This day in history - April 27

[seamusTX]

1805 - U.S. Marines captured the city of Derna or Derne, in the kingdom of Tripoli. It was the first U.S. military action on foreign soil. It is commemorated as "the shores of Tripoli" in the Marine Corps anthem.

1865 - The steamboat Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing around 1,800, mostly liberated Union prisoners of war. Conspiracy theories emerged immediately. They were never proven, but they have their adherents to this day.

This incident was the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history, worse than the sinking of Titanic.

- Jim

[WarHawk-AVG]

Samuel Morse - April 27, 1791

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[bryang]

I salute the U.S. Marines, on this day - "the shores of Tripoli"

However, I hate that the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history also occurred on this day. I have read about this tragedy and have often thought about it. It is hard to think about all those solders that had managed to stay alive through out the war and still did not make it back home.

-geo