This Day in Naval History - July 18

July 18, 2007

1775 - Continental Congress resolves that each colony provide armed vessels.

1779 - Commodore Abraham Whipple's squadron captures 11 prizes in largest prize value of Revolutionary War. 1792 - John Paul Jones dies in Paris, France.

1813 - U.S. Frigate President captures British Daphne, Eliza Swan, Alert and Lion.

1920 - Naval aircraft sink ex-German cruiser Frankfurt in target practice.

1943 - German submarine shoots down K-47, the first and only U.S. airship lost during WW II.

1947 - President Harry S. Truman delegates responsibility for the civil administration of former Japanese mandated island to the Secretary of the Navy.

1966 - Launch of Gemini 10 with Lt. Cmdr. John W. Young, as Command Pilot. Mission involved 43 orbits at an altitude of 412.2 nautical miles and lasted 2 days, 22 hours, and 46 minutes. Capsule was recovered by HS-3 helicopter from USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7).

For more information on naval history, visit the Naval Historical Center Web site at www.history.navy.mil.