March 8, 2017

LIONS and ACORNS and CUBS, Oh My!!

By now we know why the Seabees were created, but in creating a new type of fighting force came a new challenge: how does the Navy equip the men that are meant to equip the fleet? During World War II the Navy began an extensive advance base construction program that spanned the globe, but which also created massive planning, construction, and

March 3, 2017

10 Things You Need to Know About Your Seabees!

Did you know March 5th marks the 75th anniversary of the Seabees? Celebrate with us! Seabees young and old are celebrating the birthday of this unique organization; here are 10 facts you probably didn't know about Navy's builders, who can fight!Since March 5, 1942, the U.S. Navy has employed an elite cadre of construction battalion Sailors, better

March 3, 2017

Code Name: BOBCAT - Part Two

Editor's note: This is Part Two in the series about how the Seabee's were created. Read Part One here.From 1940-1941, BuDocks used contractors to develop and construct outlying bases on territories owned or governed by the United States. But, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BuDocks) could no longer utilize service

March 3, 2017

Code Name: BOBCAT - Part One

Editor's note: What does a Bobcat, Pearl Harbor and the South Pacific have to do with the creation of the Seabees? A lot. Read this two-part blog series to find out how 75 years ago, the Navy established a fighting force unlike any other!Codenamed "BOBCAT," the small island of Bora Bora in the Society Islands, was destined to become the first

Feb. 28, 2017

Naval Gunfire During the Battle of Java Sea

Before World War II, most naval planners believed that a surface action between two fleets would last just minutes before one side or another was completely mauled by the effects of modern gun and torpedo fire. During the Battle of Java Sea, the Allied and Japanese fleets fought intermittently for seven hours before the Allied fleet was defeated -

Feb. 20, 2017

"Honor the Past, Inspire the Future" LCDR O'Hare Remembered

Editor's note: On Friday, February 17th, Vice Admiral Cullom, along with Chicago's Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, honored the toughness of LCDR Edward O'Hare.  75 years ago, on February 20th, 1942, during the early days of World War II, without supporting aircraft and without hesitation, O'Hare challenged nine enemy bombers headed for the carrier Lexington.

Feb. 17, 2017

Navy Ships Honoring Presidents of the United States

While not inclusive of EVERY ship named after a President (that would be a MUCH longer blog!), here are a few chosen ships along with some famous quotes spoken by our leaders.George Washington III (SSBN 598) is The United States Navy's first fleet ballistic missile submarine named after the first President of the United States. The ship was

Feb. 2, 2017

NHHC Curators Preserve Enterprise Story

Fifty-five years after she first entered naval service, USS Enterprise (CVN 65) will be officially decommissioned tomorrow. The Navy's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier has played a pivotal role in defending freedom around the world for more than a half century; from the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jan. 11, 2017

The Evolution of Navy Lethality in Maintaining Sea Control

Whenever you put together a top 10 list related to an organization with a 241-year history, there's really no way to get it right. It's one of the reasons we asked our fans on Facebook and Twitter for input on the 10 most important innovations in Navy lethality. As always, our fans came through with quite a few good ones included in the list

Jan. 10, 2017

Patrol Boat River (PBR) Lethality in Vietnam

During the Vietnam War, the Navy deployed a variety of small boats to South Vietnam ranging from Boston Whalers to modified World War II era landing craft. Perhaps the most iconic of them all was the Patrol Boat River or PBR as it was affectionately referred to by its crews. Adapted from a commercially manufactured 31-foot fiberglass pleasure

Dec. 30, 2016

The Important Role of Naval History to Honor the Past, Inspire the Future

Editor's Note: As we look forward to the year 2017 and the opportunites our history offers to honor the past and inspire the future, we thought we'd share a recent article from our Director about why naval history is important and relevant to today's Navy, its Sailors, and the American public.Our ObligationIf we expect Sailors to fight and die for

Dec. 29, 2016

Navy Combat Art: The Human Hand is its Mechanism, The Artist's Eye is its Lens

Admittedly biased, I believe I have one of the best jobs. My workplace, the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), has a lot of interesting and unusual jobs performed by a lot of interesting and unusual people. It's a fascinating place to work that allows you to get to know your U.S. Navy in a unique, profound, way. For instance, when people

Dec. 21, 2016

Wake Island - the Other Story of December 1941

A story of immense valor and grit that played out on a distant outpost at the outset of World War II came to life for me on a 2011 Trans-Pacific mission. Wake is a unique place, and it is quite unlike Pearl Harbor in that tourists, civilians, and even most military members can't go there. When I was fortunate to be "stuck" there for eight days in

Dec. 21, 2016

Commemorating The Holidays Through The Years

While most of us are home sharing dinner or opening gifts with friends and family this Holiday Season, it's important to remember our Sailors and service members are in harms way aboard ships and in places far away from home. Let us take a look back at how our Sailors have commemorated the Holidays through the years.Christmas lights decorate the

Dec. 16, 2016

Last Call: Honoring the USS Arizona Survivors

Smith's Union Bar, in a somewhat run-down area of Honolulu and described in tourist literature as a "dive bar", was not where I expected to be a couple nights before the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Reputed (and disputed) to be the oldest bar Honolulu, it existed at the time of the attack and was a favorite hangout of

Dec. 7, 2016

Why Commemorate Pearl Harbor?

Editor's note: Pearl Harbor Day is a day of remembrance during which we often hear from historians, veterans and Navy leadership about the importance of honoring our past and how this day of infamy inspires our future. But what do today's Sailors, the young women and men wearing the cloth of the nation, ready to go in harm's way, think? What does

Dec. 7, 2016

December 7th, 1941: a Submarine Force Perspective

"When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet on 31 December 1941, our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come. It was to the submarine force that I looked to carry the load. It is to the everlasting honor and glory of our submarine personnel that

Dec. 6, 2016

Pearl Harbor Diorama: More than 25 Years in the Making

More than 25 years ago, historian Reverend Todd Hammond decided to make a model display of the center of Pearl Harbor based in part on photos taken prior to the attack. The model has only been seen by personal invitation by a number of veterans and other interested persons over the years, but has not been on public display. An earlier, much smaller

Dec. 6, 2016

As Infamy Dawned in the Pacific, War Simmered in the Atlantic

Although Dec. 7, 1941 is marked as the entry of the U.S. into WWII, the fact is that the U.S. Navy was already in an undeclared shooting war with Nazi Germany at sea well before that. President Roosevelt and other senior U.S. and political leadership were convinced that England could not be allowed to fall. U.S. Navy leaders were particularly

Dec. 6, 2016

The Warrior of Kāne'ohe: Pearl Harbor's Only Medal of Honor Recipient for Combat Valor

More than seventy-five years ago, the tranquil wind-swept and sun-soaked skies over the then-U.S. territory of Hawaii were pierced by the whine of 353 Japanese aircraft, launched in a surprise attack from four Japanese aircraft carriers on the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet, based in Pearl Harbor, Oahu. On that day, December 7, 1941, thousands