This Day in Naval History - May 21

1850 - Washington Navy Yard begins work on first castings for the Dahlgren guns.
1917 - USS Ericsson fires first torpedo of war.
1944 - Accidental explosion on board an LST unloading ammunition in West Loch, Pearl Harbor, and the resulting fire and other explosions sink five LSTs.
1964 - The initiation of the standing carrier presence at Yankee Station in the South China Sea.

For more information about naval history, visit the Naval Historical Center Web site at http://www.history.navy.mil.