1781 - During the American Revolution, the Continental frigate Alliance, under command of Capt. John Barry, battles HMS Atalanta and HMS Trepassy off Nova Scotia. After several broadsides by Alliance, the British ships surrender.
1844 - The frigate Constitution, commanded by John Percival, sails from New York to depart on her 52,370.5 mile around-the-world cruise. Heading eastward, she visits places such as Brazil, Borneo, China, the Philippines, Hawaii, and Mexico before returning to Boston on September 27, 1846.
1863 - During the Civil War, the side-wheel "double-ender" gunboat , USS Cimarron, commanded by Cmdr. Andrew J. Drake, captures the blockade-runner, Evening Star, off Wassaw Sound, Ga.
1944 - USS Block Island (CVE 21) is torpedoed and is sunk by German submarine U 549. During this attack, USS Barr (DE 576) is also damaged. Block Island is the only U.S. carrier lost in the Atlantic during World War II. U-549 is later sunk that night by USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686) and USS Ahrens (DE 575).
1945 - USS Sterlet (SS 392) sinks Japanese army cargo ships Kuretake Maru and Tenyro Maru despite the close proximity of the escort Coast Defense Ship No. 65.
1952 - During the Korean War, USS Ozbourn (DD 846), USS Radford (DDE 446), and USS Heron (AMS 18), are engaged by enemy shore batteries and machine guns for two days off Wonson, Korea. Enemy batteries are silenced by counter-battery fire.
2004 - USS Pinckney (DDG 91) is commissioned at Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, Calif. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is named for Cook 1st Class William Pinckney, who received the Navy Cross for rescuing a fellow USS Enterprise (CV 6) crew member during the Battle of Santa Cruz Oct. 26, 1942.
