This Day In Naval History: April 21
1861 - Sloop-of-War Saratoga, commanded by Alfred Taylor, captures Nightingale, a clipper slaver, at the mouth of the Congo River at Cabinda, Angola, with 961 slaves on board. 1898 - President William McKinley orders the Navy to begin a blockade of Cuba and Spain, the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Congress responds with a formal declaration of war April 25, made retroactive to the start of the blockade. 1914 - President Woodrow Wilson orders intervention at Vera Cruz, Mexico, after the Tampico Affair where Sailors from USS Dolphin were detained. The U.S.
U.S. Navy Commissions Northrop Grumman-Built Aegis Destroyer
The U.S. Navy today commissioned the USS Lassen (DDG 82), the newest in a series of advanced Aegis guided missile destroyers built by Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation. Measuring 509.5 ft. (155.2 m) and 9,300 tons, USS Lassen, which is the 32nd ship of 58 Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class destroyers currently authorized by Congress - is the 14th to be built by Ingalls. Following DDG 82, Ingalls has contracts and options to produce 11 additional Aegis destroyers, with six of those ships in various stages of production. The new ship was placed in commission for Pacific Fleet duty, witnessed by about 4,000 guests at Channelside Pier in Tampa.