April 17, 2024

“Viking of the Sea”: Task Force 124’s Rear Admiral John L. Hall, Jr. Before Operation Overlord

Author’s Note: During this 80th anniversary cycle of World War II, I hope to correct, at least in some small way through multiple weblog posts, the incomplete historical scholarship given to the U.S. Navy’s missions and activities in the European and Mediterranean Theaters of Operation, compared with those in the Pacific Theater. By utilizing

April 9, 2024

The Navy and the Formation of NATO

Continued Navy cooperation with coalition partners after World War II helped facilitate a smooth transition from a war footing to a new postwar security framework backed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO then helped clarify the roles and responsibilities for America’s Navy in Nuclear Age limited warfare.

April 5, 2024

In Memoriam: Lieutenant Louis A. Conter, USN (Ret.) The Last Living Survivor of USS Arizona (BB-39)

And then there were none. It is with deep regret I inform you that U.S. Navy hero and Arizona (BB-39) survivor Lieutenant Commander Louis A. "Lou" Conter passed away on 1 April 2024 at age 102. He was the last living survivor of the battleship Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Lou enlisted in 1939 and was a quartermaster

March 29, 2024

The Long Road to NATO, 1917–1949

The signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949 and the subsequent creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) marked a fundamental transformation in US foreign and defense policy by committing the United States to an ongoing military role in Europe. As part of a broader package of economic, humanitarian, and military aid, US

March 28, 2024

A New ERA for Women in the Navy: Zumwalt, Z-Grams, and the All-Volunteer Force

An article buried deep in the April 11, 1974 issue of the Press-Telegram out of Long Beach, California visually demonstrated the divergent expectations American women voluntarily adopted by the mid-1970s. Above the fold, editors chose to contrast the dual roles of the modern woman: the left image showed a grinning woman pilot in the cockpit of a

March 26, 2024

Some Obsolete Navy Ratings

Pigeon trainers, airship riggers, and buglers—these are just a few of the enlisted Navy ratings (jobs) no longer in use due to technological advances. Let’s take a look at some of these ratings and the part they played in the Navy’s history. (Note: this overview is not all-inclusive.)Ratings Established before or during World War IBugler (BUG) The

March 22, 2024

In Memoriam: Rear Admiral Robert P. Caudill Jr., USN (Ret.)

It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Robert Paul Caudill on 1 December 2023 at age 87. Rear Admiral Caudill entered the U.S. Naval Reserve in March 1959 and served in the Medical Corps until his retirement in July 1990 as command surgeon for Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. His commands included Naval

March 8, 2024

In Memoriam: Admiral Joseph F. Frick, USN

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Joseph Francis Frick, U.S. Navy (Ret.), on 6 February 2024 at age 93. Rear Admiral Frick entered the U.S. Naval Academy in July 1949 and served as a naval aviator until his retirement in September 1983 as Commander, Naval Base Norfolk. His commands included Attack Squadron

March 7, 2024

In Memoriam: Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Vice Admiral Richard Harrison “Dick” Truly, USN (Ret.), on 27 February 2024 at age 86. Vice Admiral Truly entered the U.S. Navy via the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in September 1955, serving as a naval aviator and astronaut until his retirement in July 1989 as associate

March 7, 2024

In Memoriam: Rear Admiral Jimmie B. Finkelstein, USN

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral (lower half) Jimmie Bennie Finkelstein, U.S. Navy (Ret.), on 3 March 2024 at age 85. Rear Admiral Finkelstein enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in July 1960 and served as a public affairs officer (PAO) until his retirement in August 1989 as Chief of Information (CHINFO) in the