Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Niblack (DD 424) picks up three boatloads of survivors from Dutch freighter Saleier, which was sunk the previous day by a German U-boat. The destroyer detects a submarine preparing to attack and drives it off with a depth charge attack. It is the first action between American and German forces in World War II.

USS Thresher (SS 200) torpedoes and sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Maru six miles north of Oshima, near the entrance to Tokyo Bay, Honshu, Japan.

TBM bombers and FM-2s aircraft (VC 58) from USS Guadalcanal (CVE 60) sink German submarine U 68 off Madeira Island.

During diving tests, USS Thresher (SSN 593) is lost with all hands east of Cape Cod, Mass., including commanding officer and 17 civilian technicians.

During the Vietnam War, the river patrol boats (PBRs) of River Patrol Force commence operations on inland waters of South Vietnam.