March 20

1833 - CDR Geisinger of Peacock negotiates first commercial treaty with King of Siam

1922 -USS Jupiter re-commissioned as Langley, Navy’s first aircraft carrier

1939 - Naval Research Lab recommends financing research program to obtain power from uranium.

2003 - U.S. began Operation Iraqi Freedom by launching cruise missiles from Navy ships in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

March 21

1917 - Loretta Walsh becomes first woman Navy petty officer when sworn in as Chief Yeoman.

1919 - Navy installs and tests Sperry gyrocompass, in first instance of test of aircraft gyrocompass

1945 - Bureau of Aeronautics initiates rocket-powered surface-to-air guided missile development by awarding contract to Fairchild

March 22

1820 - Commodore Stephen Decatur dies after duel with Capt. James Barron

1915 - “Naval Aviator” replaces former “Navy Air Pilot” for officers qualified as aviators

1929 - Navy ships protect Americans and their property during Mexican revolution

1946 - USS Missouri departs U.S. to return body of deceased Turkish ambassador to the U.S. back to Turkey for burial. Missouri arrived in Istanbul on 5 April.

March 23

1815 - USS Hornet captures HMS Penguin in battle lasting 22 minutes

1882 - SECNAV Hunt issues General Order No. 292 creating Office of Naval Intelligence.

1945 - Carriers begin pre-assault strikes on Okinawa, kamikaze attacks follow

1958 - First launching of simulated Polaris missile from submerged tactical launcher facility off CA.

1965 - LCDR John W. Young, USN, Pilot of Gemini 3 completed 3 orbits in 4 hours., 53 minutes at an altitude of 224 km. Recovery was by helicopters from USS Intrepid (CVS-11).

March 24

1903 - George Dewey commissioned Admiral of the Navy with the date of rank, 2 March 1899. He was the only person to hold this rank.

March 25

1813 - USS Essex takes Neryeda, first capture by U.S. Navy in Pacific

1898 - Assist. SECNAV Theodore Roosevelt proposes Navy investigate military application of Samuel Langley’s flying machine, beginning naval aviation

March 26

1942 - ADM King becomes both Chief of Naval Operations and Commander, U.S. Fleet

1943 - Battle of Komandorski Islands, prevents Japanese reinforcements from reaching Attu

1966 - Operation Jackstay in Navy’s first amphibious assault in Vietnam’s inland waters

1968 - Operation Bold Dragon III began in Mekong Delta