This Day in Naval History - Sept. 16

From the Navy News Service

1854 - Cmdr. David G. Farragut takes possession of Mare Island, the first U.S. Navy Yard on the Pacific.

1917 - Navy Department authorizes establishment of 16 Naval air stations abroad.

1922 - Cmdr. Halsey Powell abaord USS Edsall (DD 219) became the senior officer directing the evacuation of 250,000 Greek refugees from Turkey after war between Greece and Turkey.

1940 - President Roosevelt signs Selective Training and Service Act, the first peacetime draft.

1958 - USS Grayback (SS 208) fires first operational launch of Regulus II surface-to-surface guided missile off California coast; Missile carries first U.S. mail sent by guided missile.

1966 - USS Oriskany (CVA 34) helicopters rescue 44-man crew of British merchant ship August Moon near Hong Kong.