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Naval History and Heritage Command
Today in Naval History
April 9
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Year at a Glance
1941 - USS North Carolina (BB 55) is commissioned. Some of the notable battles she participates in are the Guadalcanal Campaign and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.
On This Day

1848

A party of men from the sloop-of-war USS Dale march 12 miles inland from Guaymas, Mexico, to capture and spike a 3-gun Mexican battery that was firing at other ships.

1941

USS North Carolina (BB 55) is commissioned. Some of the notable battles she participates in are the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of Philippine Sea, and gunfire support during the Iwo Jima invasion.

1943

Due to World War II, the rank of commodore is reestablished as a temporary rank. During the 1986 Defense Authorization bill, O-7 officers are called rear admiral (lower half).

1944

TBM bombers and FM-2s aircraft (VC 58) from USS Guadalcanal (CVE 60), together with USS Pillsbury (DE 133), USS Pope (DE 134), USS Flaherty (DE 135), and USS Chatelain (DE 149) sink German submarine U 515.

1959

The first seven Mercury astronauts are selected, including three Navy aviators and one Marine: Lt. Cmdr. Walter M. Schirra, Lt. Malcom S. Carpenter, Marine Lt. Col. John Glenn Jr., and Lt. Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard.