This Day in Naval History - Oct. 6

From the Navy News Service

1884 - The Department of the Navy establishes the Naval War College at Newport, R.I.

1940 - The fourth group of eight U.S. destroyers involved in the Destroyers for Bases Deal are turned over to British authorities in Halifax, Canada.

1943 - In the Battle of Vella Lavella, three U.S. destroyers attack nine Japanese destroyers to stop evacuation of Japanese troops from Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands.

1958 - USS Seawolf (SSN 575) completes a record submerged run of 60 days, logging more than 13,700 nautical miles.

1962 - USS Bainbridge (DLGN 25), the Navy's first nuclear-powered destroyer, is commissioned.

1997 - NASA Astronaut Cmdr. Wendy B. Lawrence returns from mission with STS-86, when Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with Mir Space Station. The mission began Sept. 25.