This Day in Naval History – Dec. 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.

(Source: Navy News Service)