First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen

I asked for a sign and this is what I got (1638 EST 1/7/2019) I monitor the traffic on the web site each day to see what is working and what is not. It was kind of an interesting surprise to open the blog up and see that number on the left. Recently, the focus […]

Inconceivable – It was just a plastic toy anyone could buy for $2.98

A most unusual executive session This story is about the transcripts from a Congressional committee meeting of a most unusual nature. It was held on April 9, 1960 on board the USS George Washington. Some interesting notes: The boat was underway, the depth was 400 feet at the time and had just conducted a […]

A decade that changed the world – FBM history from 1959-1969

A decade that changed the world – FBM history from 1959-1969 Nearly a decade of progress changed the face of submarine warfare and nuclear deterrence. Between 1959 and 1969, the Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines went from concept to reality in a way that fundamentally changed the way two major powers viewed warfare and strategic deterrence. […]

The Boomer Pin Turns 50 – (Does that mean it can finally join the Holland Club?)

The Boomer Pin turns 50 in 2019 One of the most divisive subjects in the American submarine family is the breast insignia know by most as the Boomer pin. This little device has been a part of my uniform since January 1974 when I completed my first ballistic missile patrol. Wearing the pin by itself […]

The Birth of the Atomic Fleet – When Science Fiction was Dwarfed by Science Fact

The Birth of the Atomic Fleet In 1950, the same year the USS Pickerel conducted a remarkable journey from Hong Kong to Hawaii in just 21 days under snorkel, the President of the United States, President Harry S. Truman, authorized the building of an atomic submarine for the first (August 1950). Pundits and politicians had […]

Submarines: “from a boy to a giant”

One of my favorite pastimes is discovering unique stories about the United States Submarine force and the development through the ages. There is no better witness to the phenomenal growth than that of one of the most profound influences on submarine operation and development: Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. The most fascinating thing about this man […]

Post Number 633 – USS Casimir Pulaski SSBN 633

A salute to one of the many unsung heroes of the Cold War: The USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633) USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633), a James Madison-class ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Casimir Pulaski (1745–1779), a Polish general who served in the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette […]

August 28, 1973 The Journey Begins

I joined the Navy in April of 1972 by raising my right hand for the very first time. The Navy used the Delayed Entry Program to pre-sign willing young volunteers and at the age of seventeen, I was anxious to leave home and see the world. I remember my girlfriend at the time crying a […]

Hallmark doesn’t make a card for Sea Daddys. (But maybe they should)

Warning: Some salty language may have snuck past the censors There was a Navy training film many years ago called “The Lost Sailor”. The idea behind the film was for Navy leaders to recognize all the things that could go wrong with a young sailor when they first report on board a ship or submarine. The […]

The First Thanksgiving (Updated from Original Post in 2013)

The First Thanksgiving If you are expecting a traditional story about Pilgrims and Indians, you might as well go back to your search engine and try again. This is a story about my real first Thanksgiving that occurred somewhere in the western Pacific Ocean about 150 feet below the ocean exactly forty years ago today […]