From Navy News Service
1785 - Order received to sell last ship remaining in Continental Navy, frigate . No other Navy were ships authorized until 1794.
1898 - Collier Merrimac sunk in channel leading to in unsuccessful attempt to trap Spanish fleet. The crew was captured and later received the Medal of Honor.
1949 - Wesley A. Brown becomes the first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.
1966 - Launch of Gemini 9, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Eugene A. Cernan. The mission included 45 orbits over three days. Recovery was by USS Wasp (CVS 18).