Oct. 25, 2018

Before you Donate to our Archives, Here's What You Need to Know

"I've got something you'll really be interested in!" "I've got photographs you've never seen before."As the Accessioning Archivist and Lead Photo Archivist, we are the point people for accepting textual and photographic donations into the Navy Archives. We hear the above statements quite frequently either through email messages, phone calls, or

Oct. 16, 2018

Journey's End - Finding Taylor's Flag

Throughout my long career at the Naval History and Heritage Command (and its predecessor organization, Naval Historical Center) I have had many memorable experiences, both good and bad. None resonates more with me than the saga of the historic flag from USS Taylor (DD 468). Outwardly, the flag is little different from the many other United States

Oct. 15, 2018

Finding Treasure in the Archives

Editor's note: The Navy Archives collects, preserves, protects, and makes available official records and donated personal collections that best embody the U.S. Navy's rich history and heritage for present and future generations. Collections often include a variety of materials, including letters, diaries, notebooks, speeches, scrapbooks,

Oct. 9, 2018

Perry's Revenge Revisited

Last week, the U.S. Navy returned to Rhode Island to continue the archaeological investigation of the site believed to be the remains of Oliver Hazard Perry's schooner Revenge. The 2018 fieldwork builds upon remote sensing surveys conducted in 2012 and 2015 and last year's diver documentation and cannon recovery. Research this year involved

Oct. 3, 2018

What is an Archivist?

I'm an Archivist. Every Archivist I know has received blank stares after making this statement. Archivists have grown accustomed to this look and will generally wait until cartoon question marks float above the head of the inquisitor as more familiar, similar-sounding professions are explored: Archaeologist? Activist? Anarchist?! But, more often

Sept. 12, 2018

Individual Learning, Institutional Learning and Institutional Memory

Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson, recently posted a note about attending the Surface Warfare Flag Officers Training Symposium in San Diego. The symposium discussed the period between the Battle of Savo Island in August 1942 and the Battle of Cape St. George in November 1943 during which the U.S. Navy learned, at great cost in

Sept. 5, 2018

Weapons of World War I: Commemorating the Navy Railway Gun

Editor's note: September 6, 2018 marks 100 years since the first firing of the Navy railway gun used in World War I. For the 100th anniversary, Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) will highlight the weapon system through blogs, videos and photographs. To provide additional details, NHHC Historian Dr. Gregory Bereiter discusses the railway gun

Aug. 29, 2018

USS Abner Read: Team Uncovers a Legacy of Perseverance and Valor

The waters off Alaska and in the Arctic have long been key strategic areas. In World War II (WWII) both the U.S. and Japan understood this and committed men and vessels to the area. Most people are aware of the historic Battle of Midway - but there was a complementary effort that took place in the Aleutians Islands at the same time between our

Aug. 16, 2018

The Navy on the Ground: The Naval Railway Batteries of WWI

The first detachment arrived in France June 10, 1918, but waiting for their equipment and preparing the trains meant that they did not leave for the front until Aug. 18. They served continuously from then until war's end on Nov. 11, 1918. They scored some notable successes, especially considering that "the great majority of shots were fired without

Aug. 2, 2018

U.S. Coast Guard - One Strong Fighting Force

As America's oldest continuous seagoing service, established to enforce the maritime laws of the newly founded nation, the U.S. Coast Guard celebrates its birthday every August 4th! You might think the U.S. Navy is the oldest, but we're actually not. Interesting fact: Although the Continental Navy was established before the Coast Guard, the Navy