On This Day – 7th/8th May 1942
The Battle of the Coral Sea is fought to stop the Japanese-planned capture of Port Moresby. It is a confused engagement and is the first major naval battle fought without visual contact being made between the surface forces of the opposing fleets. Continue reading “WWII – Battle of the Coral Sea”
4 September 1941
During a convoy operation the US destroyer Greer is attacked by a German U-Boat.
Continue reading “WWII – The 75th Anniversary – Battle of the Atlantic”
19-20 June
The Battle of the Philippine Sea concludes with a decisive U.S. naval victory over the forces of the Empire of Japan. The lopsided naval air battle is also known as the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”.
Continue reading “1944 – World War II: The “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot””
31 May
The British Grand Fleet under the command of Admiral John Jellicoe, and Vice-Admiral David Beatty, engage the Imperial German Navy under the command of Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer and Vice-Admiral Franz von Hipper in the largest naval battle of the war, which proves indecisive.
Continue reading “1916 -World War One the Battle of Jutland”
27 May
Three days after sinking the British Battlecruiser Hood, the German Battleship Bismarck is pounded to a wreck by the British Battleships King George V and Rodney, forcing the crew of Bismarck to scuttle their ship.
24 May
A Second World War naval battle between the British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Hood and the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, both of which were attempting to break out into the North Atlantic to attack Allied merchant shipping.
20 March
USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy’s first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3), and also the U.S. Navy’s first turbo-electric-powered ship. Continue reading “1922 – The USS Langley is commissioned”
14 March
Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to vice-admiral in 1747. Byng is best known for failing to relieve a besieged British garrison during the Battle of Minorca at the beginning of the Seven Years’ War. Byng had sailed for Minorca at the head of a hastily assembled fleet of vessels, some of which were in poor condition. He fought an inconclusive engagement with a French fleet off the Minorca coast, and then elected to return to Gibraltar to repair his ships. Byng was subsequently court-martialled and found guilty of failing to “do his utmost” to prevent Minorca falling to the French. He was sentenced to death and shot by firing squad on 14 March 1757. Continue reading “1757 – Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad”
28 February
The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War II in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Continue reading “1942 – The Battle of Sunda Strait”
16/17 September
Aircraft from the carrier Illustrious, escorted by the battleship Valiant, attack Benghazi during the night. Continue reading “WWII – The 75th Anniversary – Mediterranean”
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