Naval History and Heritage Command

The sloop-of-war, USS Constellation captures the American slaver Cora with 705 slaves on board off the Congo River. The newly freed slaves are taken to Monrovia, Liberia.

During the Civil War, the double-ender side-wheel steamer, USS Tioga captures Confederate steamer Herald near the Bahamas off the Florida Keys with cargo including cigars and sugar.

After shepherding a convoy to the Irish Sea, while under the command of the U.S. Navy during World War I, Coast Guard cutter Tampa is steaming through the Bristol Channel when she is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB-91. All those on board, 115 crew members and 16 passengers, are killed, resulting in the greatest combat-related loss of life suffered by the U.S. Naval forces during WWI.

The keel to USS Ranger (CV 4) is laid at Newport News, Va. She is the first ship designed and constructed as an aircraft carrier.

USS Pargo (SS 264) sinks the Japanese minelayer, Aotaka, off Borneo. Also on this date, USS McCoy Reynolds (DE 440) sinks Japanese submarine I-175 northeast of Palau.

USNS Potomac (T AO 181) is damaged by fire and explosion while at Morehead City, N.C.

First steam-eject launch of Polaris missile at sea occurs off Cape Canaveral, Fla., from USS Observation Island (EAG 154).

USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) is commissioned at Port Everglades, Fla. The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is the ninth in her class and the second to be named after the World War II Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Pacific.

USNS Effective (T-AGOS 21) is christened and launched at Morgan City, La. The Military Sealift Command vessel is one of several ocean surveillance ships that conduct Surveillance Towed Array Sensory System (SURTASS).