This Day in Naval History – Sept. 23

1779 - Captain John Paul Jones in Continental Navy frigate Bonhomme Richard captures HMS Serapis.

1931 - LT Alfred Pride pilots Navy's first rotary wing aircraft, XOP-1 autogiro, in landings and takeoffs on board USS Langley while underway.

1944 - Naval Task Group lands Army troops on Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands

1944 - USS West Virginia (BB-48) reaches Pearl Harbor and rejoins the Pacific Fleet, marking the end of the salvage and reconstruction of 18 ships damaged at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

1947 - James Forrestal, former SECNAV, takes office as first Secretary of Defense

1990 - Two Hospital ships (USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort) steam together for first time in Arabian Gulf

(Source: Navy News Service)