798 - Congress establishes Department of the Navy 1975 - Saigon falls to North Vietnamese forces
(Source: Navy News Service)
1898 - USS Oregon departs San Francisco for 14,000 mile trip around South America to join U.S. Squadron off Cuba 1917 - Navy Department authorizes enrollment
1945 - Carriers begin 3 month Okinawa Campaign by destroying aircraft on Kyushu, Japan 1974 - Navy sent to sweep mines from Suez Canal (Source: Navy News Service)
Maersk Line, Ltd, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded an $8,630,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a nine-month time charter of tanker MT Samho Moonstone, currently a foreign-flag vessel,
1943- British Steamer Svend Foyne was a victim of an iceberg collision off the southern tip of Greenland. One hundred forty-five persons were rescued by the Coast Guard and others.
1909- Stations Holly Beach, and Hereford Inlet, New Jersey: the schooner C.B. parted its chain while weighing anchor. She set a distress signal which