SeaWaves Today in History January 29, 2007 ********************************************************************* January 29 Local anniversary celebrated in Auckland, New Zealand. Visiting warships dress overall 1801 - The Navy Long Service Medal is instituted in the Royal Danish Navy 1820 - Britain's King George III died at Windsor Castle, ending a reign that had seen both the American and French revolutions 1843 - 25th president of the United States, William McKinley, was born in Niles, Ohio 1850 - Henry Clay introduced in the Senate a compromise bill on slavery which included the admission of California into the Union as a free state 1856 - Queen Victoria institutes Britain's highest military decoration, the Victoria Cross 1914 - US Marines land in Haiti to protect US consulate 1919 - Minesweeper USS Pigeon launched 1919 - Destroyer HMS Wallace commissioned 1920 - Destroyer USS Howard commissioned 1920 - Minesweeper USS Willet commissioned 1925 - Destroyer HMS Amazon laid down 1929 - Heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire launched 1931 - Submarine HMS Rover commissioned 1936 - Minesweeper HMS Niger launched 1938 - Destroyer HMS Impulsive commissioned 1940 - At 1530, SS Eika was hit by one torpedo from U-51, broke in two & sank. Only two men survived Harald Støle (age 16) and stoker Alfred Johansen. Both were later picked up by the U-boat and were taken to Germany. Harald Støle was together with his brother Arne on board, who died in the sinking. On 4 February, Harald had his 17th Birthday and on this occasion U-51 CO Knorr gave him a drink & some chocolate. The two survivors were sent home to Norway one week after arriving in Germany. U-51 had to abort patrol due to technical difficulties 1940 - Destroyer HMS Berkeley launched 1940 - Submarine HMS Talisman launched 1940 - US freighter SS Exochorda is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities 1940 - British Admiralty orders that no American ships should, under any circumstances, be diverted into the war zone delineated by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the provisions of the Neutrality Act 1941 - SS West Wales torpedoed & sunk at 56N, 15.23W - Grid AM 4137 by U-94 while in Convoy SC-19 1941 - Tanker SS WB Walker torpedoed & sunk by U-93 in Convoy SC-19 at 56N, 15.23W - Grid AM 4125 1941 - At 0348, the SS King Robert in Convoy SC-19 was torpedoed & sunk by U-93 south of Rockall. The master and 21 crewmembers were picked up by destroyer HMS Anthony & and landed at Gourock. 20 crewmembers were picked up by armed trawler HMS Lady Madeline & also landed at Gourock. U-93 later sank SS Aikaterini in the same action 1941 - In Convoy SC-19, SS Sesotris was torpedoed & sunk by U-106 at 56N, 15.23W - Grid AM 4131 1941 - U-152 commissioned 1941 - Minesweeper HMAS Wollongong laid down 1941 - Destroyer USS Bailey laid down 1941 - Minesweeper HMS Ilfracombe launched 1941 - ASW trawler HMS Polka launched 1941 - Submarine USS Marlin launched 1942 - The Japanese occupy Pontianak, on the West Coast of Dutch Borneo site of a Dutch Naval Air Station 1942 - Ecuador breaks diplomatic relations with Germany, Italy and Japan 1942 - Japanese Imperial General Headquarters orders the Navy to secure Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea and then Tulagi, Solomon Islands. The Army and Navy are ordered to combine their efforts and seize Port Moresby, New Guinea 1942 - Additional elements of the British 18th Division arrive at Singapore; two of the ships that transported the troops are the transports USS Wakefield (ex-SS Manhattan) & West Point (ex-SS America) 1942 - Japanese land at Badoeng Island and Mampawan on Celebes Island 1942 - An estimated five Japanese warships & seventeen transports, with five unidentified vessels, are reported to be approaching Ambon Island by RAAF airmen. On Dutch orders Australian engineers destroy naval oil reserves, bomb dumps, hangers and other equipment at Laha, and attempt to make the airfield unusable. Ships are sighted before dusk off the coast of Laitimor Peninsula 1942 - Minesweeper USS Quail conducts shore bombardment in support of land operations in the Philippines 1942 - The Combined Chiefs of Staff establish the ANZAC Area, covering ocean expanses between Australia, New Zealand, and the French territory of New Caledonia in the New Hebrides Islands. This area is to be under US naval command 1942 - Five-inch (12.7 cm) projectiles containing radio-proximity fuses are test fired at the Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren VA and 52 % of the fuses functioned satisfactorily by proximity to water at the end of a 5-mile trajectory. This performance, obtained with samples selected to simulate a production lot, confirmed that the radio proximity fuse would greatly increase the effectiveness of anti-aircraft batteries and led to immediate small-scale production of the fuse 1942 - During bad weather in the North Atlantic, a lookout on U-591 broke his arm 1942 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Sotra exploded & sank after torpedoing by U-431 at 32.07N, 25.30E - Grid CO 6795 1942 - USCGC Alexander Hamilton escorted the HX-170 from 15 until 24 January & was then on the way to Iceland. One day earlier the store ship USS Yukon suffered an engine failure while on route to Convoy ON-57 & was floating helpless in the sea. The cutter arrived on 25 January and took the ship in tow, while destroyer USS Gwin escorted the little convoy toward Reykjavik. By noon on the 29 January, this convoy was only ten miles from their destination and British tug Frisky was ready to take the store ship in tow. When they were eight miles off Skaggi Point light, near the entrance to the swept channel to Reykjavik, Alexander Hamilton cast the towline and proceeded slowly ahead. At 1610, U-132, which had been patrolling off Reykjavik for eight days, fired a spread of four torpedoes at the little convoy. One of them struck the cutter amidships and destroyed all engines, including the emergency diesel generators, so no heat, steam, or electricity remained. The other torpedoes missed their targets. At 1645, the ship was abandoned; the survivors were picked up by Icelandic fishing trawlers and were taken to Reykjavik. The British tugs Restive and Frisky and the USCGC Redwing tried two times to salvage Alexander Hamilton with no success in the heavy seas. Destroyers USS Ericsson & Livermore and the seaplane tender USS Belknap screened the salvage operation. At 1315 on 30 January, Frisky took the ship in tow, but at 2028 hours she suddenly capsized. Ericsson then fired three rounds into the hull and left. As the cutter was reported still afloat in the evening, the destroyer returned to the scene, but found only an oil slick 1942 - U-614, U-613 launched 1942 - U-607 commissioned 1942 - Ecuador severed diplomatic relations with Germany, Italy, and Japan 1942 - Soviet submarine V-2 commissioned 1942 - Submarine HMS Unbroken commissioned 1942 - Destroyer HS Themistocles (ex-HMS Bramham) launched 1943 - Submarine HIJMS I-1 is detected off Guadalcanal by corvettes HMNZS Moa & Kiwi. I-1 was making a supply run and is loaded with cargo for Guadalcanal. After depth charging & ramming by Kiwi, the severely I-1 damaged is run aground on Guadalcanal. This submarine proves to be a treasure trove of intelligence material 1943 - The Battle off Rennell Island, near the Solomons. Heavy cruiser USS Chicago is torpedoed in a nighttime air strike from a Betty probably belonging to the 701st Air Group. By midnight USS Louisville is towing her south 1943 - Auxiliary AA ship HMS Pozarica is damaged by an Italian air-launched torpedo, but manages to make port at Bougie in tow of minesweeper Cadmus. However, during salvage operations at Bougie on 13 February, she capsized and was written off 1943 - U-466 had to abort patrol due to serious technical problems 1943 - At 0547, U-255 reported one Myronich-class freighter (2274 GRT) sunk with one torpedo in the Barents Sea. The Krasnyj Partizan left the Kola Inlet on 24 January & went missing thereafter; the last radio message was received on 26 January 1943 - U-1005 laid down 1943 - U-344 launched 1943 - Minesweeper HMCS Goderich rescued survivors from aft section to US tanker Brilliant which had broken in tow during a storm 1943 - Submarine HMS Seawolf arrived Halifax NS for ASW training 1943 - Beginning of 2-day battle of Rennell Island after which US transports reached Guadalcanal 1943 - Destroyer escort USS Neunzer laid down 1943 - Light cruiser HMS Birmingham commissioned 1944 - At 2207, SS Olga E. Embiricos was torpedoed & sunk by U-188, which misidentified the ship as Giorgios M. Embiricos 1944 - The Bellona-class light anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Spartan was sunk by a German HS-293 glider bomb off Anzio. At 1730, Spartan anchored to provide AA protection for ships in the vicinity of the beachhead. At 1750, approximately 35 minutes after sunset, an air raid warning was declared. At almost the same instant, four enemy aircraft, flying at about 5,000 feet and a few miles inland, were sighted. Spartan engaged the aircraft and at approximately 17 -56 a glider bomb was seen approaching the starboard side of the ship. The bomb was engaged at close range by anti-aircraft fire and it was first thought the bomb would miss astern. However, the weapon altered course during the final stage of its approach and struck the ship at the after end of B funnel. A large fire broke out at the point of impact. The projectile passed through the ship and exploded on the port side, immediately flooding B boiler room. A secondary fire broke out by the port torpedo tubes. By 1900 the ship was listing 30 degrees and, shortly afterwards, the order was given to abandon ship. The list increased to 35 degrees and Spartan sank at 1915, in six fathoms of water 1944 - Frigate HMCS Poundmaker laid down Montreal PQ 1944 - Frigate HMCS Ettrick commissioned Halifax NS 1944 - Corvette HMCS Buctouche completed forecastle extension refit Saint John NB 1944 - Corvette HMCS Morden completed forecastle extension refit Londonderry NI 1944 - Corvette HMCS Dawson completed forecastle extension refit Vancouver BC 1944 - Tug HMCS Otterville assigned to Saint John NB 1944 - Corvette HMCS Forest Hill departed Londonderry to escort Convoy ONS-28 1944 - Minesweeper HMCS Mahone damaged in collision with SS Fort Townshend off Louisbourg NS. Mahone out of service until August of 1944 1944 - Submarine USS Spikefish laid down 1944 - Minesweeping trawler HMS Harris launched 1944 - Sloops HMS Modeste & Nereide launched 1944 - Frigate USS Corpus Christi commissioned 1944 - Destroyers USS Wren & Mansfield launched 1944 - Destroyer escorts USS Tinsman, Lawrence C Taylor & Jesse Rutherford launched 1944 - Battleship USS Missouri launched 1944 - Minesweeper USS Reform launched 1944 - Task Force 58 conducts air raids on the Marshall Islands 1945 - US landing at San Antonio, Luzon 1945 - U-3509 commissioned 1945 - U-763 scuttled at Köningsberg at the Schichau Shipyard, in position 54.42N, 20.32E, after being damaged by Soviet bombs 1945 - U-636 was attacked by shore-based friendly fire in Norwegian waters, but suffered no damage 1945 - The Royal Navy's carrier force in the Far East launched a follow-up strike against the Japanese oil refineries at Palembang in Sumatra 1945 - Aircraft carrier USS Iwo Jima laid down 1945 - Submarine USS Pomodon laid down 1945 - Frigate USS Greensboro commissioned 1946 - Racing schooner Bluenose sinks after striking a reef off Haiti; built by Smith and Rhulandat at Lunenburg, and launched March 26th, 1921, the ship was invincible in races. She was sold as a Caribbean cargo ship in 1938 1946 - Minesweeper HDMS ME 1016 runs aground off Jernhatten at the SE coast of Djursland, Jutland. The ship could not be salvaged 1946 - Frigate HMCS Waskesiu paid off Esquimalt BC 1946 - Frigate HMS Largo Bay commissioned 1946 - Submarine USS Trumpetfish commissioned 1991 - Over 27,000 sorties have been flown and 256 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched as air campaign targeting priorities continue to be command and control, airfields, SCUD locations, lines of communication, Republican Guard areas, and battlefield preparation. Naval forces are conducting strike operations, surface surveillance, and combat air patrols. A-6s have attacked and destroyed two Iraqi Silkworm missile launchers. Naval aircraft again attacked Iraqi ships and port facilities at Um Qasr Naval Base. F/A-18s destroyed control centers at an oil refinery at Basra 1991 - US Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deployed from USS OKINAWA, assault and capture Umm al Maradim Island, 12 miles off the coast of Kuwait. Marines plant the Kuwaiti flag, and destroyed anti-aircraft weapons and artillery stored on the 400-meter by 300-meter island. This is the second island reclaimed for the Kuwaiti government by the coalition. Navy helos search Maradim Island investigating reports of Iraqis offering to surrender, and were fired upon by approximately 20 Iraqi small craft with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. Returned fire, sinking 4 boats, damaging 12. A-6s engaged fleeing boats 1991 - DOD announces that the fire has been extinguished at the Sea Island Terminal, and the oil flow from the terminal has stopped. Additionally, the oil slick is breaking up 1996 - French president Jacques Chirac announces end of French nuclear testing program 2003 - MV Cape Wrath activated from Baltimore RRF 2003 - Eight Island Class Patrol Boats were deployed to the Persian Gulf on 29 January 2003 as deck cargo aboard the MSC chartered ship MV Industrial Challenger. The octet should commence operations approximately March 1, 2003 in the Kuwait/Abu Dhabi area. This is the first Coast Guard combat deployment since the Vietnam War. The craft will provide port security and protection services for ships 2004 - LCdr Richard E. Dodson USN, accused of assaulting a subordinate, was relieved of command of the Oriole, a minesweeper based in Ingleside, Texas, due to a loss of confidence 2004 - OPV HMS Lindisfarne & Guernsey recommissioned as Bangladeshi Sangu & Turag 2004 - USCGC Hollyhock launched Marinette WI 2005 - ARM Papaloapán arrived Veracruz to load tsunami relief supplies for Asia 2005 - An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 was involved in an accident on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk approximately 100 miles southeast of Yokosuka at approximately 1830 Japan Standard Time. Two pilots were safely recovered. There were six injuries to crewmembers. None are life threatening. VFA-102 operates from Atsugi, Japan 2005 - Hospital ship USNS Mercy port call at Singapore 2007 - NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, travels to Berlin. He will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier and address the Conference on European Security and Defense Policy organized by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs ============================================================= Sources: Colton Shipping Report, NOAA, MARAD, Marine Digest, Leo Pettipas, Kommersant, Samuel Loring Morison, Frank Pierce Young, Navy Times, Naval Institute Proceedings, www.uboat.net, Andrew Etherington, John Nicholas, US Naval Historical Center, Ministry of Defense, US Coast Guard, Thomas N. Carlson, Jack Arrowsmith, Allan Snowie, Ken Hansen, Andy Barber, John Weiss, Jack McKillop, Bernard de Neumann, Sympatico Today in History, Washington History Link, Lloyds List, Fairplay, New York Times, I-Newswire and other news sources in the public domain. Additions, submissions and corrections are always welcomed. ============================================================= Today in History Archives at: http://www.seawaves.com/newsletters/today_in_history_archive.htm Copyright 2007 Seawaves Publishing Inc ISSN 1710-6966 Photos courtesy of US Naval Historical Center, US Coast Guard Historical Center, Wikipedia Encyclopedia or Naval Museum of Manitoba unless otherwise noted. Images may be subject to copyright. Ask before you right-click.