March 26, 2018

Alene Duerk: Celebrating the 98th birthday of a Navy icon.

On this day in 1920, Rear Adm. Alene Duerk - the first woman to attain flag rank in the U.S. Navy - was born in Defiance, Ohio. This week, she will mark her 98th birthday from her home in Florida.Duerk entered the Navy in January 1943, when the naval campaigns in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea were still in full-tilt and World War II stretched

March 22, 2018

Navy Ships Honoring Women

When you think of the namesakes of Navy ships, they are often named for individuals who have served our Navy or our Nation. Although many of these ships have been named for men, the Navy also recognizes the amazing contributions of women. In honor of Women's History Month, we take a look at a few of the ships named in honor of inspiring American

March 14, 2018

Why Naval History Matters to Colorado

During an 1806 expedition to explore the southwestern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike attempted to reach the summit of one of Colorado's mountain peaks that exceed 14,000 feet. Although he was unable to reach the summit, the peak was named in Pike's honor and would later serve as a motto, "Pike's Peak or Bust" for

March 13, 2018

The Pacific Riptide -- History Offers a Cautionary Glimpse of the Future

These opening days of March presented a confluence of events and milestones dripping with coincidence, irony and serendipity. That's not lost on a superstitious lot like Sailors - especially when plotting our course. It's a mariner's habit to check your wake every now and again to get your bearings. The Pacific theater encompasses 100 million

March 9, 2018

Newly Discovered Wreck of USS Lexington Reveals Rare F4F Wildcat

With the discovery of the wreck of Lexington (CV 2) in the depths of the Coral Sea, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and his team on board the research vessel Petrel, added another chapter to their recent record of discoveries of U.S. Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy vessels lost during World War II.This particular expedition brought the added bonus

March 5, 2018

Lenah Higbee: A Continuing Legacy and Trailblazer for Navy Women

Editors note: The following blog was originally published in iDriveWarships.Women's History Month provides the opportunity to highlight the achievements of many women that were trailblazers in their respective fields. Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee , one of the original "Sacred Twenty" women to join the newly established Navy Nurse Corps in 1908, was one

March 1, 2018

The Plan to Attack Pearl Harbor - Again

Emboldened by a string of victories across the Pacific in the early months of World War II, the Japanese empire launched a bold and unorthodox attack that is seldom remembered today. Though a tactical victory, the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor was also a strategic blunder, as the Japanese failed one of their most critical objectives: destroy

Feb. 27, 2018

America's First Black Sailors

British gold and promises of personal freedom served as futile incentives among the Negroes of the American Navy; for them, the proud consciousness of duty well done served as a constant monitor and nerved their strong black arms when thundering shot and shell menaced the future of the country; and, although African slavery was still a recognized

Feb. 21, 2018

The History of African American History Month

Along with the rest of the country, the Navy History and Heritage Command observes February as African American Heritage Month. African Americans have served with distinction in every war and conflict in the history of the United States and have earned the highest awards our country bestows, including the Congressional Medal of Honor and Navy

Feb. 6, 2018

Remembering PhM3c John Andrew Haskins, Hero of Port Chicago

Located on the southern banks of Suisun Bay, just over six miles outside of Martinez, California, Port Chicago was one of the Navy's busiest and most vital munitions magazines during the Second World War. Each day, tons of munitions destined for the Pacific Theater were received in Port Chicago by rail and packed aboard ships moored pierside. This