Today In Military History 18 April

18/04/1775   American Revolution: The British advancement by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements.

18/04/1847   American victory at the battle of Cerro Gordo opens the way for invasion of Mexico.

18/04/1864   Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement.

18/04/1897   The Greco-Turkish War is declared between Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

18/04/1942   World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed.

18/04/1943   World War II: Operation Vengeance, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island.

18/04/1945   Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany

18/04/1947   The Royal Navy detonated 7000 tons (7112.328 Tonne)of unused WW2 Ordnance on the German Island of Heligoland.

18/04/1988   The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II.