June 2, 2015

Return to Homeport: U.S. Navy Homecoming Traditions

Excitement builds up before Sailors even set foot on the pier. You can hear the excited chatter of family and friends, feel the anticipation in the air, and see the colorful array of homemade signs and t-shirts among the crowd awaiting the arrival of their Sailor. MAYPORT, Fla. (Nov. 23, 2014) Family members and friends of Sailors assigned to the

May 23, 2015

Honoring our Shipmates: The Heritage of the Military Funeral and Burial at Sea

  Honoring the deceased is a centuries-old practice that includes many traditions across cultures. The customs and traditions behind military funerals and burial at sea date as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. In the Navy's culture, as we give the final honor to our shipmates, we employ traditions that not only signify the service of the

May 13, 2015

The Honor of Restoring America's Ship of State

Maintaining USS Constitution's "iron sides" secures a vital part of our nation's great heritage. Since its inception, this ship has fought with and exuded honor, courage and commitment. She is a visible and viable symbol of the value of a well-constructed and well-maintained U.S. Navy, and we cannot permit that illumination of history to be

April 26, 2015

The Evolution of the Good Conduct Medal

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2015) The Good Conduct Badge was established by the Secretary of the Navy on April 26, 1869. The badge was a Maltese cross with a rope-ringed circular medallion at the center. Along the rim of the medallion were the words "Fidelity Zeal Obedience" and at the center, "U.S.N." Made of nickel and measuring about 31mm wide, the

April 24, 2015

John Paul Jones Comes Home to the U.S. Naval Academy

Legendary Continental Navy Capt. John Paul Jones was famous for his retort, "I have not yet begun to fight," upon being asked to surrender his sinking and burning Bonhomme Richard to HMS Serapis. At the end of the fight, it was Jones who was victorious. Jones struggled to find relevancy following the end of the American Revolution, with a

April 12, 2015

Evolution of the Aircraft Carrier

Aircraft carriers are often revered as the "powerhouse of the fleet" because of their size, strength, capabilities and importance to our national security. For nearly 100 years, the aircraft carrier has continued to evolve alongside the technological advancements of our Navy.The U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV 1), was converted

April 12, 2015

USS Theodore Roosevelt Kicks off Operation Deny Flight

When the provinces and states within the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia began to seek independence in 1991 from the culturally-diverse soup of the region known as the Balkans, it was like having the peas and carrots fighting the celery and potatoes. The United Nations got involved to keep the fighting from boiling up into the

April 11, 2015

Naval Battles of the American Revolutionary War

Despite the success of the fledgling Continental Navy during the American Revolution the ending of the war actually brought an end to our nation's first navy. A few months after the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown Oct. 19, 1781, the British Parliament made its first overtures to the United States to begin peace talks the following spring.

April 1, 2015

Operation Iceberg -- Okinawa Invasion in 1945

Editor's Note: The following photos tell just a brief story of the U.S. Navy's involvement during the Okinawa Invasion and Battle of Okinawa. One of the unique items NHHC has in its archives is an oral history of Cmdr. Frederick J. Becton, commanding officer of destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724), which saw action during the Okinawa operations. All the

March 31, 2015

Silent Professionals: History of the Rank of Chief Petty Officer

Since the days of antiquity, highly skilled seamen have been prized for their knowledge and skill. As vessels grew more complex, duties began to split into different responsibilities, which evolved into a rating system that was first formally organized by the Royal Navy and later adopted by the U.S. Navy. This system of rank and position aboard a

March 23, 2015

Driving Navy Innovation: Turboelectric to Hybrid Propulsion

Rear Admiral Kevin R. SlatesNinety-eight years ago today, the Navy deployed a new technology on USS New Mexico (BB 40) that was then hailed as one of the most important achievements of the scientific age: the turboelectric drive. Before this major event, ships used a direct-drive steam turbine, which started with the HMS Dreadnought. Direct drive

March 12, 2015

The Iwo Jima Legacy Lives

As executive officer and now commanding officer of USS Iwo Jima, I have always been very proud and honored to serve aboard a ship with such a powerful namesake. February 19th until March 26th marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima.U.S. troops near Coast Guard and Navy landing craft unload supplies to the blackened sands of Iwo Jima, a

March 6, 2015

The Legacy of Ships Named Enterprise

On March 6, 1822, a 12-gun schooner named Enterprise captured four pirate vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. The event is little known, not well documented, and it was one of her last operations before sinking in the West Indies a year later. But her actions on this day stand alongside a proud history in the legacy of the Enterprise. There have been

Feb. 26, 2015

'Enemy Forces Engaged,' USS Houston Fought Insurmountable Odds

 I ask you to spend a minute this weekend in remembrance of the 1,082 brave men of the heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA 30). It was in the early hours of March 1st, 73 years ago, that she sailed for the final time into the teeth of enemy fire. While heading for the Sunda Strait, and in concert with the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth, she ran into

Feb. 22, 2015

Victory During Peacetime: Partnerships Mattered in 1909 as the Great White Fleet Returns Home

Homecoming of the "Great White Fleet", Hampton Roads, Va., Feb. 22, 1909. Ships and craft welcome the fleet upon its arrival in Hampton Roads.It was a rainy day on Feb. 22, 1909 when 16 battleships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet returned home to Hampton Roads, Va. completing an exhausting 26-month, 43,000 mile circumnavigation of the globe. For the

Feb. 18, 2015

Navy Hospital Corpsmen: Ready to respond, anytime, anywhere

The history of the Hospital Corps is well documented by heroes like the corpsmen who fought at Iwo Jima, as well as the many Navy ships and buildings that bear their name. Four hospital corpsmen received the Medal of Honor for their service and bravery during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where according to Fleet Admiral Nimitz, "uncommon valor was a

Feb. 16, 2015

The Naval Careers of America's Six Sailor Presidents

From 1961 to 1993 the Navy could boasted veterans in the nation's highest office, with the exception of Army veteran Ronald Reagan's 8-year term of 1981-89. John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, James E. "Jimmy" Carter and George H.W. Bush all previously served their nation wearing Navy blue. Interestingly of the

Feb. 15, 2015

Navy and America Remember the Maine through Artifacts

It was a call to arms not unlike "Remember the Alamo" 62 years earlier. While that Texas bravado has endured the decades, memory may falter on a similar outcry: "Remember the Maine!" Or at least why it should be remembered at all. Unlike the Alamo, in Texas during its fight for independence in 1836, the Maine in this instance was not the state, but

Feb. 14, 2015

USS Constitution's Affair to Remember with Lovely Ann

There were no boxes of chocolates or roses for the crew of USS Constitution as Valentine's Day rolled around in 1814. But when the day was over, they were awash with lumber, fish, and flour - spoils from an engagement with a British merchantman named Lovely Ann. On that Feb. 14, USS Constitution's wooden hull was a figuratively green

Feb. 4, 2015

Navy Archaeologists Dive into the History of Bonhomme Richard

A painting by William Gilkerson of the battle between the Continental Navy frigate Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis, Beverley R. Robinson Collection, US Naval Academy Museum.When Capt. John Paul Jones accepted command of the frigate that would become Bonhomme Richard on Feb. 4, 1779, he had no idea a future battle aboard would both illustrate his