This date in history

[Jimbuna]

1586 Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia.

1854 Eureka Stockade: In what is claimed by many to be the birth of Australian democracy, more than 20 goldminers at Ballarat, Victoria, are killed by state troopers in an uprising over mining licences.

1917 The Supreme Allied War Council, meeting at Versailles to define war aim, fails to reach an agreement.

1943 Battle of Monte Cassino, Italy begins.

1944 Britain's Home Guard ('Dad's Army') is officially stood down at a special farewell parade in Hyde Park, London.

1967 First human heart transplant performed in South Africa by Dr. Christiaan Barnard on Louis Washkansky.

1984 Bhopal disaster: A Union Carbide pesticide plant leaks 45 tons of methyl isocyanate and other toxic compounds in Bhopal, India, officially killing 2,259 - other estimates are as high as 16,000 (including later deaths) and over half a million injured.

1989 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George H. W. Bush, declare the Cold War over.

[Jimbuna]

1619 Thirty-eight colonists from Berkeley Parish, England, disembark in Virginia and give thanks to God, considered by many the first Thanksgiving in the Americas.

1908 The world's ten leading maritime nations attend a Naval Conference in London; they agree on rules for blockade, convoys, and seizure of contraband.

1918 US President Woodrow Wilson sails for Versailles Peace Conference in France.

1942 First US citizenship granted to an alien on foreign soil (James Hoey)

1945 Senate approves US participation in United Nations.

1948 SS Kiangya hits mine in Whangpoo River, China, sinks killing 2,750

1949 Duncan Stewart, 2nd British Governor of Sarawak is fatally stabbed in the streets of Sibu by Malay student Rosli Dhoby with help from Morshidi Sidek with the goal of helping neighbouring Indonesia to take over British Sarawak.

1980 Two months after death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin announces they will disband.

1991 Muslim Shi'ites release last US hostage Terry Anderson (held 6½ years)

[Jimbuna]

1792 George Washington re-elected as US President.

1933 Prohibition ends in the US at 5:32 PM EST when the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment.

1941 US aircraft carrier Lexington and 5 heavy cruisers leave Pearl Harbor.

1945 Flight 19, the "Lost Squadron" of five torpedo bombers and 14 airmen, is lost east of Florida in the supposed Bermuda Triangle.

1958 Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) is inaugurated in the UK by Queen Elizabeth II when she speaks to the Lord Provost in a call from Bristol to Edinburgh.

[Jimbuna]

1865 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery except as a punishment for crime where the party has been duly convicted.

1917 French munition ship SS Mont Blanc collides with Norwegian SS Imo in Halifax harbour, Canada, resulting explosion kills at least 1,700 and injures more than 9,000 people - world’s largest pre-atomic explosion.

1917 Taking advantage of the temporary relaxation of authority in Russia, Finland declares itself a republic, following the Ukraine on 20 November.

1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed; Ireland receives dominion status; partition creates Northern Ireland.

1941 Dutch & British pilots see Japanese invasion fleet at Singapore.

1971 A woman dies trying to salvage property from the Salvation Army Citadel in Belfast after bomb which started a large fire in an adjoining building.

1990 Saddam Hussein announces release of all foreign hostages.

[Jimbuna]

1872 HMS Challenger sets sail on 3½ year world oceanographic cruise - first expedition to explore the deep sea successfully on a global scale.

1917 The USA's 42nd 'Rainbow' Division arrives in France (with Colonel Douglas MacArthur among its ranks)

1940 The first prototype Fairey Barracuda flew.

1941 1st Japanese midget submarine (No. 20) attacked by a US ship (USS Ward)

1941 Imperial Japanese Navy attacks US Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; 18 sailors killed, 33 of 36 patrol planes destroyed or damaged, 1st Japanese aircraft shot down in action.

1941 Imperial Japanese Navy with 353 planes attacks the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people.

1942 USS New Jersey launched, built by Philadelphia Naval Shipyard - US's most decorated warship (decommissioned 1991)

1988 PLO delegation lead by Yasser Arafat proclaims the State of Palestine, recognizing the existence of the State of Israel for the first time.

2022 After widespread public protests, China announces a major loosening of COVID-19 restrictions for the whole country, allowing home quarantine and scrapping QR codes, effectively ending China's zero-COVID policy.

[Otto Harkaman]

USS Pompano SS-181

Although the submarine was awarded a battle star for the attack on Pearl Harbor, she had not yet arrived from Mare Island. Reaching port shortly after the attack, she sailed from Pearl Harbor on 18 December 1941 for her first war patrol, devoted mainly to reconnoitering the eastern Marshall Islands for an aircraft carrier strike in January. Aircraft from Enterprise bombed her in error on 20 December, but she escaped damage

The Pompano's story highlights the resilience and resourcefulness of her crew in the face of adversity.

The USS Pompano (SS-181) was a Tambor-class submarine in the U.S. Navy during World War II, commissioned in 1937. Like other submarines of its class, it faced numerous technical and operational challenges, particularly concerning its engines.

Engine Problems:
The USS Pompano, like many early-war U.S. submarines, used diesel-electric propulsion, which was a standard but sometimes unreliable technology. Specific engine issues included:

1. Unreliable Diesel Engines: The Fairbanks-Morse engines used in Tambor-class submarines, including the Pompano, were prone to overheating, oil leaks, and difficulty maintaining consistent RPMs. These issues could arise due to design limitations, poor maintenance practices, or the strain of wartime operations.
2. Carbon Buildup and Fouling: Extended submerged operations often led to engine fouling when the submarine surfaced to recharge batteries. Carbon deposits in exhaust systems could cause backfiring and reduced efficiency.
3. Cooling System Failures: The engines' cooling systems sometimes failed to manage the intense heat generated during long runs. This was exacerbated in tropical environments, such as the Pacific Theater, where temperatures made cooling even more challenging.
4. Battery Complications: Since the submarine relied on batteries for submerged propulsion, any failure in the diesel engines to properly charge these batteries jeopardized missions. Overcharging or undercharging batteries could lead to severe operational limitations or even dangerous gas buildup.

Operational Adaptations:
Despite these setbacks, the USS Pompano’s crew and engineers displayed ingenuity and determination:

• Field Repairs: Crew members often performed makeshift repairs while at sea, using limited tools and parts to keep the submarine operational.
• Conservation Measures: The crew adapted by conserving fuel and battery power, often modifying mission plans to avoid long transits or extended submerged operations.
• Surface Cruising: When feasible, the Pompano would cruise on the surface to maximize engine output and reduce wear on its submerged systems.

Legacy:
While the engine problems were a constant source of frustration, they were symptomatic of broader issues with early U.S. submarine design and wartime demands. Despite these challenges, the Pompano conducted numerous patrols and made significant contributions before its mysterious loss in 1943, likely due to enemy mines or depth charges.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

1941 1st Japanese midget submarine (No. 20) attacked by a US ship (USS Ward)
.

...the very definition of "Minnesota Nice" inasmuch as the gun crew was from that
state; and the cannon still sits on the state capital grounds at St Paul.

[Raf1394]

Originally Posted by Otto Harkaman

USS Pompano SS-181




The Pompano's story highlights the resilience and resourcefulness of her crew in the face of adversity.

The USS Pompano (SS-181) was a Tambor-class submarine in the U.S. Navy during World War II, commissioned in 1937. Like other submarines of its class, it faced numerous technical and operational challenges, particularly concerning its engines.

Engine Problems:
The USS Pompano, like many early-war U.S. submarines, used diesel-electric propulsion, which was a standard but sometimes unreliable technology. Specific engine issues included:

1. Unreliable Diesel Engines: The Fairbanks-Morse engines used in Tambor-class submarines, including the Pompano, were prone to overheating, oil leaks, and difficulty maintaining consistent RPMs. These issues could arise due to design limitations, poor maintenance practices, or the strain of wartime operations.
2. Carbon Buildup and Fouling: Extended submerged operations often led to engine fouling when the submarine surfaced to recharge batteries. Carbon deposits in exhaust systems could cause backfiring and reduced efficiency.
3. Cooling System Failures: The engines' cooling systems sometimes failed to manage the intense heat generated during long runs. This was exacerbated in tropical environments, such as the Pacific Theater, where temperatures made cooling even more challenging.
4. Battery Complications: Since the submarine relied on batteries for submerged propulsion, any failure in the diesel engines to properly charge these batteries jeopardized missions. Overcharging or undercharging batteries could lead to severe operational limitations or even dangerous gas buildup.

Operational Adaptations:
Despite these setbacks, the USS Pompano’s crew and engineers displayed ingenuity and determination:

• Field Repairs: Crew members often performed makeshift repairs while at sea, using limited tools and parts to keep the submarine operational.
• Conservation Measures: The crew adapted by conserving fuel and battery power, often modifying mission plans to avoid long transits or extended submerged operations.
• Surface Cruising: When feasible, the Pompano would cruise on the surface to maximize engine output and reduce wear on its submerged systems.

Legacy:
While the engine problems were a constant source of frustration, they were symptomatic of broader issues with early U.S. submarine design and wartime demands. Despite these challenges, the Pompano conducted numerous patrols and made significant contributions before its mysterious loss in 1943, likely due to enemy mines or depth charges.

This was an interesting video to watch !

[Jimbuna]

1912 Wilhelm II of Germany calls 'War Council'

1914 Battle of the Falkland Island: British Royal Navy destroys a German battle squadron.

1915 John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields" appears anonymously in "Punch" magazine.

1941 US and Britain declare war on Japan, US enters World War II

1941 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his famous "Day of Infamy" speech to a joint session of Congress a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower gives his "Atoms for Peace" speech at the United Nations in New York.

1966 US and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space.

[Jimbuna]

1941 Adolf Hitler orders US ships and those loyal to her to be torpedoed - 3 days before declaring war on the US

1992 US Marines and allied nations launch an amphibious and airborne operation in Mogadishu, Somalia to restore order to the war-torn nation. Authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 794 passed on December 3.

2000 Tottenham defender Ledley King scores fastest goal in English Premier League history when he nets after 9.82 seconds in 3-3 draw at Bradford City.

[Jimbuna]

1919 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to US President Woodrow Wilson.

1926 2nd part of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf published.

1936 Edward VIII signs Instrument of Abdication, giving up the British throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

1942 An early report of the Holocaust prepared by the Polish government-in-exile, using information obtained by Witold Pilecki, is addressed to UN member states.

[Jimbuna]

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.

1913 "Mona Lisa" recovered two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum.

1917 13 black soldiers hanged for participation in Houston riot.

1946 United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established by resolution 57(I) of the UN General Assembly.

1997 Delegates from 150 industrial nations attending a UN climate conference in Kyoto, Japan, reach agreement to control heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

[Jimbuna]

1901 Guglielmo Marconi sends the first transatlantic radio signal, from Poldhu in Cornwall to Newfoundland, Canada.

1915 1st all-metal aircraft (Junkers J-1) test flown at Dessau, Germany.

1937 Japanese aircraft shell & sink US gunboat Panay on Yangtze River in China. (Japan apologized & eventually paid US $2.2M in reparations)

1946 United Nations accepts six Manhattan blocks as a gift from John D. Rockefeller Jr.

2000 US Supreme Court releases its 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore, settling the recount dispute in Florida's 2000 presidential election in George W. Bush's favor and thus handing him the presidency over Al Gore.

[Jimbuna]

1577 Francis Drake sets sail from England on an epic three year circumnavigation of the world aboard the 'Pelican' (later renamed the 'Golden Hind')

1636 The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. Recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.

1920 League of Nations establishes the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

1939 Battle of the River Plate - 3 British cruisers vs German pocket battleship Graf Spee.

1944 Japanese kamikaze crashes into US cruiser Nashville, kills 138

2002 The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004

2003 Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit, during Operation Red Dawn by US forces.

[Jimbuna]

1774 First incident of American Revolution - 400 New Hampshire militiamen successfully attack Fort William and Mary.

1812 The French invasion of Russia, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, officially ends with the French having lost as many as 530,000 people.

1918 Sinn Féin candidates win 73 of 105 Irish seats in UK general election, though all will refuse to take seats in Westminster, instead meeting at a Dail Eireann in Dublin.

1941 Premier Winston Churchill travels to US on board HMS Duke of York.

1941 U-557 torpedoes British cruiser Galatea.