Man and the FBM Movie

Unclassified movie clip of the early days of the Polaris Program. This was certainly used as a recruiting tool to man the ships that would serve in the Cold War. USS George Washington SSBN 598 – First and Finest (December 30, 1959) https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/76/5235/4523576/content/mopix/330/dvic/330-dvic-24673.mp4

The Holland Movie

I have spent a lot of time harvesting information about the early days of submarining both here and abroad. Over the past few years, I have tried to take a deeper look at the Holland submarine and its impact on the US Navy. A few of those articles are here: https://theleansubmariner.com/2022/03/30/the-men-who-go-down-into-the-waters-in-these-boats-must-take-their-lives-in-their-hands-hollands-invention-in-1898/ https://theleansubmariner.com/2020/04/09/the-creation-of-a-disordered-mind-hollands-submarine-boat/ Recently I signed […]

“Information from other sources sheds rather a different light on the matter.” Underestimating any enemy can be dangerous

“Information from other sources sheds rather a different light on the matter.” Underestimating any enemy can be dangerous. Recently, I was browsing through the national archives and found some declassified documents dating back to the 1920’s about submarine development abroad. During that time frame, there was a great desire on all parts of the world […]

250 Years of Service to Freedom – Happy Birthday US Navy

As the clock ticks down to the United States Navy 250th birthday, I wanted to take a few moments and reflect on what that really means. As a young boy, I was surrounded by navy relics and memorabilia. My family had served in the navy during both world wars, and I could see the navy […]

“If they have to go, I’m glad they died under the flag.” Twin Gold Stars

September 28 is a day where the nation recognizes Gold Star mothers and families. While the starting date occurred officially in 1936, the tradition of remembering lost ones with a gold star dates back to World War 1. Losing a child or family member that is serving a higher purpose has always had an impact […]

What a Great Week – Orlando 2025 USSVI Convention in the Rear View Mirror

After a few days of winding down, I am ready to give a brief report on the USSVI 2025 Convention in Orlando. First, I have to give a huge shout out to our hosts. The Central Florida, South Lake Florida and Snug Harbor Bases were outstanding in their support, and it was awesome to see […]

“Admiral, the Navy is on its way out. There’s no reason for having a Navy and a Marine Corps.” How Johnson and Truman almost lost the Cold War

A Navy Man at Heart I have to begin this story with a blunt acknowledgement: There has never been a day in my life that the Navy wasn’t the center of the universe when it came to a world that was free, and the Navy was an overpowering force for good. That’s kind of a […]

Do we need a Navy League?

For many years after my dad died, I kept a few mementos of his on my desk. Mom had given me his wallet among other things and in the wallet was his driver’s license, a card from his days as a Red Cross volunteer, a veteran’s card from his discharge as a navy man and […]

Manitowoc Built Submarines – America’s Ability to Innovate and Adapt

In 1940, the American navy was advertised as one of the most powerful in the world. In a speech to the Navy Council of Illinois in Chicago on Oct. 26—Secretary of the Navy Knox asserted that the United States “has the most powerful fleet in the world and is engaged in the task of building […]

Calling All Recruits

I’ve been thinking a lot about the progression of the navy boot camp through the ages. I would imagine if you were able to bring someone from the early twentieth century into today’s experience, they would be completely stunned at how far the experience has travelled since their day. As a collector of old Bluejacket’s […]