February 1971 – This is not a Test

“For 40 Minutes in 1971, It Seemed the End Was Near” “Every TV and radio station in America was interrupted with an emergency message indicating nuclear war was imminent.” I was a junior then senior in High School in 1971 and the world was a very chaotic place. Some would even say it was explosive. […]

Christmas in Manila – 1945

Merry Christmas. Simple words of greeting that have been shared all over the world in so many languages. But often the greeting is sent from far away from home. In December 1945, my Dad was working as part of the post war draw down in Manila. He had entered the war on March 8th, 1945 […]

The Patriot Act… a bad idea for a Republic

When the terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, the country was shocked to see the depth of our vulnerability. It is the hallmark of any society steeped in personal liberty and freedom that a certain amount of risk will exist. People who have bad motives and evil intent will find the loopholes […]

The Pearl Harbor Attack at Eighty Years

On December 7, 2021, it will be eighty years since the “surprise” attack on Pearl Harbor. In all of those years, many books have been written about the attack and its significance. In the aftermath of the attack, there were also a lot of congressional hearings to discover why such a devastating attack could have […]

August 12 1941 – Today I wish to save you from yourselves

Grab yourself a coffee and get comfortable. This is a bit of a long read, but one that has historical significance. August 12, 1941 was a very meaningful day in the path to World War 2. In the United States, loud voices were calling for isolation from the storms of Europe and the Far East. […]

The coming storm

Warning: If you don’t like posts about Patriotism, stop reading now. I was taking inventory of my life in the last few days and here is what I think I found. First, I was born an American which means that because of decisions my ancestors made, I wasn’t born in Scotland, England, Ireland, Germany, […]

Sometimes you just need a little time to refocus

I have written nearly 1000 posts since the beginning of the blog. Of course most of them have been about submarines and leadership but its been fun to record other historical events and key events from naval history. One project that I started a few years ago was about Captain Cassin Young. His story fascinated […]

Every Moment Mattered Update (April 2021)

I have been working on a book project now for about five years. My first go at publishing was put on hold when the publisher asked me to include some stories and ideas that were in line with the publishers needs. Last November, I was doing a web based presentation for the McKeesport Heritage and […]

“The average citizen is not aware of the dangers that confront America” Launching the Colorado

Happy Spring The weather is getting warmer so writing will be more challenging for a while. As I look at the world situation, I can’t help but think that not much has changed in a hundred years. Today’s story from the archives is about Sea Power, Great ships, Great men and the thread that connects […]

The Most Important Letter I have Ever Written – Winston Churchill

March 11, 1941 – Roosevelt Signs the Lend-Lease Act Between 1935 and 1937 Congress passed three “Neutrality Acts” that tried to keep the United States out of war, by making it illegal for Americans to sell or transport arms, or other war materials to belligerent nations. Supporters of neutrality, called “isolationists” by their critics, argued […]