Naval History and Heritage Command

Confederate ship David severely damages ironclad steamer New Ironsides with a spar torpedo off Charleston, S.C. Though not sunk, she has to leave the blockade for repairs at Philadelphia, Penn.

USS Mary Alice (SP 397) is sunk in a collision with USS O-13 (SS 74) in Long Island Sound. There are no casualties.

PBY aircraft from Commander Aircraft South Pacific sink Japanese submarine 1-22 near Indispensable Strait, Solomon Islands. Also on this date, PBY aircraft from VP-73 sink German submarine U-582 south of Iceland.

The Organized Naval Reserve is placed on short notice for call to active duty by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox. 

Task Force 14 (TF 14) performs raids on Wake Island. Rear Adm. Sakaibara Shigematsu then orders the execution of the 98 remaining civilians captured on Dec. 23, 1941 due to his fear they would escape and weaken his garrison.

Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz is given a parade in his honor through downtown Washington, D.C. at the end of World War II.