Gave proof through the night… USS Francis Scott Key SSBN 657

I have some vague memories from an earlier age about the man who was credited with writing the National Anthem. I have even been to a number of the locations where he lived and where he wrote the famous verses that would someday become one of the most memorable songs of the country’s history. So […]

Freedom’s Defender – USS John Marshall SSBN 611 (SSN 611)

My history is a little rusty sometimes and I will readily admit that I was not as familiar with John Marshall as I should have been before I started this installment of the 41 for Freedom series. Yet, of all the men a boat of this class could have been named for, this one is […]

“Ocean in view! Oh Joy!” USS LEWIS AND CLARK (SSBN 644)

I can almost hear the conversation on that morning when President Thomas Jefferson called Merriweather Lewis into his office and explained to him what he needed done. “I need you to make your way from St. Louis to Oregon in the shortest possible time and distance.” “What’s an “Oregon”, Thomas?” “I’m not sure but I […]

The Blue and the Gold – Sixty Years of Sharing the Sea

The Blue and the Gold As I sit here writing the 41 for Freedom story for tonight, it is Easter Weekend. 45 years ago, the USS George Washington Gold Crew had taken over the boat from the Blue crew in Guam and I was enjoying my first taste of freedom in months. That first patrol […]

USS Hunley AS 31 – “We Serve to Preserve Peace.”

USS Hunley AS 31 – “We Serve to Preserve Peace.” No story about the Cold War submarine efforts would be complete without the recognition of the work done by the Submarine Tenders (AS). The very first tender designed and built from the keel up to service the Polaris fleet was the USS Hunley. Hunley was […]

Fidelity, Industry and Courage – The USS Von Steuben SSBN 632

Thirty years is a long time for a ship to remain active. The Von Steuben is an excellent example of a submarine that was built to last and flexible enough to transition through a number of weapons systems as technology improved. She represented a system in flux. The earlier missiles which were pushed into production […]

41 For Freedom – Fully Functional in less than 10 Years

Every once in a while, you hear someone question whether or not America is exceptional. After all, not everything was invented here and there are many fine people all over the world who have made significant contributions. But I look at one single example of what this country is capable of and say that it […]

For the defense of our own… USS Nathanael Greene SSBN 636

We are soldiers who devote ourselves to arms not for the invasion of other countries, but for the defense of our own, not for the gratification of our private interests but for public security Nathanael Greene I belong to MOAA and have for a few decades since I retired from the Navy But I was […]

Surrender “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.” USS Ethan Allen SSBN 608

Surrender “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.” There are very few heroes from America’s early history that have as much color as Ethan Allen. Growing up, I remember reading stories about his exploits in the public school that I attended, but frankly, his actual story is so much more interesting […]

A faraway land that still calls me back – Holy Loch and Polaris

I remember the day that the announcement came that Holy Loch was closing. February 1991 was a typical cold Scottish month. I had already completed my initial qualifications as Docking Officer and would be certified in the next docking of a nuclear submarine on March 15th. But before I could even think about the […]