This Day in Naval History - April 06

From the Navy News Service

1776 - Sloop-of-war Ranger, the frigate Queen of France and the frigate Warren capture the British vessel Hibernia and seven other vessels.

1862 - Naval gunfire from the warships Tyler and Lexington help save Union Troops at the Battle of Shiloh.

1909 - Cmdr. Robert E. Peary reports reaching the North Pole.

1917 - The United States declares war on Germany.

1945 - The first heavy kamikaze attack occurs on ships at Okinawa.

1961 - USS Lake Champlain (CVS 39) brings oxygen to aid stricken passenger of British liner Queen of Bermuda.

1968 - USS New Jersey (BB 62) is recommissioned for shore bombardment duty in Vietnam.

1989 - The President orders Department of Defense to assist in the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup.

1993 - Branch Navy Hospital Adak, Alaska, responds to crash of civilian Chinese airliner by providing lifesaving treatment and medical evacuation of 89 injured passengers. Only one passenger out of 265 passengers died.