Today in U.S. Naval History: December 18

MarineLink.com December 18, 2013

USS Wasp (CVS-18. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Today in U.S. Naval History - December 18

1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure that Great Britain's and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force.

1944 - Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet encounters typhoon northeast of Samar. Destroyers USS Hull, USS Monaghan and USS Spence sink, while 21 other ships are damaged.

1965 - River Patrol Force established in Vietnam.

1965 - Helicopters from HS-11 on USS Wasp (CVS-18) pick up crew and capsule of Gemini 7, after picking up the crew and capsule of Gemini 6 two days earlier.

1967 - Operation Preakness II begins in Mekong Delta.

1972 - Mining and bombing of North Vietnam resumes with Linebacker II Operation.

For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.