This Day In Naval History: June 10

1854 - The first formal graduation exercises are held at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. Previous classes graduated without a ceremony. Rear Adm. Thomas O. Selfridge and Rear Adm. Joseph N. Miller are two of the six graduates that year.

1896 - Authorization is given for the first experimental ship model basin, which was under the supervision of Chief Constructor of the Navy, Capt. David W. Taylor. The basin, in Building 70 at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is used by the Navy to monitor new hull designs.

1944 - USS Glennon (DD 620) capsizes and sinks that evening off the Normandy coast, killing 25 crew members, while USS Rich (DD 695), while rescuing USS Glennons crew, loses 90 crew members after striking two mines.

1944 - USS Bangust (DE 739) sinks the Japanese submarine (RO 42), 70 miles northeast of Kwajalein, while USS Taylor (DD 468) sinks Japanese submarine RO 111, 210 miles north-northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland.

1945 - USS Skate (SS 305) sinks Japanese submarine (I 122) in the Sea of Japan.

1952 - USS Evansville (PF 70) is fired on by shore batteries in Songjin Harbor. She avoids damage by maneuvering while USS Endicott (DMS 35) and USS Thomason (DE 203) fire on and silence enemy guns.

1960 - Helicopters from USS Yorktown (CVS 10) rescue 54 crewmen of British SS Shunlee, grounded on Pratus Reef in South China Sea.

1995 - USS Firebolt (PC 10) is commissioned. The coastal patrol boat is the 10th of the Cyclone-class and currently homeported in Manama, Bahrain.

2006 - USS Farragut (DDG 99) is commissioned at Mayport, Fla., her homeport. The 49th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is the fifth Navy ship named for Adm. David Farragut.


(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)