Naval History and Heritage Command

French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and American envoys sign the Treaty of Mortefontaine that releases the United States from its Revolutionary War alliance with France and ends the Quasi-War.

During World War I, German submarine U-152 sinks USS Ticonderoga. Seriously wounded early in the battle, commanding officer Lt. Cmdr. James J. Madison remains on the bridge controlling the ships fight until she is abandoned. The lost included 112 Sailors and 101 Soldiers and was the greatest combat loss of life on any US Navy ship during World War I. For his "exceptionally heroic service" during this action, Lt. Cmdr. Madison is awarded the Medal of Honor.

USS Bowfin (SS 287) delivers supplies and evacuates people from Siquijor Island, Philippines and sinks Japanese cargo ship, Mitake Maru. Also on this date, USS Harder (SS 257) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.3 Shosei Maru, while USS Pogy (SS 266) sinks Japanese army transport, Maebashi Maru, 300 miles east of Palau.

USS Nautilus (SS 168) lands 95 tons of supplies, 70 drums of gasoline, and four drums of oil at designated spot on Panay, Philippine Islands and embarks 47 evacuees (seven servicemen, 10 women, five civilian males, and 25 children).

USS Fessenden (DE 142) depth charges and sinks German submarine, (U 1062), south of the Cape Verde Islands.

The world's first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN 571), is commissioned at Groton, Conn. On Aug. 3, 1958, she is the first U.S. vessel to transit across the geographic North Pole. Nautilus now serves as the historic ship at the Submarine Force Museum at Groton.

USS La Jolla (SSN 701) is commissioned at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn., before transferring to its new homeport of Naval Submarine Base Point Loma in San Diego, Calif. The Los Angeles-class attack submarine is ideally suited for covert surveillance, intelligence gathering and Special Forces missions. 

USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) is commissioned at Julia Street Wharf in New Orleans, La. The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship is the second U.S. Navy ship to be named for the historical estate in Clarke County, Va., built by Nathaniel Burwell to honor his grandfather, Robert King Carter, a wealthy plantation owner and acting governor of Virginia in 1726-27.