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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Today in Naval History
September 27
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1941 - SS Patrick Henry, the first U.S. Liberty ship, is launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Baltimore, Md.
On This day

1860

A landing party of Marines are put ashore at Panama from the sloop-of-war, USS St. Mary's, during an insurrection. The Marines capture the railroad station in an attempt to establish order.

1863

During the Civil War, the steamer USS Clyde seizes the Confederate schooner Amaranth near the Florida Keys.

1941

SS Patrick Henry, the first U.S. Liberty ship, is launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Baltimore, Md. Numerous other vessels are launched on that day, known as "Liberty Fleet Day."

1942

The freighter, SS Stephen Hopkins, engages the German auxiliary cruiser, Stier, and supply ship, Tannenfels, in a surface gunnery action in the central South Atlantic. Stier sinks SS Stephen Hopkins but the German raider sinks after having receiving heavy damage by SS Stephen Hopkins naval armed guard, Lt. j.g. Kenneth M. Willett. For his actions, Willett posthumously receives the Navy Cross.

1942

While leading a group of landing craft during the Guadalcanal Campaign, Signalman 1st Class Douglas A. Munro, USCG, participates in the evacuation of the First Battalion, Seventh Marines from Matanikau River, Guadalcanal. Using his boat as a shield between the Japanese and the Marines, he enables the operation to proceed successfully, but is killed by enemy gunfire. For his "extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry", Munro is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

1944

USS Apogon (SS-308) sinks the Japanese cargo ship Hachirogata Maru in the Sea of Okhotsk off Shimushir Island. Also on this date, USS Plaice (SS-390) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.10, 100 miles north-northwest of Amami-O-Shima.

1955

A P2V-5 Neptune patrol plane of Early Warning Squadron 4 is lost with nine crew members and two journalists while tracking Hurricane Janet over the Caribbean Sea.

1986

USS Chicago (SSN 721) is commissioned at Norfolk, VA. The Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named after the Windy City of Illinois, and is ideally suited for covert surveillance, intelligence gathering and special forces missions.