Earlier this week, sharpshooters on the fantail of the U.S. Navy destroyer Bainbridge picked off three pirates with single bullets to the head, freeing a hostage merchant marine captain. Two days later, the Bainbridge sailed to the aid of another American merchant ship attacked by pirates.

William Bainbridge, the naval officer for whom the ship is named, would be pleased. Bainbridge played an important role cleaning out a similar nest of corsairs who plagued shipping off African coastlines two centuries ago.

Born in Princeton, N.J., in 1774, Commodore Bainbridge joined the Navy in 1798. It was a time when Congress and President John Adams wrestled over how to deal not only with the combined threats of England and France, the military superpowers of the time, but also...