This Day in Naval History - March 23

1815 - USS Hornet captures HMS Penguin in a battle lasting 22 minutes. 1882 - The Secretary of the Navy, William H. Hunt, issues General Order No. 292, creating the Office of Naval Intelligence. 1917 - USS New Mexico (BB 40) is launched as the first dreadnought with turboelectric drive. 1945 - Carriers begin pre-assault strikes on Okinawa; kamikaze attacks follow. 1958 - Simulated Polaris missile is launched from a submerged tactical launcher facility off California. 1965 - Lt. Cmdr. John W. Young, pilot of Gemini 3, completes three orbits in four hours, 53 minutes, at an altitude of 224 km. Recovery was by helicopters from USS Intrepid (CVS 11).