Today in U.S. Naval History: April 16

Today in U.S. Naval History: April 16

1863 - Union gunboats pass Confederate batteries at Vicksburg

1924 - Navy commences relief operations in Mississippi Valley floods, lasting until June 16

1947 - Act of Congress gives Navy Nurse Corps members commissioned rank

1959 - Helicopters from USS Edisto begin rescue operations in Montevideo, Uruguay. By April 26, they had carried 277 flood victims to safety.

For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.