Daily Event for March 19


March 19, 1938 The USS Phoenix CL-46 was launched at the New York Shipbuilding Corp. in Camden, New Jersey. Phoenix served throughout the Pacific Island campaign's in World War 2 earning 9 battle stars.  She was decommissioned in July of 1946 and sold to Argentina.

Under her new name, General Belgrano, she was torpedoed and sunk by the HMS Conqueror on May 2, 1982 during the Falkland Islands war. Her sinking was the first time a nuclear submarine had torpedoed and sunk an enemy ship.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
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