The Horrors of War – Navy Medicine at Pearl Harbor (1942 Reflection)

One of my earliest memories of Pearl Harbor was reading books about the attack. I grew up in a firefighter’s family so was aware of the dangers of fire in the civilian world. But reading the many books included in Samuel Eliott Morrison’s collection “The Rising Sun in the Pacific, 1931 – April 1942 […]

A Navy Day to Remember – but not everyone was on board

When the Navy League first advocated for a special day to bring focus to the US Navy, there were many who joined along with them in their enthusiasm. After all, the idea of a strong navy was something that many believed would hep protect the nation in future conflicts. Despite all of the treaties that […]

1930 – the last chance to eliminate the rattlesnakes of the seas is over

The London Naval Conference of 1930 This conference was the third in a series of conferences meant to slow, limit or eliminate large combat shipbuilding efforts among a group of nations that were seen as potential adversaries. From the State Department’s Historian: “The purpose of the meetings was to promote disarmament in the wake of […]

1927 – The Submarine Myth and the Ace of the Pacific

1927 The back-and-forth argument about the significance of submarines continued in a variety of ways in 1927. The British continued their aggressive campaign of influence to demonstrate the need to abolish the boats while the original defenders in American and elsewhere continued to predict that they would become even more important in the future conflicts. […]

1924 – America is 8 Years behind in Submarine Development

1924 Navy Behind There were a number of visionary men in the US Navy that made predictions about the future of warfare. One of my favorites was Chester Nimitz wh was an early proponent of submarine warfare. Much of what he predicted as an ensign came to fruition during the Second World War when the […]

1916 – The Unexpected Guests Come Calling

1916 – In the United States, the need for a more structured course of instruction in submarine operations was identified by the Secretary of the Navy and the Navy Department. The increase in number and complexity of submarines was the driving force behind this perceived need. An earlier submarine school for enlisted technicians was already in […]

“Navies are soon to disappear, according to a critic in the New York Herald” July 1901

In 1901, predictions about the coming changes to the navies of the world were abundant. The industrial revolution had produced new technologies and science was rapidly advancing in many fields. The recent Spanish American war had shown how important a flexible navy was to a countries defense and the introduction of submarine warfare brought an […]

“The men who go down into the waters in these boats must take their lives in their hands.” Holland’s Invention in 1898

Sunday, April 24, 1898, the San Francisco papers and papers across the country were filled with the latest news about the Spanish American War that was already underway. America woke up that morning to the realization that it had seacoasts that stretched from north to south in both the east and the west. There was […]

1922 – Radio, Seaplanes and A Seagoing Covered Wagon

1922 was a year that saw both progress and limitations for the US Military and especially the Navy. Both would play a key role in the war that could come less than two decades after. The implementation of the terms of the Washington Naval Arms Limitation Treaty were already being felt. The new class at […]

The Mighty “B” – Don’t give up the ship… the story of the USS Birmingham CL-62

On March 20, 1942, the cruiser Birmingham was launched at Newport News Virginia. Like so many ships of her generation, she was planned and designed around a model that had been determined during the various naval arms limitation treaties that predated the war she would fight in. In 1942, ships were desperately needed to fight […]