This Day in Samoan History

January 1st – 1962 – Western Samoa’s Flag raised over Mulinu’u.
January 4th – 1836 – First group of missionary families arrive in Samoa.
January 9th – 1915 - Hurricane severely damages Manu’a Island
January 11th – 1942 – Japanese fire on Tutuila for the first and only time, damaging Frank Shimasaki’s store
January 17th – 1987 - Hurricane Tusi devastates Manu’a Islands
January 24th – 1942 – Large contingent of U.S Marines and Seabees land in Tutuila
January 26th – 1956 - First official air mail delivery to American Samoa
January 28th – 1905 – Cmdr. CBT Moore is appointed first Government of American Samoa
January 29th – 1966 – Hurricane hits American Samoa
January 30th – 1974 – 96 people die in Pam Am crash in Tafuna
February 3rd – 1990- Hurricane Ofa hits American Samoa
February 10th- 1971- The Appollo 14 astronauts arrive at Pago Pago International Airport after their splashdown in the South Pacific.
February 14th – 1872- Cmdr. R.W. Mead signs “treaty” with High Chief Mauga
February 19th – 1900- President Mckinley puts American Samoa under the authority of the US Navy.
February 22 – 1951- Dept of Interior replaces US Navy in American Samoa
March 2 – 1872- Cmdr Richard Meade signs treaty with Mauga of Pago Pago-first American Samoan Treaty
March 4- 1925- Swains Island annexed by Congress
March 16 – 1889 – “The Great Apia Hurricane” destroys three warships and kills 147 men
March 24 – 1880 – Britain And US agree to joint protection of Samoa by three powers
April 1 – 1890 - Mauga of Pago Pago dies in a Flu Epidemic
April 2- 1824- Otto Von Kotzebue sights and names Kordinkoff (Rose) Atoll after his lieutenant
April 11- 1934- LT Cmdr T.C Latimore is 22nd Naval Governor until April 13, 1934 – EASTER!!!!
April 17th – 1900- Deed of Cession signed by the chiefs of Tutuila
April 18th – 1900- First dispensary established on Tutuila 1970 the Apollo 13 astronauts arrive in Pago Pago International Airport after their splashdown in the South Pacific
April 27th- 1960- Constitution of American Samoa ratified and approved
May 1st 1966- 16 Year Old Robin Graham departs Pago Pago aboard Dove during a solo around the world voyage
May 5th- 1768- Bougainville sights the Samoa chain, names them the “Navigator Islands”
May 9th- Mothers Day- 1838- First LSM Church established in Pago Pago
May 19th- Armed Forces Day
May 24th- Memorial Day- 1961- Peter Tail Coleman completes first term of Governorship
May 26th – 1969- The Apollo 10 astronauts arrive in Pago Pago International Airport after their splashdown in the South Pacific
June 1st – Samoa Independence Day- 1836- LMS missionaries and wives anchor in Fagasa Bay
June 5th – 1900- American Flag is Raised on Rose Atoll
June 13th – 1722- Jacob Roggeveen discovers Rose Atoll. The Next day he sights Manu’a Islands, Tutuila and Upolo
June 24th – 1888- First Mormon baptism of one Malaia at Aunu’u Island
July 1st- 1956- Dept of the Interior assumes official administration of American Samoa
July 7th – 1911- “Naval Station Tutuila” officially becomes “American Samoa”
July 14th – 1904- Tuimanu’a signs Deed of Cession
July 15th – 1904- Manu’a Agrees to US authority over their islands
July 16th – 1904- Manu’a’s Deed of Cession registered at the Courthouse by E.W Gurr
July 21st – 1913- “Queen” Emma Coe dies- 1902- Theodore Roosevelt thanks Samoan Chiefs for signing the Deed of Cession
August 5th – 1878- Lands transferred to US Navy in Pago Pago Bay for use as coaling station
August 11th- 1925- Margaret Mead arrives in American Samoa
August 26th- 1913- Directive issued to establish nursing school in Tutuila
September 1st – 1935- The Feliti School for Boys is opened at Le’ala
September 8th – 1981- Gerry Speiss arrives at Pago Pago durning a solo voyage across the Pacific a stunt preformed in a tiny sailboat-capsule
October 4th – 1964- First educational television broadcast in American Samoa
October 7th – 1839- The Wilkes Expedition sights Rose Atoll and spends 34 days studying the Samoan Islands
October 18th – 1832- John Williams arrives at Leone Bay aboard the Messenger of Peace-1966- President Johnson visits. His wife dedicates Manulele Tausala (Ladybird) School
October 20th – 1905- First American Samoa Fono (Legislature) elected
November 3rd- 1894- Robert Louis Stevenson dies in Apia
November 22nd- 1977- Peter Tail Coleman begins term as first elected Governor of American Samoa
November 24th – 1969- The moon rocks from Apollo12 mission are transshipped through Pago Pago International Airport
November 29th – 1970- Pope Paul VI visits both American and Western Samoa
December 8th – 1877- High Chief Mauga escapes with his forces to Aunu’u
December 15th – 1916- W. Somerset Maugham arrives in Pago Pago with a Missionary and Sadie Thompson
December 20th – 1972- The Apollo 17 astronauts arrive at Pago Pago Internation Airport after their splashdown in the South Pacific.

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