Reporters noted: “There is a typical submarine smell” Stories from the U 111 Archives

This week was the annual Veterans Day remembrance in the United States and around the world. Of course, this year was the Centennial of the original celebration of Armistice Day when the land armies in Europe stopped fighting on 11-11 -1918 at 11:00 AM. The Navy’s involved did not have the same cease fire. In a few […]

I never planned on becoming an old veteran

As Veteran’s Day approaches once more, my thoughts turn to how many veterans I have known in my life. My Dad, of course, comes to mind immediately. He served during the last year of World War 2 in the Navy and returned to an America that was fundamentally changed from the country he had grown […]

It takes a thief

In the late nineteen sixties, there was a TV series starring Robert Wagner called “It takes a Thief”. Wagner starred as a reformed thief who used his powers for good instead of evil. The series was loosely based on an old English proverb that said “Set a thief to catch a thief”. (Or as is […]

Global Undersea Warfare Champions

As Veterans Day 2018 approaches, I wanted to say thanks to the winning team that has given so much to the nation. On December 7th, 1941, unforeseen circumstances changed the role of submarines forever. Gone was the role of coastal protection and scouting for the fleet and our submarine force has never looked back. Sheer […]

October 27, 1922 was the very first Navy Day in the United States

October 27, 1922 was the very first Navy Day in the United States. Former President Theodore Roosevelt had been born on that day and it was selected by the Navy League and the Navy Department as the most appropriate day to celebrate the United States Navy. This celebration was not just held in the United […]

October 27, 1949: The Day Comdr. John S. McCain, Jr., Let The Cat Out Of The Bag… Or Did He?

A Navy at war on two fronts: The Cold War and the War against unification The fall of 1949 was a tumultuous time for the United States Navy. Harry Truman and his Defense Secretary were focused on the unification of all of the Armed Services in a move to contain costs and gain efficiencies. On […]

The Last Navy Day – How Truman almost killed the US Navy

Navy Day is October 27 (sort of) Not to be confused with the Navy’s Birthday, which is celebrated on October 13, Navy Day was established on October 27, 1922 by the Navy League of the United States. Although it was not a national holiday, Navy Day received special attention from President Warren Harding. Harding wrote […]

The Home Depot Foundation Pledges Quarter of a Billion Dollars to Veteran-Related Causes by 2020

Yesterday’s post was about a very unhappy man who was mad at (insert name of home improvement store here) for not being eligible for a military discount. https://theleansubmariner.com/2018/10/24/lifer/ I was thinking after I posted that story that many people are not aware of how much some companies work very hard to support actual veterans-in-need causes. Because […]

Lifer

This one is going to make somebody mad. (also may have some cussing so you have been warned) I don’t mean for that to happen, but I have noticed this topic on some of the veteran’s Facebook pages over the past few years and I already know that some people are going to be pissed […]

Blockades and Submarines – An Opinion From a Master Submariner in 1939

Simon Lake was by any measure a Master Submariner. A prolific inventor, he held over two hundred patents at the time of his death in June of 1945 (just a few months short of the end of the war that was largely shaped by submarine warfare). Lake was a dreamer and had many ideas about […]