By David F. Winkler, Navy Reserve Centennial Book Committee, Washington, DC. (2015) Reviewed by David F. Winkler, Ph.D. As managing editor of the Naval Historical Foundation’s Naval History Book Reviews I’m taking the prerogative of reviewing my own book as I have some thoughts about its production, content, and some subjects covered in the book
By Rear Admiral Dave Oliver, USN (Ret.), Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, (2014) Reviewed by Phillip G. Pattee, Ph.D. Rear Admiral Dave Oliver, USN (Ret.), A 1963 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, was a nuclear-trained submarine officer who spent thirty-two years leading within the U.S. Navy. After retirement, he served as the Principal Deputy Secretary
By Steve R. Dunn, Book Guild Publishing, Sussex, England, (2014) Reviewed by Capt. John A. Rodgaard USN (Ret.) What is cowardice? Can cowardice be reinterpreted as an act of reasoned restraint or self-preservation? Is cowardice situational, or is it a character trait? Does it possess a moral dimension? That is, “Can a brave man also
By Mark Stille, Osprey, New York (2014) Reviewed by James H. McClelland, Sr. US Heavy Cruisers: 1943 – 75 is a gold mine of information concerning the U.S. Navy’s heavy cruisers of World War II and beyond. Mark Stille, a retired navy commander who has held posts in the intelligence community, faculty positions at the
By Harlan K. Ullman, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, (2014) Reviewed by Nathan Albright Readers with an interest in grand strategy and a forceful and candid presentation of a wide variety of threats to the peace and well-being of the world will find a great deal of interest in this particular book. Although this is
By Adm. James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2014) Reviewed by Stephen Phillips Admiral James Stavridis is a prolific writer who is known for countless journal articles and several books that should be in every naval officer’s collection, such as Division Officer’s Guide, Destroyer Captain, and Command at Sea. Fans and followers
By Admiral Kinnear as told to James Carter, Dog Ear Publishing, Indianapolis, IN (2014) Reviewed by Charles Bogart The heart of this autographical book centers around four topics the Admiral feels are important for success: have a vision of what you want to achieve, take advantage of continuing education opportunities, spend time developing personal networks,
By Mark A. Chambers, Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC (2014) Reviewed by Richard P. Hallion, Ph.D. This pictorial history is a useful and appealing introduction to what naval aviators—specifically, test pilots, flight test engineers, test crews, and technical support staff—have accomplished over the last seventy years at one of the world’s finest and most historic flight
By Sheila Nickerson, University of Alaska Press, Anchorage (2014) Reviewed by Jan Churchill The North Pole was the ultimate prize. Before aviation, ships could only go so far thanks to polar ice. The best way to travel, with supplies and food, was by dog sledge. However, the British Royal Navy made men, not dogs, haul
By Emily Pearce, NHF Middendorf Curator The Navy has not always done its due diligence in preserving its material heritage. The practice of collecting naval artifacts dates to the early nineteenth century under patrons such as Thomas Tingey, but these objects were not always handled with preservation practices in mind. It was not until 1961
Ditty Bag: Collections of the Naval Historical Foundation An Artifact and Collections Blog Series Thai Sterling Silver Cigarette Set The travels of Admiral Arleigh Burke are the topic of fascination and awe for many United States Navy enthusiasts. Some of our exotic and unique collection items were products of his travels. This silver cigarette set
Ditty Bag: Collections of the Naval Historical Foundation An Artifact and Collections Blog Series American Eagle Finial This American Eagle finial, or decoration which tops a flagstaff, dates to the early twentieth century. Eagle finials are used by the Executive Office, and occasionally by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. This finial is
By Matthew T. Eng Today marks the centennial anniversary of the creation of the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. Congressed established the office under the Naval Appropriation Act on 3 March 1915 (10 U.S.C. § 5033). There were two main predecessors to the Chief of Naval Operations. One series of positions known as the General Board
Tomorrow marks the centennial of Congressional legislation that created the Navy Reserve component of today’s United States Navy. While a hundred years is a significant milestone, bear in mind that 2015 also marks the 240th anniversary of the creation of the United States Navy. Given this context, the question needs to be asked: What took
The Henry N. Barkhausen Award For Original Research in Great Lakes Maritime History For consideration in the current calendar year, entries for must be postmarked no later than May 15 Guidelines for Entrants Since 2001, the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History has sponsored the Henry N. Barkhausen Award program to recognize and encourage new
