Today in U.S. Naval History: June 3

Posted by Eric Haun July 3, 2014

USS Merrimac at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia in 1891 (Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives)

Today in U.S. Naval History - June 3

1785 - Order to sell last ship remaining in Continental Navy, frigate Alliance . No other Navy were ships authorized until 1794.

1898 - Collier Merrimac sunk in channel leading to Santiago, Cuba in unsuccessful attempt to trap Spanish fleet. The crew was captured and later received the Medal of Honor.

1949 - Wesley A. Brown becomes the first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.

1966 - Launch of Gemini 9, piloted by L.Cdr. Eugene A. Cernan, USN. The mission included 45 orbits over three days. Recovery was by USS Wasp (CVS-18).

For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.