The second shot heard round the world – Polaris A1

By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. − Emerson, “Concord Hymn” (A poem about the events on April 19, 1775 that are credited with being the first shots of the Revolution that changed […]

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 […]

The New “Star” in Star Spangled Banner

Original Post: This morning, I was honored to join a few members of the Pittsburgh Sea Cadet Battalion in helping to kick off the Bike Ride for Operation Troop Appreciation in Pittsburgh. This event helps to raise funds to build and sustain the morale and wellbeing of the military community, past and present, with the […]

Aloha to my Facebook Ohana

I did three shortened tours in the Navy in Hawaii and had some of my greatest and worst life experiences while I was there. One word that comes to mind when I think of Hawaii and the subject of this post is Ohana. From Wikipedia: “Part of Hawaiian culture, ʻ ohana means family (in an […]

A Prophesy From Nearly a Hundred Years Ago is Just as True Today

Everywhere you look these days, people are reacting to the senseless deaths of innocent people and wondering how we can stop the killing. I think its a fair question. But I think we are not examining the root causes of what seems to be an increase in evil actions. Society has become very sophisticated since […]

Why do you need an AR 15?

Warning: If you are easily triggered, this may not be a good article for you to read. Why do you need an AR 15? In the wake of the latest horrific shooting, the topic for many people seems to focus on why someone would need an AR 15. Depending on the political and philosophical background […]

Where is the line? Destroying History Has a Hidden Threat to the Future

As most avid history buffs know, this coming week will mark the 154th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. This major battle was fought from July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The Southern Army had invaded the north in an […]

Rights come with Responsibilities – Or Do They?

Memorial Day has been a special event in my family’s life ever since Great Grandfather Mac donned his Grand Army of the Republic Uniform and marched in his first parade. The men who returned from the War Between the States felt it was their duty and honor to remember the sacrifices of so many men […]

It was never easy

It was never easy On the day I retired from the Navy, my crew presented me with a shadow box. That box sits on my desk and I look at it from time to time when I am not typing stories or checking out the latest on the Internet. It’s a nice box with beveled […]

Denizens of the Deep – the bond between submarines and their crews

From the very beginning of submarines, the vessels have been compared to a steel coffin or a sewer pipe closed on both ends. But to the men who have sailed on them and especially to the men (and now women) who built them and then drove them below the waves into a sea of uncertainty, […]