This Day in Naval History - Aug. 21

From the Navy News Service

1800 - U.S. Marine Corps Band gives its first concert in

1883 - Installation of the first electric lighting on a U.S. Navy Ship completed on USS Trenton.

1920 - Radio station built by U.S. Navy and French government transmits first wireless message heard around the world. At the time it was the most powerful radio station in the world.

1951 - First contract for nuclear-powered submarine awarded.

1965 - Launch of Gemini 5, piloted by Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles Conrad Jr., who completed 120 orbits in almost eight days at an altitude of 349.8 km. Recovery was by helicopter from USS Lake Champlain (CVS 39).

1980 - USS Truxtun (CGN 35) rescues 42 Vietnamese refugees and USS Merrill (DD 976) rescues 62 Vietnamese refugees, over 200 miles southeast of Saigon.