This Day in Naval History - Sept. 11

1814 - In the Battle of Lake Champlain, Commodore Thomas Macdonough defeats a British Squadron. 1939 - USS Bear (AG 29) is commissioned by the U.S. Navy for Antarctic operations under command of Rear Adm. Richard Byrd. 1941 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces order to the Navy to "shoot on sight" vessels threatening U.S. shipping or ships under U.S. escort. 1942 - Pharmacist's Mate 1st Class Wheeler B. Lipes performs emergency appendectomy on Seaman 1st Class Darrell D. Rector, aboard USS Seadragon (SS 194), on patrol in South China Sea. 1943 - Italian Navy surrenders to Allies. 1945 - Operation Magic Carpet, the return of troops to the Unites States, begins. 2001 - One hundred twenty-five Pentagon employees, including 42 Sailors and Department of the Navy civilians, are killed along with 59 airline passengers when terrorists fly a highjacked airliner into the Pentagon.