Today in U.S. Naval History: October 23
Today in U.S. Naval History - October 23 1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf, a series of separate battles, begins with attacks on Japanese ships. 1983 - A suicide truck bomber attacks the Marine barracks at Beirut airport, Lebanon killing 241 (220 Marines, 18 Sailors and three soldiers) 1983 - Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, West Indies) begins. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.
This Day in Navy History
1797 - Launching of USS Constitution at the Hartts Boston shipyard, Boston, Massachusetts. The ship is now the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. 1942 - British submarine lands CAPT Jerauld Wright, USN and four Army officers at Cherchel, French North Africa, to meet with a French military delegation to learn the French attitude toward future Allied landings. 1944 - Leyte Landings continue. 1846 - Miss Lavinia Fanning Watson of Philadelphia christens the sloop-of-war Germantown, the first U.S. Navy ship sponsored by a woman. 1951 - First of seven detonations, Operation Buster-Jangle nuclear test. 1962 - President John F. Kennedy orders surface blockade (quarantine) of Cuba to prevent Soviet offensive weapons from reaching Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
This Day in Naval History – Oct. 23
1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf, a series of separate battles, begins with attacks on Japanese ships. 1983 - A suicide truck bomber attacks the Marine barracks at Beirut airport, Lebanon killing 241 (220 Marines, 18 Sailors, and 3 soldiers) 1983 - Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, West Indies) begins. (Source: Navy News Service)
This Day in Navy History
October 23, 1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf, a series of separate battles, begins with attacks on Japanese ships. 1983 - A suicide truck bomber attacks the Marine barracks at Beirut airport, Lebanon killing 241 (220 Marines, 18 Sailors, and 3 soldiers) 1983 - Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, West Indies) begins. [Source: Source: www.history.navy.mil]
US Navy Ship Anchors Off Coast of Lebanon
The USS Nashville anchored off the coast of Lebanon on July 20 to receive some 1,200 Americans fleeing fighting to take them to Cyprus. The Nashville was deployed as the United States and other countries ramp up their evacuation operations from the war-torn country. Early on July 20, some 900 Americans arrived safely in Cyprus aboard a luxury cruise ship the Orient Queen. Around 8,000 of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon have asked to be evacuated. The Nashville was one of several Navy ships that headed to Lebanon late July 19 to assist with the evacuation. Most evacuees are leaving by sea as officials from several countries deemed the overland route to Syria too dangerous and Israel knocked Beirut's airport out of service last week by bombing its runways. (Source: washingtonpost.com)
