Oct. 20, 2016

Navy Legend: Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr.

By Guest Blogger: Marine Col. (Ret.) James "Jim" G. Zumwalt, son of Adm. Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr.Editor's Note: As the commissioning of USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) drew near, we knew we wanted to share more information about Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., the 19th Chief of Naval Operations. There was no question whatever we came up with would qualify as a

Oct. 19, 2016

Navy Commissions First African American Woman Officers

Thoughts about World War II conjure specific reference points for most, Dec. 7, 1941, D-Day, or "Loose lips sink ships." Key battles like Midway, North Africa, and Iwo Jima are almost synonymous with the war. There is another significant date that is not mentioned - Oct. 19, 1944, the day the Navy announced blacks would be admitted into the female

Oct. 11, 2016

In the Walk of Life, the Shared Path Leads to Achievement - Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt's Legacy

It's a somewhat rare event to know when history is about to happen. Even rarer that you get to plan for it, but when our office learned the commissioning date for the USS Zumwalt would be October 15th, we knew it was going to be big and we knew we had a responsibility as the Naval History and Heritage Command, to share with the American people the

Oct. 10, 2016

A Visionary for Humanity - Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt's Legacy

It's a somewhat rare event to know when history is about to happen. Even rarer that you get to plan for it, but when our office learned the commissioning date for the USS Zumwalt would be October 15th, we knew it was going to be big and we knew we had a responsibility as the Naval History and Heritage Command, to share with the American people the

Oct. 6, 2016

Maryland's Naval History

Maryland, known as the "Old Line State" to honor the troops of the Maryland line who fought courageously during the Revolutionary War, was one of the original thirteen colonies.The state has played an important role since the early days of the U.S. Navy. The Constellation, one of the original six frigates, was built at the Sterrett Shipyard,

Oct. 6, 2016

An Iconic Figure to Remember, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr.

Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., a U.S. Navy admiral, whose naval career extended from World War II to the Vietnam War, was the youngest admiral to serve as Chief of Naval Operations.As a young man, one of his greatest desires was to become a doctor as both his parents were. But in 1939 he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. In

Oct. 5, 2016

Ask An Archivist Day

In support of #AskAnArchivist, we linked up with one of our own, Suzanne Scott, Naval History and Heritage Command Archivist. She took us through NHHC's stacks and answered our biggest questions along the way. We also got an opportunity to open a few boxes and saw some pretty neat pieces of history!Q: Why does the Navy need an archivist?The Navy

Oct. 4, 2016

The History of Navy Music

Navy Band director Lieutenant Charles Benter (right) and Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Hutchison (left) inspecting the Navy Band's new uniform, at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in about 1926. This garb was informally known as the Lion-Tamer Uniform. The original photograph was received from the Bureau of Construction & Repair in 1926.The Navy has 11

Oct. 3, 2016

Manning the Rails: A Navy Tradition

Manning the rail, like the ceremonial military gun salute, is a centuries old practice for rendering honors aboard naval vessels. According to Royal Connell and William Mack's "Naval Ceremonies, Customs, and Traditions," the custom of manning the rail evolves from "manning the yards" (the spars on a mast from which sails are set) and cheering the

Oct. 3, 2016

DING! DING! History and Heritage Blog on Ships' Bells, Arriving!

For centuries, bells have had a long tradition of use in the navies and merchant fleets around the world. From time-keeping, signaling, and sounding alarms to a wide variety of ceremonial uses, ships' bells have long occupied a place of importance in the U.S. Navy. Bells cast from metal were first developed in the Bronze Age.One of the earliest