By Joseph A. Williams, Chicago Review Press, Chicago, Il (2015) Reviewed by Rick Elkin As followers of naval history, most of us have, at least, a small amount of knowledge regarding submarine disasters that have occurred since just after World War I, when submarines became major weapons thanks to the German use of U-Boats. However,
By Philip Kaplan, Pen & Sword Maritime, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England (2015) Reviewed by Ed Calouro Devotees of big-gun battleships apparently cannot get their fill. In Battleships: WWII Evolution of the Big Guns, prolific author Philip Kaplan has completed his third volume in the “Images of War” series about these warships. In 2004, Kaplan wrote
By Gary Slaughter, Fletcher House, Nashville, TN (2016) Reviewed by Charles Bogart Gary Slaughter has crafted a fascinating book about his service in the U.S. Navy. The narrative starts with his life as a small town boy seeking greater opportunity than his surrounding area offers. His method of choice to escape his small town is
By Hans Joachim Koerver, Dr. Cynthia Dyre-Moellenhoff (ed.), LIS Reinisch Verlag, Steinbach, (2016) Reviewed by Eric Dietrich-Berryman, Ph.D. War of Numbers is not a long book but packs impressive, relevant detail, much of it original from the author’s searches through British records. Arguments pro and con in the Imperial German Navy are here, as is
By Geoff Dyer, Vintage Books, New York, NY (2014) Reviewed by Nathan Albright Whether or not a reader appreciates this book will greatly depend on their mindset. If someone comes to this book looking for someone who is serious about the United States Navy, has lots of respect for the military or the religious and
By Matthew T. Eng One of the longstanding missions of NHF is to collect artifacts relevant to naval history. Often these objects are then donated to worthy institutions and organizations, chiefly the U.S. Navy, best suited to care for and display them. In the case of a rare 19th-century globe, acquired by NHF 20 years
Books have always been popular gifts to present to deserving individuals during the holiday season, birthdays, and events such as retirements and changes of command. However, when those books are inscribed to that individual – well that’s way cool and very meaningful! The Naval Historical Foundation is providing the opportunity for employees at the Washington
By NHF Staff Naval Historical Foundation historian Dr. David Winkler recently traveled to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in a workshop to discuss the “Avoidance of Hazardous Military Incidents.” With the relations between Russia and the NATO alliance in decline due to the annexation of Crimea, ongoing fighting in the Ukraine, and contentious issues elsewhere, the
Today marks America’s observance of the National POW/MIA Recognition Day. It is a day to remember those service members who were either prisoners of war (POW) or are still missing in action (MIA). It is also a day to acknowledge the suffering and sacrifices made by POW/MIA families, some of whom are still waiting for
By Captain George W. Stewart, USN (Ret.) Author’s Preface: When reading this post, bear in mind that we are discussing the conditions that existed in 1979-1981. I recognize that there have been many developments since that time. In October 1978, the Navy launched a “Women in Ships” program which provided for the assignment of women
By Geoffrey Bennett (originally published B.T. Batsford Ltd., London, UK 1964), Pan & Sword Books Ltd. Barnsley, UK (2015) Reviewed by Tim McGrath Few historians, on land or sea, can match the depth and breadth of the work of Captain Geoffrey Bennett. As a Royal Navy officer who served Great Britain in war and peacetime,
By Rick Campbell, St. Martin’s Press, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by William H. White A gripping, action-packed novel that is just plausible enough to be pulled from the headlines of today’s paper. Commander Campbell, a former submariner, knows his submarines and the technology they use to fulfill their assignments; his apparent knowledge, whether first-hand
By Senior Chief George J. Chambers, U.S. Navy (Retired), Heritage Books, Berwyn Heights (2015) Reviewed by Captain Howard R. Portnoy, U.S. Navy (Retired) George J. Chambers, the author of this book, served twenty years in the US Navy, retiring as a Senior Chief Firecontrolman in 1970. During his naval career, he served aboard five destroyer
By David P. Chandler, Robert Cribb and Li Narangoa, NIAS Press, Copenhagen, Denmark (2016) Reviewed by Charles H Bogart The hundred days that this book is concerned with are the days between 5 August and 12 November 1945. The book begins on 5 August 1945, as this is the day the U.S. dropped the A-bomb
By Jonathan Dimbleby, Oxford University Press, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by Captain J. F. “Bookie” Boland, U.S. Navy (Ret.) The long campaign between the Western Allies and Germany’s U-boat force during the Second World War is the subject of Jonathan Dimbleby’s new book, The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War.
