“The average citizen is not aware of the dangers that confront America” Launching the Colorado

Happy Spring The weather is getting warmer so writing will be more challenging for a while. As I look at the world situation, I can’t help but think that not much has changed in a hundred years. Today’s story from the archives is about Sea Power, Great ships, Great men and the thread that connects […]

We Build, We Fight

I love a good John Wayne Movie. One of my favorites has always been the Fighting Seabees. March 5 is recognized as the official birthday of the Seabees and I salute all of the men and women who have served in this vital part of the US Armed Forces. From World War 2 to present, […]

USS Pittsburgh – An Honored Name for Ships that Have Defended their Nation

The Pittsburgh Name has an Honored Place in Naval History The City of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania is geographically located far from the open oceans. Despite the busy Three Rivers that offer pathways for shipping and recreation, no ocean going US Navy ships can easily navigate their way to the Point where the three rivers […]

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 […]

A super submarine! (well at least it was supposed to be in 1921)

You can be forgiven if you claim to be a submarine expert but have never heard the name Oswald Flamm before today. To be honest, neither had I before I ran into this interesting thread of information that gives a glimpse into his story. Oswald Flamm, Born July 30, 1861; Deceased June 12, 1935, was […]

The Tanaka Memorial – Real or Imagined? Part 2

Part Two: Admiral Taussig. Yes, Senator. Shall I proceed with my statement? The Chairman. Proceed. Admiral Taussig. In spite of our desires to remain aloof from international problems, we cannot do so. The world has shrunk too much. Can we look on a development in the Far East such as out lined above with detached interest, as a matter of no immediate concern to us as […]

The Daring Gambler Held All the Cards – The Plunger Legacy

There are few other submarine names that show the progression of the growth of America’s submarine propulsion power as clearly as the family of boats named Plunger I wanted to end Submarine Month (April 2020) with a classic story and a tribute to one of the most decorated submarines of the Cold War at the […]

The Battle of Bull Run and the First Official Submariner

The Battle of Bull Run and the First Official Submariner Since April is Submarine Month, I thought I would add to the history of our great institution. Warning: This is a long article… I struggled to cut it down to size and even thought about doing a two part story. But the more I found […]

Happy Birthday Submarine Family – 120 Years of Excellence

Happy birthday family. It feels a little odd saying that. For most of the years I was an active duty Submariner, you could just say “Happy Birthday Brothers” on April 11 and that would be accurate. After all, we were “Brothers of the Phin” by the shared connection of having completed submarine qualifications. My actual […]

The creation of a disordered mind… Holland’s submarine boat

The creation of a disordered mind Centuries of dreams had surrounded the desire and even the need to conquer the underwater world. The industrial age brought with it many new inventions and ideas that were changing the world. The mastery of electricity and modern engines were just part of the growth that propelled man from […]