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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Today in Naval History
November 8
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1975 - More than 100 Sailors and Marines from USS Inchon (LPH 12) and USS Shreveport (LPD 12) fight a fire aboard a Spanish merchant vessel at Palma.
On This Day

1861

During the Civil War, Capt. Charles Wilkes, commanding the warship San Jacinto, seizes two Confederate diplomats from the British steamer Trent, causing an international controversy with Great Britain known as the Trent Affair.

1942

In Operation Torch, American and British forces land in Morocco and Algeria. The U.S. Navy sees most of its action around Casablanca and elsewhere on Morocco's Atlantic coast. This ambitious trans-oceanic amphibious operation gives the Allies bases for future operations. In six more months, all of North Africa is cleared of Axis forces, opening the way for an invasion of Italy.

1943

USS Bluefish (SS 222) sinks the Japanese army tanker Kyokeui Maru in the South China Sea off the northwest coast of Luzon while USS Rasher (SS 269) sinks the Japanese merchant tanker Tango Maru in Makassar Strait and survives counterattacks by auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 41.

1956

Navy Stratolab balloon, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm D. Ross and Lt. Cmdr. M. Lee Lewis, surpasses the world height record by soaring to 76,000 ft. over Black Hills, S.D. The flight gathers meteorological, cosmic ray, and other scientific data. For this record ascent, the men are awarded the 1957 Harmon International Trophy for Aeronauts.

1975

More than 100 Sailors and Marines from USS Inchon (LPH 12) and USS Shreveport (LPD 12) fight a fire aboard a Spanish merchant vessel at Palma.

1985

In a change of tradition, the rank of Commodore is changed to Rear Adm. Lower Half. The rank of Commodore had been in use since the beginning of the United States Navy.

1990

President George H. W. Bush announces decision to double the number of carrier battle groups deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield. By Jan. 15, 1991, USS Ranger (CV 61), USS America (CV 66), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) were to join USS Midway (CV 41), USS Saratoga (CV 60), and USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67).

1991

USS Lexington (AVT 16) is decommissioned at NAS Pensacola, FL. She was commissioned on  Feb. 17, 1943.