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Naval History and Heritage Command
Today in Naval History
October 1
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Year at a Glance
1955 - USS Forrestal (CVA 59), the first postwar super-carrier, is commissioned. In 1975, Forrestal is redesignated as CV-59 until 1993 when she is decommissioned.
On This Day

1844

Naval Observatory headed by LT Matthew Fontaine Maury occupies first permanent quarters.

1880

John Phillip Sousa becomes leader of Marine Corps Band

1942

USS Roe (DD 418) rescues 17 merchant seamen and two Naval Armed Guard sailors of the freighter SS West Chetac who drifted off the coast of Brazil for eight days after their vessel is sunk by German submarine U 175.

1955

Commissioning of USS Forrestal (CVA-59), first of postwar supercarriers

1980

USS Cochrane (DDG-21) rescues 104 Vietnamese refugees 620 miles east of Saigon

1990

USS Independence (CV-62) enters Persian Gulf (first carrier in Persian Gulf since 1974)