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Naval History and Heritage Command
Today in Naval History
February 1
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Year at a Glance
1942 - USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) make the first World War II air strike against the Japanese at their outposts in the Marshall Islands.
On This Day

1800

USS Constellation engages French frigate La Vengeance in a 5-hour battle during the Quasi War.

1902

USS Plunger (SS-2), the lead ship of the Plunger-class submarine, launches. She is commissioned Sept. 19, 1903, at the Holland Company yard at New Suffolk, Long Island, N.Y. Ensign Chester W. Nimitz is the submarines final commander when Plunger is decommissioned Nov. 6, 1909 at the Charleston Navy Shipyard.

1942

USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) make the first World War II air strike against the Japanese at their outposts in the Marshall Islands to protect the Trans-Pacific supply route to Australia.

1944

Three US Navy submarines, Guardfish (SS-217), Hake (SS-256) and Seahorse (SS-304), attack Japanese convoys, sinking a destroyer, cargo ship and another vessel.

1945

USS Jenkins (DD-447), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Bell (DD-587) and destroyer escort Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442) sink the Japanese submarine RO 115, 125 miles southwest of Manila.

1955

Task Force 43 is established to plan US Navy Antarctic operations called Operation Deep Freeze.