This Day in Naval History – Dec. 16
1821 - LT Robert F. Stockton and Dr. Eli Ayers, a naval surgeon and member of American Colonizing Society, induce a local African king to sell territory for a colony which became the Republic of Liberia.
1907 - Great White Fleet departs Hampton Roads, VA to circumnavigate the world.
1922 - USS Bainbridge (DD-246) rescues 482 persons from burning French transport Vinh-Long.
1941 - USS Swordfish (SS-193) sinks Japanese cargo ship Atsutasan Maru.
1942 - Pharmacist's Mate First Class Harry B. Roby, USNR, performs an appendectomy on Torpedoman First Class W. R. Jones on board USS Grayback (SS-208). It is the second appendectomy performed on board a submarine.
1998 - In Operation Desert Fox, Navy cruise missiles attack Iraq.
(Source: Navy News Service)