This Day in Naval History - 31 January
From the Navy News Service:
- 1944 - A U.S. amphibious landing takes place on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
- 1961 - Lt. Cmdr. Samuel Lee Gravely Jr. becomes the first African-American to command a combat ship, USS Falgout (DER 324).
- 1981 - The era of enlisted naval aviators ends when the last pilot retires.
For more news from the Naval Historical Center, visit their Navy Newsstand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/navhist.