This Day in Naval History - July 17

1812 - USS Constitution escapes from British squadron after 3 day chase off New Jersey

1858 - U.S. sloop Niagara departs Queenstown, Ireland, to assist in laying first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable.

1898 - Santiago, Cuba surrenders to U.S. Naval forces.

1927 - First organized dive bombing attack in combat by Marine Corps pilots against Nicaraguan bandits who were surrounding U.S. Marine garrison at Ocotal, Nicaraguan.

1944 - Ammunition explosion at Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, Calif.

1975 - Docking in space of the U.S. Apollo (Apollo 18) and Soviet Soyuz (Soyuz 19) space craft. This was the first manned space flight conducted jointly by the 2 nations. Former naval aviator Vance D. Brand was the Apollo Command Module Pilot. The Apollo craft was in space for 9 days and 7.5 hours. Recovery was by USS New Orleans (LPH-11).

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