JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C., –
Dec. 12, 1972 - Capt. Eugene A. Cernan, U.S. Navy, commander of Apollo 17, walked on the Moon and Cmdr. Ronald E. Evans, U.S. Navy, was the Command Module Pilot. The mission lasted 12 days, 13 hours and 52 minutes and was recovered by HC-1 helicopters from USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14).
Dec. 13, 1775 - The Continental Congress provided for the construction of five ships of 32 guns, five ships of 28 guns, and three ships of 24 guns.
Dec. 14, 1944 - Rank of Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy (five star admiral) was established.
Dec. 15, 1988 - End of Earnest Will convoy operations to escort reflagged tankers in the Persian Gulf.
Dec. 16, 1942 - Pharmacist's Mate First Class Harry B. Roby, USNR, performed an appendectomy on Torpedoman First Class W. R. Jones on board USS Grayback (SS-208). It was the second appendectomy performed on board a submarine.
Dec. 17, 1941 - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was named commander in chief, US Pacific Fleet, to relieve Admiral Husband Kimmel. Admiral William Pye became acting commander until Nimitz's arrived.
Dec. 18, 1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey received orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure Great Britain's and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force.