The U.S. Naval Institute is maintaining and preserving the former Naval Historical Foundation website so readers and former NHF members can still access past issues of Pull Together and other content. NHF has decommissioned and is no longer accepting new members or donations. NHF members are being converted to members of the Naval Institute. If you have questions, please contact the Naval Institute via email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-233-8764.Not a member of the Naval Institute? Here’s how to join!

Thursday Tidings: Announcements and Happy Holidays

Thursday Tidings
USS John R. Perry (DE-1034)
Christmas lighting aboard ship while at Key West Naval Station Annex, Key West, Florida, 25 December 1961 – Courtesy of NHHC

Thank you for joining us for our final Thursday Tidings of the year. We hope you have enjoyed this weekly glimpse into our events, Naval History, and more. We will take a two week break and see you again on January 9, 2020.


We are grateful for your support and loyalty as members of our Foundation, and we wish you and your family a radiant Holiday season.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Dec 18, 2019) ADM Michael M. Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, provides remarks during funeral services for ADM James L. Holloway at the United States Naval Academy. James Lemuel Holloway III graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1942 as a member of the wartime accelerated Class of 1943. During his 36 years of active duty, he was in combat in three wars – World War II as a destroyer gunnery officer; Korea as a fighter piolt, and Vietnam as commanding officer of USS Enterprise and later commander, 7th Fleet. As the 20th Chief of Naval Operations (1974-1978) he was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter. (U.S. Navy photo by Kenneth D. Aston Jr)\r\r

Above: Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday provides remarks at the memorial service for Admiral Holloway

Our Naval Historical Foundation staff and friends attended the memorial service for Admiral James L. Holloway III at the U.S. Naval Academy yesterday morning. It was a reflective, moving, and somber commemoration of a life of service to the Navy, to the country, and our Foundation.

You may find some glimpses of this poignant memorial ceremony here:
flickr.com/photos/unitedstatesnavalacademy/albums/72157712262129927/page1


If you have not seen our tribute to Admiral Holloway, you can also do that here:
navyhistory.org/2019/11/tribute-to-admiral-james-l-holloway-iii/

Washington Nationals Baseball Comes to the National Museum of the United States Navy

Above: NHF Executive Director, Rear Admiral Edward “Sonny” Masso with the “Commissioner’s Trophy,” the official name of the award presented each year to the Major League Baseball Champions. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series to earn the trophy, and on Tuesday they brought it to the National Museum of the U.S. Navy for a brief display and photo-opportunity.


Did you know that the National Museum of the U.S. Navy has an entire exhibit dedicated to the long history of the Navy and baseball? You can learn more on the museum website at:
www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/news-and-events/news/2018/March/playball-20180402.html

“The Sailors’ Christmas” -1918

The image to the right is from a December 1918 issue of Our Navy, reflecting on Christmas traditions in the Navy at the time.
The opening paragraphs are reprinted below – continue reading by clicking the image to the right.

No matter where the ships of the Navy may be, no matter in what part of the universe they happen to be anchored or in what sea they happen to be plying, there is one civilized feature which always follows the ship, her complement and her flag—your flag. The spirit of Christmas is that feature. No matter where a ship may be, whether in escort,convoy, patrol or whatever duty, that place is on the map of Santa Claus. It might bet hat Santa will have to swap his reindeers for whales or sharks or he may have to abandon his sleigh and take a punt to get to the ship, but in every sea and clime he gets there!
Yuletide is celebrated with as much ceremony and reverence in the Navy as in any church or community on land. It is a tradition in the Navy for the men to celebrate the great day with just a little more enthusiasm than their civilian brothers. The men behind the guns are sentimental in this regard and whether they be recruits or old timers, they soon swing into the custom onboard ship.


If the ship happens to be lying in a navy yard or anchored in the harbor of some homeport the Christmas is not so different from that of the landlubber. It is true that thesurroundings are different, but the celebrating and custom is practically the same. The landlubber does not have the honor to serve his country on this sacred day; he does not enjoy the thought that on this day, the day of all days, he is free ‘in the steel walls of a great battleship or cruiser or transport—or any other vessel of the Navy. The civilian might not have the “chow” spread before him that Uncle Sam serves his sailors, and he might not enjoy the companionship which is always to be had in the service …

[click the image above to continue reading]

Above, Top: Aboard the USS New Jersey (BB-62) entertainers Bob Hope and Ann Margaret cut a cake on the mess deck. They are on board for the Bob Hope Christmas USO Show – Dec 25, 1968.

Above, Lower: Christmas recruiting poster, unknown date.Both images courtesy of NHHC. Find their U.S. Navy Christmas image gallery here:

www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/navy-life/holidays/christmas.html

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