Aug. 29, 2016

The Loss of USS Memphis (ACR 10)

From the moment a ship is launched, the ocean is trying to sink it. Only the skill of the ships' crew and the reliability of her machinery can prevent it. One hundred years ago, on Aug. 29, 1916, the ocean suddenly overwhelmed the crew and the technology of the U.S. Navy armored cruiser, USS Memphis (ACR 10) anchored off Santo Domingo, Dominican

Aug. 24, 2016

Exploring Our Past and Forging Our Future: Diving on USS Independence

As I watched the video screen from the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) a half a mile below the ocean, the stern of the World War II light aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVL 22) came sharply into view. It triggered a memory of the opening scene of the film Titanic, where another vehicle comes upon the bow of that tragic vessel, evoking powerful

Aug. 22, 2016

Underwater Archaeologist Joins Salvage on Dive Training Operations

From the Field: NHHC underwater archaeologist Dr. Alexis Catsambis recently joined Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 on a dive training operations conducted on multiple U.S. Navy sunken military craft."This is an excellent opportunity for two commands with a shared interest in underwater operations to work collaboratively. MDSU-2 divers are

Aug. 8, 2016

#MuseumMonday: National Museum of the United States Navy

The National Museum of the United States Navy was established in 1961 and opened to the public in 1963. As an official Department of the Navy museum under the Naval History and Heritage Command, the National Museum of the United States Navy is the only Navy museum to present an overview of U.S. naval history 1775 to the present. Permanent and

Aug. 4, 2016

Savage Coating: NHHC Conservators Team With USNA to Solve a History Mystery

The remains of Royal Savage, approximately 50 timbers and 1300 artifacts, were excavated in the 1930s and brought to the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Underwater Archaeology (UA) Branch in July 2015. Most of the Royal Savage artifacts were removed from Lake Champlain more than 80 years ago and received only minimal treatment which

Aug. 4, 2016

NHHC Surveys for Lost Naval Aircraft

From July 25 to Aug. 3, 2016, Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) underwater archaeologists conducted side-scan sonar operations in the Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River to locate U.S. Navy aircraft lost near Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Pax River) as a continuation of research started in 2015.The focus of the survey is to locate

Aug. 3, 2016

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions - Uniform Edition

Sailors have terms and expressions for just about anything, so it comes as no surprise that there's a whole set of nautical terms and naval expressions that are related to parts of their uniforms. Here are a few you may or may not have heard of before: Bluejacket The term bluejacket is widely used today to refer to an enlisted Sailor below the rank

Aug. 1, 2016

Preserving Peace with Strategic Deterrence

Imagine working for years to design and build something you hope fervently never to use. The U.S. Navy does just that with the nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles that form the foundation of the Navy's strategic deterrence program. Deterrence strategy aims to prevent a possible nuclear attack by demonstrating the ability to retaliate. To

Aug. 1, 2016

Gaining New Appreciation for the Crew of USS Indianapolis

A torpedo ripping into the guts of a ship. Sailors scrambling, boilers exploding. The once-proud cruiser slipping beneath an uncaring ocean. And then an agonizing four day drift across the Pacific, with only a merciless sun, dehydration and sharks for company . . . These were the horrors that the surviving Sailors and Marines of USS Indianapolis

Aug. 1, 2016

Navy Lessons Learned from Sinking of Indianapolis

The sinking of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) provides many lessons to the contemporary United States Navy, officers and enlisted alike. It shows, perhaps above all else, that the worst can happen at any moment, even under sound and responsible leadership. The bravery showed by the Sailors and Marines through their ordeal stands as an example to their