1814: Construction begins on Demologos, the United States’ first steam-powered warship. One year to the day later, Demologos completes her trials and will be delivered to the Navy the following year, and is renamed Fulton after the passing of her designer, Robert Fulton. The unique ship is intended to protect New York Harbor, but only sees one day of active service – giving President James Monroe a tour of New York.
Demologos, United States’ first steam-powered warship
1866: 100 Marines and sailors from the gunboat USS Wachusett land at New Chwang, China to arrest the leader of the bandits that assaulted the American Consul.
1898: While enroute to the Philippines, the cruiser USS Charleston arrives at the Spanish-held island of Guam. No one bothered to tell the neglected defenders that the United States and Spain were at war, and Guam is easily captured.
1934: Seven years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet Rear Adm. Frank Upham advises the Chief of Naval Operations that according to his analysis of Japanese radio traffic, “any attack by [Japan] would be made without previous declaration of war or intentional warning.”
1941: The Department of War creates the United States Army Air Force, consolidating the Army’s aviation assets into an autonomous command. Maj. Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold – trained by the Wright Brothers and one of the world’s first military pilots – leads the force as it swells from 12,000 aircraft in 1941 to a peak of nearly 80,000 during World War II.
Maj. Henry H. Arnold with 91st Observation Squadron, O-25C (S/N 32-186), at Mather Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo)
1943: A PBY “Catalina” patrol aircraft operating near Iceland spots a German U-boat, and drops a homing torpedo into the water – damaging the submarine. Allied aircraft sink 37 German and Japanese subs with the revolutionary “FIDO” torpedoes and damage 18. Nearly one out of every four FIDOs hit their target, and the weapon is so efficient that the military actually scales back its order.
Mk 24 Fido acoustic torpedo being dropped
