Dec. 2, 2015

Pearl Harbor MOH Recipient Recalls "I Could See Their Faces" - Part 1

(Editors Note: This is Part I of a three part series blog featuring John Finn and brief information of other Medal of Honor recipients following the Dec. 7, 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbor.)December 7, 1941 started like any other Sunday morning for John Finn and his wife. They were at their apartment about a mile from the hangar where Finn, then 32,

Nov. 24, 2015

Sailors Give Thanks While Answering Their Nation's Call to Duty

Commander, Third Fleet (left center) Eats Thanksgiving dinner with the crew of his flagship, USS New Jersey (BB-62), 30 November 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National ArchivesAsk any Sailor and he or she will tell you that being in the Navy means you're deployable with sometimes little more than a moment's

Nov. 19, 2015

Does the Star Spangled Banner Still Wave on the Moon?

For this month's celebration of Flag Friday, what makes this particular flag stand out is not how old it is, but its location. Because a long time ago, in a dimension beyond earth-bound man, a flag waves boldly where only one other has gone before it - the moon.For most of you reading this blog, few may remember 46 years ago on Nov. 14, 1969, when

Nov. 14, 2015

U.S. Ships with Names Honoring America's First Ally

INDIAN OCEAN (Oct. 14, 2015) The guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) prepares to come along side for a fueling-at-sea with the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Anna...

Nov. 13, 2015

Navy Legend Vice Adm. Stockdale Led POW Resistance

It's been more than 50 years since then-Cmdr. Stockdale was shot down in Vietnam during his third tour. He had already flown nearly 200 combat missions during the three deployments, earned numerous awards and medals for his leadership and bravery. He led the first bombing mission over North Vietnam in August 1965, and after being shot down and

Nov. 9, 2015

The Navy and the Marine Corps: A Winning Team

As long as navies have taken to the sea, groups of specially trained, seafaring infantry have accompanied them and the United States Navy is no different.Since November 10, 1775, when the Continental Congress approved a resolution to establish two battalions of Marines "able to fight for independence at sea and on shore," the United States Marine

Nov. 6, 2015

The History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a special time of year for many Americans who, in some way, have formed a connection with a veteran or who are veterans themselves. It is a day that brings about a great sense of pride in our country, a day when we are especially thankful for the service and sacrifice of those who chose, and those who continue to choose, to wear the

Nov. 4, 2015

Building Bridges on Sunken Ships

I've just attended a series of meetings in Jakarta last week where government officials from Indonesia, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom all expressed their determination and resolve to protect and preserve the USS Houston and other sunken wrecks, many of which serve as war graves. "We've been working for some time now with

Nov. 2, 2015

Why We Strive to Learn from our Past

Editor's note: This is part of a larger blog series to inform readers about the important mission our nation's Historic Naval Ships serve. You can read about more about USS Iowa here, about USS Olympia here and USS Texas hereThere is another side to Iowa's history that should never be forgotten, and that is the 47 Sailors who died in an explosion

Oct. 27, 2015

Sub, Destroyer Celebrate Special November Anniversaries

Only two ships celebrate major commissioning anniversaries this month, 30-year-old USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720), and USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), moving into double-digits for her 10th anniversary since commissioning.30 Years of History Since Commissioning USS Pittsburgh was commissioned on Nov. 23, 1985 at Groton, Conn. The Los Angeles-class fast attack