Sept. 23, 2015

Yogi Berra's U. S. Navy Service Came before Baseball Fame

Close your eyes and picture Yogi Berra. If you're a baseball fan, you see him in the iconic Yankee stripes, but before that uniform, did you know he wore the Navy's iconic Dixie cap? He started his legendary career as a Yankees catcher, and later team manager, but in 1944 Yogi Berra was referred to asIn 2010, Berra was presented with the 2010 Audie

Sept. 17, 2015

USS Olympia Standing the Test of Time

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to make my first visit to the historic ship USS Olympia (C 6). Berthed at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, she is truly representative of the beginning of the modern era in U.S. Navy ship construction, design and capability. As a fan of warships, I wanted to see in person this important part

Sept. 11, 2015

NHHC Archaeologists Get Out On the Water

Did you know there are U.S. Navy craft in the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay? Recently, NHHC's Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) team got a well-deserved break from our desk work and went out into the field to investigate submerged aircraft in the Chesapeake Bay near NAS Patuxent River. To see the craft, we partnered with Phoenix International

Sept. 11, 2015

Navy Legend: John Barry Also Called "Father of U.S. Navy"

For the continuing series on Navy Legends, we've asked you - the Sailor, veteran and reader - to offer up one of your own favorite legends, with a reason or two as to what makes a naval legend. Is it action or attributes?Portrait by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), circa 1801. In 1972 this painting was on indefinite loan to the White House. It was then

Sept. 8, 2015

Infamous Words from Failed Battle Inspire Naval Victory

When it comes to memorable flags, they're not always the Stars and Stripes of the American flag. Sometimes it can be just a simple piece of cloth with a meaningful message that will be the driving force to victory. On this celebration of Flag Friday, let's look at a simple piece of fabric flying from the mast of the USS Lawrence 202 years ago on

Aug. 29, 2015

Find the Good and Do it: Navy's Response to Hurricane Katrina

RDML Harris was the Amphibious Squadron 4/Iwo Jima Strike Group during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief - Hurricanes Katrina/Rita in 2005. On the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastation to the gulf coast, we asked him to share his reactions and what he remembered during the response of his strike group.As I look back on

Aug. 7, 2015

Old Glory Continues to Inspire Drama and Intrigue

While many have called the American flag "Old Glory," few know how that nickname began. Fewer still know about the fight that continues today - 184 years later - over a the original flag that was first called "Old Glory." The drama of the flag began back in August 1831 when a young sea captain named William Driver was enjoying his birthday and a

Aug. 4, 2015

Coast Guard Defending Nation Home and Abroad for 226 Years

As the oldest continuously serving sea service in the nation, it was established to enforce our new nation's maritime laws and soon after to defend its coasts. If you guessed the U.S. Navy, then sorry, you won't be competing in the final Jeopardy round, I'm afraid. The answer is the United States Coast Guard. So why wasn't the Continental Navy

July 29, 2015

USS Forrestal - Trial by Fire

On Saturday July 29, 1967, in the Gulf of Tonkin, the USS Forrestal (CVA 59) is preparing for a strike against targets in North Vietnam when a missile is accidentally fired across the flight deck, hitting an A-4 Skyhawk that is fully loaded with fuel and ordinance. Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate Gerald Farrier grabs a fire extinguisher and rushes

July 24, 2015

Half-Mast or Half-Staff?

Blame the British. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, so wrote Shakespeare for his epic teenage romance Romeo and Juliet. That might have flown by people back in the 1600s, but in a day when we chat in cryptic alphabets and abbreviations, don't let anyone confuse ?half-mast? and ?half-staff.? The Brits and most of Europe, not unlike the