Cold War Stories – From Blind as a Bat to Eyes like an Eagle; The Evolution of Drones and Missiles

It has been fascinating to watch the application of drones and guided missiles over the past twenty years in various conflicts. The evolution of microelectronics has changed the way wars are fought in ways that mirror science fiction at its finest. I was reading an article about ENIAC earlier today and it reminded me about […]

Cold War Stories – The next war will be fought on our own soil

Cold War Stories – The next war will be fought on our own soil In 1984, there was a fictional movie called Red Dawn that portrayed an invasion of the United States. It was a very interesting look at what would happen in the country if an enemy was successfully able to bypass all of […]

Cold War Stories – Prepare to Snorkel

Cold War Stories – Prepare to Snorkel When the word is passed “Prepare to Snorkel” on a submarine, a number of actions need to be taken immediately. The boat has to be at the correct depth, valves need to be adjusted and of course, the diesel operator needs to do some preliminary actions. The snorkel […]

Cold War Stories: Atomic Submarines that could Dive Deeper than ever

Cold War Stories: Atomic Submarines that could Dive Deeper than ever Most Mondays I get a chance to share stories with students from the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit that are based at the Weapons Station in Goose Creek in South Carolina. The young people are the best and brightest of their generation and will […]

Truman’s Decision – 1945

It seems a lifetime ago when I last sailed on a submarine. I left the USS Ohio in December of 1984 after making my fourth patrol. It was a routine patrol with nothing special to report. Considering that we were conducting a strategic deterrent patrol, that is a very good thing. After having served on […]

Every Moment Mattered – Epilogue

Every Moment Mattered – Epilogue At 01:48 on 13 November, Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan’s relatively small landing support group of thirteen ships engaged the enemy. The Japanese force consisted of two battleships, one light cruiser, and nine destroyers. Because of bad weather and confused communications, the battle occurred in near-pitch darkness and at almost […]

Every Moment Mattered – The Life and Death of Cassin Young, Captain, USN MOH Recipient – Chapter Sixteen: “When the World is at Peace, a gentleman keeps his Sword by his side.” – Wu Tsu

Chapter Sixteen (1929-1933) “When the World is at Peace, a gentleman keeps his Sword by his side.” – Wu Tsu The Young’s would once more find themselves facing another cross-country transfer when Cassin was assigned to the Naval Academy for duty as an instructor. From August of 1928 until May of 1931, the family would […]

Every Moment Mattered – The Life and Death of Cassin Young, Captain, USN MOH Recipient – Chapter Eighteen: Every Moment Mattered … Saving the Vestal

Chapter Eighteen: Every Moment Mattered… Saving the Vestal Navy Regulations Article 0802 Commanding Officer’s responsibility The responsibility of the commanding officer for his or her command is absolute, except when, and to the extent to which, he or she has been relieved therefrom by competent authority, or as provided otherwise in these regulations. The authority of […]

Every Moment Mattered – The Life and Death of Cassin Young, Captain, USN MOH Recipient – Chapter Ten: She married a Submariner

Chapter Ten: She married a Submariner There was a custom that existed when ships were at sea to drink a toast at dinner on Saturday night to officer’s wives and sweethearts. The second stanza to one of those toasts (that dated back to the Royal Navy) said: Sweethearts and wives, those precious names That make […]

Every Moment Mattered – The Life and Death of Cassin Young, Captain, USN MOH Recipient – Chapter Nine: “A cowardly, underhanded weapon”

Chapter Nine: “A cowardly, underhanded weapon” As Cassin Young and his classmates were being trained in the art and science of submarine warfare in the summer of 1919, forces across the Atlantic Ocean were gaining strength to try and cut short his and many other’s careers on submarines. The British had been particularly hard hit […]