Stephen Decatur Jr. was born in Maryland on January 5, 1779, and became one of America's most celebrated naval heroes. He joined the U.S. Navy at age 19 in 1798 and was promoted to captain at 25, making him the youngest person ever to reach that rank in Navy history. Decatur gained international fame in February 1804 when he led a daring nighttime raid into Tripoli harbor, where he and 75 sailors destroyed the captured USS Philadelphia by setting it ablaze. British Admiral Horatio Nelson praised

1.1K views · 45 reactions | This year, our beloved Michigan State Parks system turns 100 years old! All this week, we’ll be sharing stories from State Parks all across the Great Lakes State. But first, let’s get a little background on how this remarkable parks system came to be. Destination Michigan’s Steve Smith takes us on a trip back in time. | "Destination Michigan" on WCMU | Facebook