The image above shows a gold freedom box presented to Commodore Daniel T. Patterson by the Common Council of New York City in July 1832 (NHF Accession #1960-043). Commodore Patterson was the senior American naval officer at the Battle of New Orleans, which reached its conclusion 200 years ago today. Gold freedom boxes are extremely
Ditty Bag: Collections of the Naval Historical Foundation An Artifact and Collections Blog Series Around the World on a Battleship The unique account of Around the World on A Battleship: A Narrative of the Cruise of 1908 depicts a rare perspective of life as a Navy sailor of the Great White Fleet during the early
Cracking Gibraltar is a blog series from the Naval Historical Foundation that will discuss the Army-Navy relationship involved in taking Fort Fisher, the last remaining Confederate stronghold in the Atlantic. PART I: The Jonah of the Fleet President Abraham Lincoln awoke on the morning of December 27th to disheartening news. Less than a week after
By George Stewart A “flivver” is an American slang term used in the early twentieth century to refer to any small car that gave a rough ride. These “flivvers” were primarily small, inexpensive and old. In the context of the United States Navy, “flivvers” refer to the two specific classes of destroyers that entered service
By Col George R. Hofmann Jr. USMC (Ret.), Government Printing Office, Washington DC (2014) Reviewed by Charles Bogart This book is part of Marines in the Vietnam War Commemorative Series. As with all USMC histories, this book is both a history and a lesson learned publication. The title is a little misleading, as the author
By William H.J. Manthorpe, Jr, Cedar Tree Books, Ltd., Wilmington, DE (2014) Reviewed By Michael F. Solecki Protecting the entrance to the Delaware River and Bay has been of concern to its maritime communities since their early existence. Most of that protection was farther upstream at Forts Mott and Mifflin and Peapatch Island. But, it
By Norman Friedman, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2014) Reviewed by Mark Lardas The centennial of World War I has renewed focus on the conflict, including a slew of new books about the war. Norman Friedman’s Fighting the War at Sea: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology, examines the naval aspects of World War I. Friedman attacks
Written by Christopher Ford and David Rosenberg, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2014) Reviewed by John R. Satterfield, DBA This paperback reissue is the outgrowth of a series of operational intelligence (OPINTEL) “Lessons Learned” studies by Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) reserve units conducted between 1994 and 2004. It also includes as well as a
By Jack Cheevers. NAL Caliber, New York (2013) Reviewed by John R. Satterfield, DBA This excellent history, drawn from 11,000 pages of previously classified or unexamined documents as well as memoirs and other more contemporaneous accounts, is an omnibus review of the 1968 Pueblo incident. This volume is the culmination of more than a decade
From Naval War College Museum Dec. 4, 2014 NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Paul M. Kennedy, the J. Richardson Dilworth professor of history at Yale University, was presented the Hattendorf Prize for Distinguished Original Research in Maritime History by U.S. Naval War College (NWC) president Rear Adm. P. Gardner Howe III, Nov. 20, at Yale. The
Retired Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award during the 10 December Naval Historical Foundation’s semiannual Board of Directors Meeting. The award is a testament to Vice Admiral Dunn’s tireless efforts to educate the public about naval history, and to his commitment to the core tenants of
By Matthew T. Eng There are some things in life we cannot change. As hard as we try, time ceaselessly moves alongside absolutes such as the changing of seasons or the color of the sky. You can even set your watch to the inexorability of afternoon traffic on the DC beltway. Of all these constants
By Alan D. Zimm, Casemate Publishing, Havertown, PA (2011) Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D. There seems to be no end to new publications on the subject of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. By September 2014, WorldCat (an international library catalog) listed 18,353 publications and other media on Pearl Harbor;
By Gene Eric Salecher University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK (2014) Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D. Among the maritime accidents during World War II in the Pacific Theater is the 1944 Port Chicago disaster, a munitions explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine located in Port Chicago, California near San Francisco. The 17 July
Keep Naval History Alive! On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, thousands will give back during #GivingTuesday. This social celebration is just one way that you, your family, your community, your company or your organization can make a difference in the preservation, education and commemoration of naval history. Your generous donations will help support the Naval Historical
