Submarine Month 2023

I have been involved with the Pittsburgh Council of the US Navy League for about ten years. It’s a great organization that reflects the connection between Pittsburgh and the Navy and in particular, the submarine service. Most people who are not fully aware of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania probably would not know how much the […]

A Gallant Ship – SS NATHANAEL GREENE

I love a story about a ship that was heroic. During the early days of World War 2, many ships were rapidly built to replace the ones that were being sunk by the onslaught of German Submarines in the Atlantic. Liberty Ships were some of the most prevalent cargo ships that were built and pressed […]

What is a Warrant Officer? A View from the Navy

We have a great group here in the Pittsbugh Area called the Veteran’s Breakfast Club. Men and women of all branches of the service and all eras gather together for breakfast and conversations. I was featured earlier before the Pandemic and had an opportunity to talk about my submarine service. The have on line and […]

COMSUBPAC is Missing – The Last Flight of the Philippine Clipper January 21, 1943

We take flying for granted. Before I went into the navy, I had been on one flight. Pittsburgh to Cleveland. It was a prop driven plane and I remember the thrill of lifting off the ground and speeding through the air. I don’t remember how old I was but it was a pretty big deal […]

Hit Me on Head/ Patient in Undersea Ordeal Asks as Anesthesia Wears Off – The Silversides Appendectomy

This is a companion article to the Swashbuckling Submariner. A Swashbuckling Submariner – Creed Burlingame I did a number of assignments on board the submarines I served on. That isn’t unusual since we operate in a world of our own once we submerge. In addition to your primary duties as a watch stander, you serve […]

Blemishes and all … The Country and the Navy in 1973

I am incredibly proud of being a Navy Veteran The US Navy has been a part of my family DNA for more than a hundred years. We have answered the nation’s call since the Great War and served as part of the greatest navy that has ever sailed the seas. Having said that, even the […]

The Story of the Nautilus and the Nuns – New Years 1943

The Story of the Nautilus and the Nuns – New Years 1943 Eighty years ago this week, the submarine Nautilus shifted from her incredible role as a hunter killer to perform a mission of mercy. This is the story about the rescue of twenty nine refugees including four American nuns who became stranded behind Japanese […]

Submarine Minelaying – More than one way to skin a cat

There is more than one way to skin a cat. That is one of those odd sayings form a long lost generation that typically means there is more than one way to successfully complete a task. My cats Moses and Oscar would be offended by the original usage which was about actually skinning cats. From […]

USS San Francisco SSN-711 Plank Owner Belt and Buckle… Lost and Found the Backstory

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. This has been a very busy time of year with so much going on at work. A lot at home too which unfortunately keeps me from writing very much. My apologies for that. Mrs. Mac and I are doing pretty well but like many folks have had to […]

The Horrors of War – Navy Medicine at Pearl Harbor (1942 Reflection)

One of my earliest memories of Pearl Harbor was reading books about the attack. I grew up in a firefighter’s family so was aware of the dangers of fire in the civilian world. But reading the many books included in Samuel Eliott Morrison’s collection “The Rising Sun in the Pacific, 1931 – April 1942 […]