Sinking of the Lusitania
On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed the British ocean liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. The ship sank in about 18 minutes, killing nearly 1,200 people and pushing the United States closer to World War I.
Navy
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Battle of the Coral Sea Begins
On May 4, 1942, the World War II Battle of the Coral Sea began. It became the first naval battle fought mainly by aircraft carriers, with opposing fleets striking each other by air while their ships never came into direct sight.
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Winfield Scott’s “Anaconda Plan”
On May 3, 1861, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott presented a strategy to defeat the Confederacy with limited bloodshed. Later nicknamed the “Anaconda Plan,” it aimed to squeeze the South through blockade and control of its rivers rather than by one dramatic battle.
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Death of Stephen Decatur
On March 22, 1820, naval hero Stephen Decatur was mortally wounded in a duel with a former friend and fellow officer. The shocking encounter ended the life of one of America’s most respected naval leaders and revealed how personal rivalries could turn deadly, even among national figures.
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US Adopts National Anthem
On March 3, 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The decision came more than a century after the song was written, ending years of debate and finally giving the nation a single, official anthem.
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First Submarine to Circle the Globe
On February 24, 1960, the US Navy submarine USS Triton slipped beneath the surface to begin the first fully submerged circumnavigation of the globe. The daring departure marked the start of a 60-day underwater journey that would prove just how far nuclear submarine technology had advanced during the tense years of the Cold War.
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Honorable Discharge
On November 29, 1944, the War Department officially adopted the Honorable Discharge Emblem, a small but meaningful symbol worn by millions of service members returning home from World War II. For many veterans, it represented not only their service, but also their safe return after years of sacrifice.
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Battle of Tarawa Begins
On November 20, 1943, US troops launched the Battle of Tarawa, the first American offensive in the central Pacific region of World War II. A turning point in the Pacific War, it saw effective use of the America’s newly developed island-hopping strategy and provided important lessons for future invasions.
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Sinking of the USS Reuben James
On October 31, 1941, the Atlantic became a battlefield for the United States even before the country had formally entered World War II. The German submarine attack on the USS Reuben James marked the first time an American Navy ship was destroyed during the conflict, foreshadowing the coming fight across the globe.
