 Welcome to All Hands. This is your weekly update on Navy history. On November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch, American and British forces landed in Morocco and Algeria. The U.S. Navy saw most of its action around Casablanca and elsewhere on Morocco's Atlantic coast. This ambitious trans-oceanic amphibious operation gave the Allies bases for future operations. Within six months, all of North Africa was cleared of Axis forces, opening the way for an invasion of Italy. On the same day in 1956, the Navy's Stratolab balloon, piloted by Lieutenant Commander Malcolm D. Ross and Lieutenant Commander Emily Lewis, surpassed the world height record by soaring to 76,000 feet over Black Hills, South Dakota. The flight gathered meteorological, cosmic ray and other scientific data. For the record ascent, the men were awarded the 1957 Harmon International Trophy for aeronauts. If you would like to learn more about these facts and the Navy's history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website.