By Lt. Cdr. John L. Dickey; Revised by David W. McComb, Merriam Press, Bennington, VT, (2013) Reviewed by Samuel Loring Morison Not since the U.S. Naval Institute published Commander John Alden’s famous Flush Decks and Four Pipes in 1965 has such a study been published. A Family Saga is twice the length of Commander Alden’s
The Naval War of 1812 “America’s Second War of Independence:” Collections of William I. Koch and the U.S. Naval Academy Museum By Dr. William S. Dudley with Dr. J. Scott Harmon, United States Naval Academy. Annapolis, MD, (2013) In Their Own Words: The Navy Fights the War of 1812 By Vice Adm. George W. Emery,
By Philip Kaplan, Pen & Sword Books, Ltd, South Yorkshire, UK, (2013) Reviewed by Jan Churchill Eminent aviation historian Philip Kaplan, an American living in Cheltenham, England, wrote a compelling book that explores the most significant aspects in the development of naval aviation over the past century. When air power became a major factor during
By Kurt Gross, Edited by Simone C. De Santiago Ramos, Gerhard Hess Verlag, Bad Schussenried, Germany, (2013) Reviewed by Ingo Heidbrink, Ph.D. The diary of Kurt Gross, a petty officer of the German navy (Reichsmarine), covers the journey of the cruiser Karlsruhe to North and South America between November 1931 and December 1932. It is
By Mark Stille, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom, (2013) Reviewed by Diana L. Ahmad, Ph.D. This second volume about Japanese World War II destroyers continues Mark Stille’s excellent work. Once again, the book provides many details about when the Japanese built the vessels, the changes implemented, and ultimately what happened to the ships. As with
By Iain Ballantyne & Jonathan Eastland, Pen & Sword Maritime, South Yorkshire, UK, (2013) Reviewed by John R. Satterfield, DBA Few military leaders rise to iconic status and are worshipped by the nations they serve long after they’re gone. Few weapon systems utilized in their careers share the adulation of these heroes. Vice Admiral Horatio
By Dave Colamaria I was excited to hear that the Naval Historical Foundation is working with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum on the 2014 LEGO Shipbuilding Program this coming February. I had a great time at last year’s event (see the story here) and I thought a lot over the past year about a follow-up
We would like to introduce a new segment to the NHF Blog page: Washington Navy Yard: Then and Now. We will be showing the growth and changes in Washington Navy Yard history from yesterday through today. Today’s images discuss Building 201, just a few blocks from the National Museum of the United States Navy. The
“Men have the luxury of being average. When you walk in as a woman, that assumption does not come with you.” – Michelle Howard, Commander, USS Rushmore, Time Magazine, 2000. This blog discusses American naval history. History, by definition, is a study of the past. It is a very rare and special treat
By Norman Polmar (Editor’s note: This is the 20th in a series of blogs by Norman Polmar—author, analyst, and consultant specializing in the naval, aviation, and intelligence fields. Follow the full series here.) In the mid-1970s my neighbors in Northern Virginia included Stu and Martha Landersman. Stu was a Navy captain and a surface warfare
Tomorrow marks the 114th Army-Navy football game. Due to a recent string of success (11 straight victories), Navy holds the current record at 57-49-7. Navy football did not always dominate the storied rivalry. During World War II, the rivalry between the Midshipmen and Black Knights was better than ever. Despite any misgivings the other service
Today, we commemorate the 151st anniversary of the sinking of the ironclad USS Cairo. The Cairo sank in the river during the 1862 Yazoo Pass Expedition. This article is the beginning of a series of articles in partnership with the Civil War Navy Sesquicentennial, an official U.S. Navy commemoration. Americans today revel in stories of people
By T.J. Cooper, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Charleston, S.C., (2013) Reviewed by LCdr. Jason P. Grower, USN December 7th marks a somber occasion – the 72nd anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a seminal moment which changed the world and defined a generation. Thus the date is a remembrance of those
British artist John Hamilton was one of the world’s leading painters of World War II naval operations. In an era before digital photography and photo manipulation, Hamilton’s paintings expertly capture the realism of combat at sea. Part historian and part artist, John Hamilton was a major contributor to the history and memory of World War
NHF Executive Director CAPT Todd Creekman, USN (Ret.) recalls an interesting vignette about the upcoming Pearl Harbor anniversary from one of our members. The story begins back in 2000. Ms. June Ferren got in touch with Captain Creekman to ask for help in tracking down the story of her close friend who died during World
