Naval History and Heritage Command

Capt. William Reynolds of the screw sloop-of-war, USS Lackawanna, raises the U.S. flag over Midway Islands and takes formal possession of these islands for the United States.

During a period of political unrest at Valparaiso, Chile, Marines form boarding parties from cruisers USS San Francisco and USS Baltimore to protect American lives and guard the U.S. Consulate.

120 women are commissioned as ensigns or lieutenant junior grades as WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) and report to "USS Northampton," Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

PBY Catalinas from VP-92 and Canadian corvette HMCS Oakville sink German submarine U-94. USS Lea (DD 118) and Oakville pick up the survivors. Previously, U-94 had sunk 26 Allied vessels while also damaging one Allied vessel, although none from the United States.

USS Boxer (CV 21) launches an explosive-filled drone which explodes against a railroad bridge near Hungnam, Korea. This mission marks the first guided missile launched from a ship during the Korean War.

A helicopter from USS America (CVA 66) rescues three civilian sailors who spent 10 days in a lifeboat 80 miles off Cape May, N.J., after their sailboat capsizes.

USS Momsen (DDG 92) is commissioned at Panama City, Fla., before sailing to its homeport of Everett, Wash. The 42nd of the Arleigh Burke-class of guided-missile destroyers is the first to carry the remote minehunting system and the first ship named after Vice Adm. Charles B. Momsen, the designer of the submarine escape breathing apparatus now known as the Momsen Lung.