1941: (Featured Image) The small American garrison on Wake – consisting of a few hundred Marines, sailors, and civilian contractors – repels a Japanese invasion force seeking to capture the island. As coastal defense guns hammer the incoming warships, sinking one destroyer and damaging several others, the island’s four remaining F4F-3 “Wildcat” fighters take off to intercept a flight of Japanese warplanes.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, Marine Capt. Henry T. Elrod will shoot down two aircraft before he and his fellow aviators set their sights on the Japanese ships. Elrod becomes the first pilot to sink a ship, when his bombs detonate the depth charges on Kisaragi. The destroyer goes down with all hands.
Marine Capt. Henry T. Elrod
That same day, Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States. Although Nazi Germany and Japan had signed an agreement stating that Germany would come to Japan’s aid if they were attacked, Germany was under no such obligation since Japan was the aggressor. However, and with virtually no consultation with his staff, Hitler declares war against the United States anyways. Within hours, Congress responds with a unanimous declaration of war against Germany.
1954: The world’s first “supercarrier”, USS Forrestal, is launched. The conventionally powered aircraft carrier is the first U.S. flattop built with an angled flight deck and steam catapults, and is the first designed to operate jet aircraft. With an overall length of over 1,000 feet, Forrestal’ was the largest warship built at the time.
1961: At Saigon harbor, the aviation transport ship USNS Core unloads 33 U.S. Army H-21C “Shawnee” helicopters, which are the first American helicopters deployed to Vietnam. The crews’ mission will be to transport South Vietnamese soldiers into combat.
