This Week in American Military History:  Apr. 24, 1778:  Capt. John Paul Jones – commanding the Continental sloop-of-war Ranger (the first of 10 so-named American warships) – captures the Royal Navy sloop HMS Drake in an action off the Irish coast in which Drake’s captain, Commander George Burdon, is killed by a Continental Marine. A … Continue reading This Week In American Military History: From the Irish Coast to “Desert One”