Large Slow Targets – One Ship’s Story LST 808

I am reminded every once in a while that even though some ships are designed to fight the enemy directly, there is still a lot of honor and bravery in those ships that the Navy euphemistically classified as “Amphibs” and “Auxiliaries”. In my 1943 Bluejacket’s Manual, the vessels were not even listed in the ship […]

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 confession followed an all-night grilling. Justice in America 1921

Note: This story was deeply disturbing for me to write. Not only because of the seeming failures of the Justice Department but because I am afraid the United States Navy participated in a horrendous miscarriage of justice in the persecution of one of its sailors. I encourage you to look at the story and see […]

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 […]

January 1921: Battleship Still the Fleet’s Backbone, In Opinion of US, Naval Experts

The New York Herald, Sunday January 30, 1921 published an article about the future of the United States Navy and the ships and submarines that would propel the country forward into the global race for supremacy at sea. From the article: “Vessels Of The North Carolina Class When Completed Will Put United States In Advance […]

January 2020 – the crowds were everywhere

It’s been a strange year. But I can’t think of a person on the planet that probably hasn’t already said that. The end of December of 2019 was an awesome time. I just now realized how awesome it was as I sit here writing these thoughts. People still traveled freely all over the world, there […]

In December 1983, It wasn’t even on the list.

In December 1983, It wasn’t even on the list. I was cleaning out some piles in my Zombie room this afternoon and I found pictures and letters from a long time ago. Some of them hadn’t been touched in years other than to move them to a different location. I am a Master Procrastinator and […]

Rig for Dive

Rig for Dive What an unusual year this has been. The Wuhan Virus has certainly taken its toll in so many direct and indirect ways. In my lifetime, I don’t think I can remember any other health emergency that received this much attention or caused so much angst. But I do see the human cost […]

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 […]