What event led Stephen Decatur to burn the U. S. warship Philadelphia?

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Esther Shelton

History

9 July, 15:26

What event led Stephen Decatur to burn the U. S. warship Philadelphia?

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Lizeth Anderson · Answer 1

The USS Philadelphia ran aground in Tripoli Harbor during the first Barbary War.

Decatur led a group of men to sneak aboard the Philadelphia and set it aflame to deny the pirates based in Tripoli the opportunity to pillage and use the Philadelphia in their attacks on merchant vessels.