By David F. Winkler, Ph.D. Staff Historian On October 17, 1922, America’s first carrier, USS Langley held a fixed position in the York River as preparations proceeded for a historic milestone. Naval Aviator No. 41, Lt. Virgil “Squash” Griffin, climbed into a cockpit of a VE-7SF biplane (BuNo. A-5932). As Griffin prepared for takeoff, winches
The Top Gun program’s founder, Captain Dan Pedersen, discusses the origins of the Naval Weapons Fighter School. In the subsequent Q&A, we are joined by Top Gun graduates, Vice Adm. Walter E. “Ted” (Slapshot) Carter, USN (Ret.), and Vice Adm. Thomas (Killer) Kilcline, USN (Ret.).
Reviewed by Diana L. Ahmad, Ph.D. The Kamikaze, a well-known unit of the Japanese military in World War II, still fascinates many students of war history. Having just read Rain of Steel: Mitscher’s Task Force 58, Ugaki’s Thunder Gods, and the Kamikaze War off Okinawa, by Stephen L. Moore, I found Stewart’s book a good
Reviewed by Diana L. Ahmad, Ph.D. Author of over a dozen books about World War II, Stephen L. Moore adds to his bibliography with a wonderful analysis of the Spring 1945 Pacific Campaign for Okinawa. As expected by the title of the work, the first chapters are devoted to telling readers who Vice Admiral Marc
By NHF Staff Historian Dr. Dave Winkler Sea Power, October 2016 On April 10, 1922, at hearings of the Senate Subcommittee of Naval Affairs, Sen. David I. Walsh of Massachusetts asked Lt. Willis B. Haviland, a pilot who had been assigned to a recently commissioned ship, “What is the Langley?” Haviland responded, “She is a poor excuse for
Reviewed by NHF Director of Membership Programs, ENS Sean Bland, USNR A professor of history at Auburn University in Alabama, William F. Trimble has written extensively on the history of Naval Aviation, including studies of Glenn Curtiss, Admiral William Moffett, and the Seaplane Striking Force program. Drawing from this in-depth knowledge of the history of naval
By NHF Staff Historian Dr. Dave Winkler Sea Power, October 2017 As plans proceeded to convert the collier Jupiter to become the Navy’s first aircraft carrier Langley at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the carrier’s prospective flight officer, Lt. Cdr. Godfrey deC. Chevalier noted an oversight in the plans. Interviewed in 1970, Alfred “Mel” Pride recalled “Chevalier told me that I
First published in Sea Power – October 2009 By NHF Staff Historian Dr. Dave Winkler [Editors note: Rear Admiral John Mustin, Vice Commander, Fleet Forces Command, great grandson of Captain Henry Mustin (featured below) is currently overseeing the USN Comfort as it assists medical operations to battle the novel Coronavirus pandemic in New York City.]
World War II was an air war. That is not to say that other arms were not important, they certainly were, but as the war progressed, victory at sea or on the ground grew to be difficult, if not impossible, without at least local air superiority. Underscoring the importance of air power at sea, Thomas
By Geoffrey L. Rossano and Thomas Wildenberg, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2015) Reviewed by David F. Winkler, Ph.D. With the centennial of America’s entry into World War I just over a year away, the Naval Institute Press could not have timed the publication of this book any better. It’s understood that World War I
By Frederick M. Trapnell Jr. and Dana Trapnell Tibbits, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2015) Reviewed by Nathan D. Wells Individuals who were “present at the creation” of seminal events or organizations tend to be popular subjects for biographies, especially if their influence was of great strategic importance. When those individuals are not well-known despite
By Robert E. Curtis, Casemate Publishers, (2014) Reviewed by Thomas Ostrom In his 24 years in the service, Major Robert F. Curtis flew helicopters for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Kentucky National Guard. Curtis flew in the United States, Britain (with the Royal Navy), Norway, and Vietnam from shore bases and the rolling decks
By Andrew Faltum, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2014) Reviewed by Mark Lardas They were the first aircraft carriers designed from the keel up to operate jet aircraft. When they appeared, they were so big a jump over their World War II predecessors; they were considered not just aircraft carriers, but rather supercarriers. And now
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
