April 23, 2019

Union Victory in New Orleans Disrupts Confederate Sea Lines of Communication

In April 1862, during the Civil War, a US Navy force under the command of Flag-Officer David G. Farragut captured the Confederate city of New Orleans, Louisiana, thereby securing access to the mouth of the Mississippi River and disrupting Confederate sea lines of communication. Initial attempts to bombard defenders into submission failed, and with

April 17, 2019

Bud Elliott and USS Wasp

My dad was descending a ladder on the starboard stern of USS Wasp (CV 7) when he was rocked by the concussion from three torpedoes hitting the aircraft carrier in rapid succession. Just 35 minutes later the captain ordered abandon ship and my dad slid down a fire hose into the warm water of the Coral Sea.Arles Edward "Bud" Elliott, was a

April 12, 2019

When Heritage Meets Initiative - The Story of Samuel B. Roberts FFG-58

On the late afternoon of 14 April 1988, the frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) was fighting for her life after striking a deliberately-laid Iranian moored contact mine in the central Arabian Gulf. As the fire raged seemingly out of control and the ship was slowly but inexorably sinking, crewmen who were battling to save their ship were seen to

April 11, 2019

Citizen Sailors: A History of the U.S. Navy Reserve

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the destroyer USS Ward (DD 139) was conducting a patrol off the entrance to Pearl Harbor when at 3:57 a.m., she was informed of a periscope sighting by the coastal minesweeper USS Condor (AMc 14). The submarine was Japanese and Ward sprang into action as her No. 1 gun crew fired a shot that passed over the

April 9, 2019

Konetzni Hall: A Cornerstone of 21st Century Pacific War Fighting Readiness

The U.S. Navy is honoring the forward-thinking Pacific submarine leader who ushered in a parade of changes to the undersea force twenty years ago. The impact of those changes today are proving prescient in what's become a great power competition with China.The Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 (CSS-15) headquarters building in Guam will be named in

April 1, 2019

The Naval History of Puerto Rico

With a proud heritage, Puerto Rico has a distinguished reputation with U.S. Navy history. At least seven naval vessels have been named for Puerto Rico's various cities, places, and people - with their capital city's name being used for two different vessels. The most recent, USS San Juan III (SSN 751), is a Los Angeles class attack submarine. One

March 27, 2019

The Fates of the Six Frigates Created by the Naval Act of 1794

George Washington gives us perhaps one of the greatest quotes to describe our Navy's important role. In a letter he writes: "It follows then as certain that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive naval force, we can do nothing definitive, and with it, everything honorable and glorious."It should come as no surprise then that on March 27th,

March 19, 2019

A U.S. Navy with Women: Stronger, More Efficient and More Capable

Editor's note: "Why We Do What We Do" is an initiative CNO Richardson asked the Naval History and Heritage Command to help share with the fleet. Each month, our historians will dissect a seminal moment in our Navy's past and then highlight the lessons we learned. The purpose, is to ground today's Sailors in their history and heritage by explaining

March 18, 2019

The Oerlikon 20 mm: The Right Tool for the Job

Before it entered World War II, the United States Navy realized aviation would play a significant role in the upcoming conflict. In order to deal with this emerging threat, its ships would need to be outfitted with capable anti-aircraft systems. Throughout the interwar period, the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance worked on the development of anti-aircraft

March 13, 2019

Eyewitness to a Sinking

Citizen SailorLike many who manned the Navy's ships and flew its aircraft during World War II, William C. Chambliss was a member of the Naval Reserve, a citizen-sailor called to active service. He entered naval service during the year of the stock market crash, receiving his wings as Naval Aviator Number 4528 in April 1930, and flying scouting