Love, your Son Butch ~ Father’s Day Memories

Today’s blog is from a book I wrote based on my Dad’s letters to his family during the second world war and the following year while he tried to make it back home. I found the letters a few days after he passed away, and learned a lot about a man who I thought […]

The Summer of ‘42

Many of the World War 2 stories being profiled right now are being followed because of the 70th anniversary of those events. The realization that the loss of so many of the participants due to age has finally settled in for many of us. My Dad has been gone for nearly twenty years but since […]

Midway: What about the Boats?

In all the stories you see and read about Midway, the focus is on the surface and air activity. Yet one of the assets the Pacific fleet had plenty of were the submarines. Submarine activity up until June 4th of 1942 had demonstrated capabilities beyond what the original concept was thought of. Certainly intercepting warships […]

The night before … USS Astoria at Midway

There will be no sleep tonight for the main space sailors on board USS Astoria CA-34. The eight boilers would be cleared and on line before the expected engagement the next day (June 4th) and the steam turbines driving her four shafts would be preheated and running at daybreak. Even with the forced draft blowers […]

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (and they still don’t like him very much!)

What is your favorite birthday memory of all time? Was it a special trip or maybe something you had hoped for all year? I don’t remember the year that I first got my favorite birthday present, but I do remember what is was. It was the year I found out that I shared the same […]

Acts of Desperation

May of 1942 was a desperate time for the Allies in the South Pacific. Japanese expansion had been literally unchecked for the first six months of the war. It was only the bravery of the outmatched men of the Navy, Army and Marines that stood between the Japanese and the land down under. This was […]

Thanks for your service … sucker

What an evil way to start a blog. I will admit it that I am very distressed to do something with so much emotion attached to it. Frankly, it’s taken me a few hours to digest the thing that caused me to even consider writing this. But there are some times when you are compelled […]

The Last Battle

HMCS Sackville is the last remaining Canadian-built Corvette. She is the oldest Canadian warship and its official Navy Memorial since 1985. She represents some of the greatest sacrifices of the war for the Canadian forces. In all 4,600 sailors, merchant seamen, RCAF and Canadian Army personnel gave their lives in the North Atlantic. Canada lost […]

So you want to be a Submariner? (circa 1943)

Every American Bluejacket from the early 1900’s to today receives a copy of the Bluejacket’s Manual. The books were written to help supplement the knowledge of men who were being brought into the Navy. Many times, they lacked even a high school education although over the last century that has been less and less. Newer […]

Taffy 3 – Courage Beyond Measure

In the annals of US Naval history, there are a number of instances that demonstrate the courage and determination of a committed group of dedicated officers and men. The one that stands out most in many people’s opinions is the battle which occurred on October 25th 1944. On this day, a small group of […]