This Day In Naval History: August 19

 

1818 - Capt. James Biddle, as commanding officer of USS Ontario, takes possession of Oregon Territory for United States.

 

1936 - Lt. B. L. Braun, pilot, completes test bombing against the submarine USS R -8 (SS 85) off the Virginia capes, sinking the old submarine and proving the value of properly armed aircraft in antisubmarine warfare.

 

1943 - USS Finback (SS 230) sinks the Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser (No.109) off the eastern Celebes.

 

1981 - Two F-14 Tomcats of VF-41 shoot down two Libyan (Su 22) Sukhoi aircraft over international waters. Flying off USS Nimitz (CVA(N) 68), the Tomcats are on a reconnaissance mission for a missile-firing exercise being conducted by U.S. ships from two carrier battle groups when they are fired on by the Libyan planes.

 

2000 - USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is the first ship named for Marine Private First Class Oscar P. Austin, who earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for his indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty after he twice threw himself between a North Vietnamese weapon and a wounded comrade on Feb. 23, 1969.