Naval History and Heritage Command

Lavinia Fanning Watson of Philadelphia christens the sloop-of-war Germantown, the first U.S. Navy ship to be sponsored by a woman.

The screw frigate Wabash provides artillery support for Union infantry troops at the Battle of Pocotaligo, S.C. One of the gun crew, who was seriously injured, was Ordinary Seaman Oscar W. Farenholt, the first enlisted man in the Navy to reach flag rank. The battery from Wabash took part in artillery operations all along the South Atlantic coast.

An amendment to a design study contract authorizes Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co. to construct two 19A axial-flow turbojet powerplants. The move initiates the fabrication of the first jet engine of wholly U.S. design.

The destroyers USS Mahan (DD 364) and USS Lamson (DD 367) sink the Japanese gunboat Hakkaisan Maru southwest of Tamana.

The first detonation, Able, takes place in the Operation Buster-Jangle nuclear tests. Uncle, the last of the seven tests, is detonated Nov. 29. Navy and Marine Corps observers and 3rd Marines take part in this Department of Defense operation.

President John F. Kennedy orders a surface blockade of Cuba to prevent Soviet offensive weapons from reaching Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. By forcefully employing U.S. naval forces, President John F. Kennedy is able to achieve his strategic objectives and deal with a dangerous and well-armed Soviet Union without war.

The Navy Counselor (NC) rating is established to assist in managing retention and augmenting recruiting with subject matter experts in the all-volunteer force. The rating is not open to first-term enlistees due to depth of the Navy’s organization, and only second and first class petty officers are accepted to join the rate.

On this day, the USS Wisconsin (BB 64) is re-commissioned. This is the first time all four Iowa-class battleships are operational since 1958.