1922 – A Thoroughly Modern Submarine

1922 A holiday from building With the signing of the Naval Arms Limitation Treaty, the American navy had a number of logistical problems to be met with in order to meet the terms of the treaty. Not the least of those issues was what to do with the ships that were now considered excess and […]

1919 – Setting a new standard for submarine training

1919 – Setting a new standard for submarine training The post for today is an excerpt from my upcoming book about Captain Cassin Young. The book captures his journey based on historical records and research into how the US Navy grew and developed its submarine force during the early years. This excerpt comes from Chapter […]

1917 – Submarines have many adventures (and so do Submariners)

1917 “We need a bigger fleet” “You’re going to need a lot more sailors.” The war that had started in Europe in 1914 had ended up being a stalemate on land. The Germans were never able to get past their early gains without being pushed back. The Allies were also kept to minimal gains with […]

1916 – The Unexpected Guests Come Calling

1916 – In the United States, the need for a more structured course of instruction in submarine operations was identified by the Secretary of the Navy and the Navy Department. The increase in number and complexity of submarines was the driving force behind this perceived need. An earlier submarine school for enlisted technicians was already in […]

1915 – The submarines come of age

If there was any doubt about the impact of submarines in an open ocean war, they were dispelled for even the harshest critic in 1914-1915. The surprise attacks form the German U-boats were stunning to the public at large as they watched ship after ship damaged and sunk. While some in the American naval leadership […]

1914 – The Suicide Club – SUBMARINE MOST PUZZLING WAR MACHINE

In August of 1914, the world exploded. The two sides had already been preparing for war by calling up all of the conscripts that would be needed for a massive land war in Europe. Before it was over, the losses on both sides would be staggering. By wars end, a combined total of twenty million […]

1913 – PERFECTING THE SUBMARINE

The war clouds were continuing to gather over much of Europe. The Kaiser and his leadership team recognized that in order to continue growing as a country, they needed more land and resources. The English and French were bound together by a series of treaties and this binding would propel all of the Powers towards […]

April 10, 1963 -“Experiencing minor difficulty. Have positive up angle. Attempting to blow.”

“Experiencing minor difficulty. Have positive up angle. Attempting to blow.” I wasn’t quite nine years old when the USS Thresher went down for its final dive on April 10, 1963. I am sure I remember the news but I am also sure the significance of the tragedy did not reach all the way inside of […]

1909 – the First Torpedo Man and a Revolutionary Change in Submarines

In April 1909, Ensign Kenneth Whiting, a future naval aviation pioneer, became the commanding officer of Porpoise. On 15 April, Whiting and his crew of six took the submarine out for what was to be a routine run. Porpoise got underway, cleared the dock and moved out into Manila Bay. She dove soon thereafter, and […]

1908 – Submarines Floating on a Sea of Champaign

1908 – Submarines floating on a sea of Champaign In the winter of 1908, Connecticut House of Representative Member George L. Lilley brought a scathing accusation against members of the House of Representatives and a whole host of people who had been involved with the previous year’s submarine competition. The competition had determined that the […]