1922 – A Thoroughly Modern Submarine

1922 A holiday from building With the signing of the Naval Arms Limitation Treaty, the American navy had a number of logistical problems to be met with in order to meet the terms of the treaty. Not the least of those issues was what to do with the ships that were now considered excess and […]

1910 – HARD LIFE ON A SUBMARINE

Only the hardiest and bravest need apply The submarines of the first B class were larger and more capable than the original Holland class and included a number of improvements. These improvements allowed them to travel further and faster with less attachment to the shore or escort vessels. But the challenges of the Holland followed […]

1906 – A very bad year for submarines

1906 – A very bad year for submarines The submarine race around the globe was gaining steam as more and more of the major powers sought to join the growing list of naval powers that possessed the underwater craft. The recent war between Russia and Japan was an example of how important the threat of […]

1903 – 1904 A Different Kind of Submarine Race

What if a submarine was present on that day? Japan issued a declaration of war on Russia on 8 February 1904. However, three hours before Japan’s declaration of war was received by the Russian government, and without warning, the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the Russian Far East Fleet at Port Arthur. On the night of […]

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 […]

Gallant Leadership and Courageous Conduct Under Fire – The Story of the USS Duncan DD 485 in 1942

In February 1942, the Navy was desperate for fighting ships. From the attack at Pearl Harbor to the battles that stretched across the Pacific, years of neglect in building an adequate amount of combat vessels was being felt in every theater. Shipyards were being pushed to finish the ships that were authorized a year before […]

The Ship That Wouldn’t Die – USS Shaw DD-373

The Ship That Wouldn’t Die – USS Shaw DD-373 One of the most remarkable pictures captured at Pearl Harbor on December 7th was the spectacular explosion of the USS Shaw which was in a floating dry dock as the attack began. The bomb damage was significant enough to make anyone watching wonder if anything could […]

The cost of peace is often the next war.

On February 12, 1922, the American fleet began their annual exercises. These exercises had been conducted for a very long time and were designed to test the readiness of the sips and the men who sailed on them. But in 1922, a very different atmosphere hung heavy over the entire fleet. Coming off of […]

Death of the Old Gambler – Yamamoto’s End

I was browsing through the movie selections on my TV a few weeks ago looking for something to occupy my time while I was on the treadmill. One of the movies that came up was about Admiral Halsey called The Gallant Hours. The Gallant Hours is an American docudrama from 1960 about William F. Halsey, […]

Against all odds – The Story of the USS Barton at Guadalcanal

Against all odds – The Story of the USS Barton at Guadalcanal On January 31, 1942, the USS Barton was launched in Quincy, Mass. At the Bethlehem Steel Co. shipyard. She was a capable ship designed to provide anti-aircraft services for herself and larger ships as well as provide a platform for launching torpedoes. Her […]