henderson Field by air strike and artillery and to land troops. Assisting in these attacks are aircraft from Task Force TF 17, formed around the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (Rear Admiral George D. Murray), which strike Japanese troops on Guadalcanal, and the seaplane base at Rekata Bay, Santa Isabel Island. USS Hornet is spotted by an IJN search plane late in the morning and 9 "Val" dive bombers (Aichi D3A, Navy Type 99 Carrier Bombers) are dispatched from Rabaul, New Britain Island, to attack but they cannot find the carrier. The seaplane tender destroyer USS McFarland and two other ships make an emergency run to Guadalcanal to deliver aviation fuel. While unloading cargo and embarking wounded personnel in Lunga Roads, McFarland is attacked by the 9 "Val" divebombers that could not find the Hornet. While the first seven scored no hits, the eighth hits a gasoline barge in tow alongside the tender's starboard quarter setting 40,000 US gallons (151,416.5 liters) afire. The blazing barge is cut loose as the ninth plane made its run. At least one bomb hits McFarland's stern, knocking out her rudder and steering engine. Her crew managed to splash one plane, but 5 men are killed, 6 are missing and 12 are critically wounded. USS McFarland is towed to Florida Island, where she moored to the beach in the upper channel (later called McFarland Channel) of Tulagi harbor. During the day, Fifth Air Force B-17s attack shipping off Moila Point 1942 - USAAF B-26s attack 2 IJN destroyers at low level and sink one and severely damage the other in the Aleutians 1942 - In India, a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal kills some 40,000 south of Calcutta 1942 - Submarine USS Thresher mines the approaches to Bangkok in the first US Navy submarine mine plant of World War II 1942 - Cuba and Russia established diplomatic relations 1942 - Carrier aircraft from USS Hornet conduct attacks on Japanese troops on Guadalcanal 1943 - A bitter action around convoy ON-206 saw three German U-boats sunk - two by RAF Liberators of 59, 86 and 120 Squadrons, and one by HMS Sunflower. A fourth U-boat was sunk by an 86 Squadron Liberator covering convoy ONS-20. And a fifth was sunk far away in the Gulf of Oman by RAF Bisley aircraft of 244 Squadron 1943 - U-470 sunk SW of Iceland, in position 58.20N, 29.20W, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqn 59/C & 120/E). 46 dead and 2 survivors 1943 - Yacht Coastal USS Moonstone sunk after collision with USS Greer off Delaware Capes 1943 - U-533 sunk in the Gulf of Oman, in position 25.28N, 56.50E, by depth charges from a British Bisley (Blenheim) aircraft (Sqn 244/O). 52 dead and 1 survivor 1943 - U-964 sunk in the North Atlantic SW of Iceland, in position 57.27N, 27.17W, by depth charges from British Liberator aircraft (Sqn 86/Y). 47 dead and 3 survivors 1943 - U-319 launched 1943 - Gate vessels HMC GV 20, GV 22 & 2 other unknown numbers ordered 1943 - U-396 commissioned 1943 - Frigates HMS Tortola & Waldegrave laid down 1943 - Escort carrier USS Kalinin Bay launched 1943 - Frigate USS Annapolis launched 1943 - Frigate HMS Spragge launched 1943 - Frigate HMCS Ste Therese launched 1943 - Frigate HMS Fitzroy commissioned 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Gunason launched 1943 - Submarine USS Picuda commissioned 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Trumpeter commissioned 1943 - Destroyer USS Marshall commissioned 1943 - US-built destroyer escorts transferred under Lend-Lease to Great Britain (HMS Byard, Bentinck, Berry, Drury & Bazely enter combat for the first time as escorts for convoy ONS 20. Byard will sink U-841 on 17 October. The British classify the ships as "frigates" 1943 - USN accepts its first helicopter, a USAAF Sikorsky YR-4B-SI Hoverfly at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The USN receives three and designates them XHNS-1s 1943 - U-448 shot down RCAF Sunderland aircraft, Squadron 422/S near Convoy ONS-20. U-448 and U-281 were both involved in the attack and the former was so damaged she had to abort her patrol 1943 - U-844 shot down RAF Liberator aircraft, Squadron 59/S near Convoy ONS-20. The aircraft was damaged and had to ditch near HMS Pink. U-844 was lost in this attack 1943 - Two men were lost overboard in the North Atlantic from U-220. [Bootsmaat Georg Koerner, Matrosenobergefreiter Gerhard Lange]. Thus only 54 men were on board when the boat was sunk 12 days later 1943 - An RAF Sunderland aircraft attacked U-448, killing one man and wounding 2. [Oberbootsmaat Fritz Döhler] 1943 - U-231 pulled from the water five men from the just-sunk U-964. One of them, the commander ObltzS Hummerjohann, was already dead, and a second survivor died some minutes after his rescue, so only three men of U-964 survived 1943 - Corvette HMCS Brandon completed forecastle extension refit Grimsby UK 1944 - Corvette HMCS Timmins completed forecastle extension refit Sydney NS 1944 - Destroyer escort USS Cecil J Doyle commissioned 1944 - HMC ML 129 commissioned 1944 - Submarine USS Tilefish sinks a cargo ship & a picket boat near Matsuwa Jima 1944 - USCG icebreakers USCGC Eastwind & Southwind capture German weather ship Externsteine off Cape Borgen, Shannon Island, on the east coast of Greenland. Eastwind's crew unofficially christens the captured auxiliary "Eastbreeze." Both icebreakers, however, are damaged by pack ice 1944 - Canadian drive to clear the Scheldt River near Antwerp is slowly overcoming German units north and south of the waterway 1944 - Japanese torpedo planes attack Task Group 30.3 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) and again damage light cruiser USS Houston. Japanese reconnaissance pilots tell the Imperial General Staff that the great victory over Task Force 38 two days ago was an illusion. They report that Halsey's fleet still has 13 carriers, seven battleships and 10 cruisers. It actually has 17 carriers. In support of the upcoming invasion of Leyte and to cover the damaged USN ships in tow to Ulithi, Task Group 38.4 launches air strikes against Luzon in the Philippines. The aircraft carrier USS Franklin is attacked by three enemy planes, one of which scores with a bomb that hit the after outboard corner of the deck edge elevator, killing 3 and wounding 22 1944 - U-2520 launched 1944 - U-2340, U-3506 commissioned 1944 - HMCS Annan (K404), River-class frigate, A/LCdr. Charles Patrick Balfry, RCNR, CO, and HMCS Loch Achanalt, a Loch-class frigate, LCdr. Richard W. Hart, RCNVR, CO, sank U-1006, OLtzS Horst Voigt, CO, south-west of the Faeroes, in position 60.59N, 004.49W. Annan gained a sonar contact and attacked with depth charges. The contact was subsequently assessed as a whale and Annan rejoined her escort group. However, in fact it had been U-1006, which was badly damaged and forced to surface. Loch Achanalt subsequently detected U-1006 on radar, whereupon she and Annan were sent back to investigate. U-1006 fired a T-5 acoustic-homing torpedo, which was decoyed by Annan's CAAT gear and exploded harmlessly. A gun duel ensued during which eight of Annan's crew were wounded. Annan attacked with depth charges on a shallow setting, which finally sank U-1006. From her crew of 50 men, there were 44 survivors, including the CO. U-1006 was a medium-range Type VIIC submarine built by Blohm and Voss, at Hamburg. She was commissioned on 11 Jan 44. U-1006 conducted one operational patrol and did not sink or damage any ships. Horst Voigt was born in 1919, at Leipzig. He joined the navy in 1938. His first operational service was as the commander of the 2nd R-boat Flotilla (until Sep 41) and then commander of the 6th R-boat flotilla until Nov 42. Next, he commanded the 2nd Artillery Lighter Flotilla until Mar 43 when he transferred to the U-boat force. After conversion training, Voigt was assigned to the 23rd U-boat Flotilla in Oct 43 for command training and on 11 Jan 44 was assigned to commission U-1006, at the age of 24. OLtzS Voigt was captured when U-1006 was sunk on 16 Oct 44. There is no record of his being detained after the Capitulation. He did not sink of damage any ships. In 2007 the role of Annan was called into question with the sinking may be attributed to HMCS Outremont 1945 - Escort carrier USS Point Cruz commissioned 1945 - Corvette HMCS Sorel sold for scrap 1945 - Minesweepers HMCS Blairmore & Milltown paid off Sydney NS & laid up Sorel PQ 1945 - Destroyer USS Lang decommissioned 1946 - Admiral Raeder sentenced to life & Donitz 10 years respectively for war crimes at Nuremberg 1947 - RCN 18th CAG, 743 Sqn, OFTS, Seafire XV a/c #PR505, A/Lt (P) Alexander Lee "Sandy" Warren crashed. Pilot killed 1952 - A Merchant Marine Detail was established at Yokohama, Japan to handle increased merchant marine problems occurring there as a result of the Korean Conflict 1956 - USCGC Pontchartrain on Ocean Station November rescued the passengers and crew of Pan American Clipper Flight 943 which ditched between Honolulu and San Francisco 1964 - China detonated its first atomic bomb 1969 - USS Coral Sea port call Subic Bay 1995 - Destroyer HMCS Kootenay, utilizing an ad-hoc sail, "sailed 'round the Horn" 1997 - HMCS Yellowknife delivered from builder Halifax NS 1999 - A New York Air National Guard plane rescued Dr. Jerri Nielsen from a South Pole research center after she'd spent five months isolated by the Antarctic winter, which forced her to treat herself for a breast lump 2002 - USNS Bob Hope & Fisher activated 2004 - Australian Government advertised for Australian shipbuilders to bid for one of Australia's largest and most complex defense projects, the Navy's Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs) 2005 - Brazilian Navy conducts a sailpast and capabilities demonstration off the Rio de Janeiro waterfront. This was to promote the 183rd Anniversary of the Marinha Do Brasil 2005 - Four people and their 56ft Ketch were rescued by Fowey lifeboat, 4 miles south of Fowey, following a 999 call to Brixham Coastguard from the yacht at 2112. The caller stated that their vessel, Seafarer 2 was taking water fast and that is was unlikely that the vessel would stay afloat before reaching Fowey, the nearest port. Two of the crew were bailing with buckets with the water gaining, and the vessel's speed was decreasing due to the amount of water onboard. The weather at the time was southerly force 5 with 4 miles visibility and heavy rain. A Mayday Relay was broadcast to obtain assistance from vessels in the area, and Fowey RNLI all weather lifeboat and Rescue helicopter 169 from RAF Chivenor were sent to assist. RFA Brambleleaf also proceeded, but was stood down before reaching the yacht. The lifeboat was alongside the yacht within 20 minutes of being tasked and a pump was transferred onboard. Once it was confirmed the water level was reducing and the yacht was safely in tow by the lifeboat, the Rescue helicopter was stood down 2005 - Three young girls aged between 12 and 14 years old found themselves in danger whilst surfing at Chapel Porth beach, Cornwall. At 1417 Falmouth Coastguards received a 999 call from a member of the public, reporting three girls in difficulty in the water at Chapel Porth beach. St Agnes Coastguard Rescue team was sent to the scene, the RNLI Inshore lifeboat from St Agnes, and Royal Navy Helicopter Rescue 193 from Culdrose was tasked to the incident. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 1424 and located three young girls aged 12 - 14, and with the assistance of some local surfers rescued them from Horseshoe Cave. All three girls were then taken to Chapel Porth beach and then transferred by Rescue helicopter to Treliske hospital for treatment 2005 - Two males believed to be in their early twenties were seen jumping off the North Pier at Bridlington under the influence of alcohol. Humber Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public at 0303. Bridlington Coastguard rescue team was sent to the area and the Bridlington RNLI Inshore Lifeboat was requested to launch. Humberside Police and Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service were also on scene 2005 - The Royal Australian Navy's newest ship, HMAS Armidale, the first of the Armidale class patrol boats, completed her Mission Readiness Evaluation. This key milestone means Armidale is now ready to start patrolling and protecting Australia's coastline 2005 - US Coast Guard investigators are recommending $20,000 in fines for a Kauai man for an incident in which two divers drifted from his 25-foot boat off Anahola on Oct. 30, 2003, and could have lost their lives. However, through his efforts, Peter Bonfiglio, the owner of Kauai Divers, stayed with a panicky diver, a woman visitor from Japan, under overcast skies and choppy waters and brought her close enough to shore where they were rescued by a fishing boat. The other diver, a woman visitor from Oregon, swam for hours and made it safely back to shore at Flat Rock Reef, which is located about a mile north of Kealia Beach. Coast Guard investigators are recommending Bonfiglio be fined $15,000 because there was no company employee to watch over two other divers aboard the boat while he went in the water to help the women divers, according to Coast Guard records obtained by The Garden Island. Coast Guard investigators also are recommending Bonfiglio be fined another $5,000 for not having a random drug-testing program for employees. Bonfiglio was the only company employee on board the 25-foot Makuamana on the day of the accident 2006 - Under the aegis of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), the Theatre Missile Defense Ad Hoc Working Group (TMD AHWG) will conduct the third joint NATO-Russia TMD Command Post Exercise (CPX) from 16-25 October 2006 at the Russian Simulation Facility located in the Research and Development Center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation 2006 - Norwegian Sun entered the Port of New Orleans as the first cruise ship to homeport in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. The ship docked at the city's new $37 million Erato Street Terminal, which is designed to accommodate larger cruise ships 2006 - American Commercial Lines Inc announced the dedication of a new enclosed manufacturing facility at its shipyard in Jeffersonville IN 2006 - The 2004-built, 39,035 dwt Torm Anholt was anchored in the Kenner bend west of New Orleans when the 2001-built, 38,391 dwt Zagora collided with it. Torm Anholt had a gash forward of the superstructure and approximately 6 ft to 9 ft above the waterline 2006 - ConocoPhillips and its wholly owned subsidiary, Polar Tankers, the owner of tanker Polar Texas that spilled more than 1,000 gallons of crude oil into Puget Sound's Dalco Passage on Oct. 13, 2004, will pay more than $2.3 million dollars in costs and penalties to the federal government 2006 - Air Vice-Marshal David Bamfield has had his appointment as Vice Chief of Defense Force (VCDF) extended for a further 12 month period from February 2007 New Zealand Defense Minister Phil Goff announced 2006 - QinetiQ appointed Admiral Sir Alan West, former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff and a member of the Defense Council and Admiralty Board, to the newly created post of chair of its recently formed Defense Advisory Board 2006 - Ocean 6, the Navy's newest Afloat Forward Staging Base, sailed from the Mina Salman piers enroute to the Northern Persian Gulf. Ocean 6, a chartered barge that features the information and coordination capabilities of a coalition warship's combat information center, will act as a command-and-control platform in support of personnel assigned to protect the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT) and Al Basrah Oil Terminal (ABOT) 2007 - A Spanish warship seized a US treasure-hunting vessel Madrid suspects of taking gold and silver worth millions of dollars from a sunken Spanish galleon 2007 - Assistant Secretary for Policy Stewart Baker will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on the SAFE Port Act 2007 - Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad completed the construction of specialized coast guard vessel Sprut. The ship, which is to help monitor environmental legislation at sea, will serve in the waters outside Murmansk Copyright 2008 Shirlaw News Group ISSN 1710-6966 Today in History Archives This information is licensed to the recipient only. Images may be subject to copyright. 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