Feb. 28, 2017

Naval Gunfire During the Battle of Java Sea

Before World War II, most naval planners believed that a surface action between two fleets would last just minutes before one side or another was completely mauled by the effects of modern gun and torpedo fire. During the Battle of Java Sea, the Allied and Japanese fleets fought intermittently for seven hours before the Allied fleet was defeated -

Feb. 20, 2017

"Honor the Past, Inspire the Future" LCDR O'Hare Remembered

Editor's note: On Friday, February 17th, Vice Admiral Cullom, along with Chicago's Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, honored the toughness of LCDR Edward O'Hare.  75 years ago, on February 20th, 1942, during the early days of World War II, without supporting aircraft and without hesitation, O'Hare challenged nine enemy bombers headed for the carrier Lexington.

Feb. 17, 2017

Navy Ships Honoring Presidents of the United States

While not inclusive of EVERY ship named after a President (that would be a MUCH longer blog!), here are a few chosen ships along with some famous quotes spoken by our leaders.George Washington III (SSBN 598) is The United States Navy's first fleet ballistic missile submarine named after the first President of the United States. The ship was

Feb. 9, 2017

Signalman Lorenzo DuFau and the Destroyer Escort Mason

We come across a lot of really great imagery while looking through our photo collection here at Naval History and Heritage Command. Some of the images are super historic because of their newsworthiness, some are great because they show the power and strength of the U.S. Navy, and others - even though they may not look like much - are unique because

Feb. 2, 2017

NHHC Curators Preserve Enterprise Story

Fifty-five years after she first entered naval service, USS Enterprise (CVN 65) will be officially decommissioned tomorrow. The Navy's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier has played a pivotal role in defending freedom around the world for more than a half century; from the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jan. 11, 2017

The Evolution of Navy Lethality in Maintaining Sea Control

Whenever you put together a top 10 list related to an organization with a 241-year history, there's really no way to get it right. It's one of the reasons we asked our fans on Facebook and Twitter for input on the 10 most important innovations in Navy lethality. As always, our fans came through with quite a few good ones included in the list

Jan. 10, 2017

Patrol Boat River (PBR) Lethality in Vietnam

During the Vietnam War, the Navy deployed a variety of small boats to South Vietnam ranging from Boston Whalers to modified World War II era landing craft. Perhaps the most iconic of them all was the Patrol Boat River or PBR as it was affectionately referred to by its crews. Adapted from a commercially manufactured 31-foot fiberglass pleasure

Dec. 30, 2016

The Important Role of Naval History to Honor the Past, Inspire the Future

Editor's Note: As we look forward to the year 2017 and the opportunites our history offers to honor the past and inspire the future, we thought we'd share a recent article from our Director about why naval history is important and relevant to today's Navy, its Sailors, and the American public.Our ObligationIf we expect Sailors to fight and die for

Dec. 29, 2016

Navy Combat Art: The Human Hand is its Mechanism, The Artist's Eye is its Lens

Admittedly biased, I believe I have one of the best jobs. My workplace, the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), has a lot of interesting and unusual jobs performed by a lot of interesting and unusual people. It's a fascinating place to work that allows you to get to know your U.S. Navy in a unique, profound, way. For instance, when people

Dec. 21, 2016

Wake Island - the Other Story of December 1941

A story of immense valor and grit that played out on a distant outpost at the outset of World War II came to life for me on a 2011 Trans-Pacific mission. Wake is a unique place, and it is quite unlike Pearl Harbor in that tourists, civilians, and even most military members can't go there. When I was fortunate to be "stuck" there for eight days in