Submarine Month 2023

I have been involved with the Pittsburgh Council of the US Navy League for about ten years. It’s a great organization that reflects the connection between Pittsburgh and the Navy and in particular, the submarine service. Most people who are not fully aware of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania probably would not know how much the […]

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 […]

The Stirling Letter and How it Helped to Change the Navy

I am reading about the early American efforts to build submarines. There is a lot of great reference material out there that talks about how we entered the submarine race. In the beginning, there was a gap between the creative forces that invented the early technology and the reality of how to make the submarine […]

The question of the monster (the fictional vision that became the Fast Attack Submarine)

The Monster “THE year 1866 was signalised by a remarkable incident, a mysterious and inexplicable phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to mention rumours which agitated the maritime population, and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […]

USS Bowfin – The Pearl Harbor Avenger and Patrol Number Five

USS Bowfin – The Pearl Harbor Avenger and Patrol Number Five When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the great surface fleet that was the mainstay of America’s naval arm was badly battered. Laying in the mud and waters of Pearl Harbor, these great ships were suddenly ejected from the immediate battle plan and a new […]

Not a single moment of your lives…

I was privileged today to be the keynote speaker for the opening of a Sea, Air and Land Challenge at a nearby High School. The invitation stated: The Sea Air and Land Challenge is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative for high schools students. Supported by the Office of Naval Research and administered […]