May 13, 2015

The Honor of Restoring America's Ship of State

Maintaining USS Constitution's "iron sides" secures a vital part of our nation's great heritage. Since its inception, this ship has fought with and exuded honor, courage and commitment. She is a visible and viable symbol of the value of a well-constructed and well-maintained U.S. Navy, and we cannot permit that illumination of history to be

April 26, 2015

The Evolution of the Good Conduct Medal

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2015) The Good Conduct Badge was established by the Secretary of the Navy on April 26, 1869. The badge was a Maltese cross with a rope-ringed circular medallion at the center. Along the rim of the medallion were the words "Fidelity Zeal Obedience" and at the center, "U.S.N." Made of nickel and measuring about 31mm wide, the

April 24, 2015

John Paul Jones Comes Home to the U.S. Naval Academy

Legendary Continental Navy Capt. John Paul Jones was famous for his retort, "I have not yet begun to fight," upon being asked to surrender his sinking and burning Bonhomme Richard to HMS Serapis. At the end of the fight, it was Jones who was victorious. Jones struggled to find relevancy following the end of the American Revolution, with a

April 12, 2015

Evolution of the Aircraft Carrier

Aircraft carriers are often revered as the "powerhouse of the fleet" because of their size, strength, capabilities and importance to our national security. For nearly 100 years, the aircraft carrier has continued to evolve alongside the technological advancements of our Navy.The U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV 1), was converted

April 12, 2015

USS Theodore Roosevelt Kicks off Operation Deny Flight

When the provinces and states within the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia began to seek independence in 1991 from the culturally-diverse soup of the region known as the Balkans, it was like having the peas and carrots fighting the celery and potatoes. The United Nations got involved to keep the fighting from boiling up into the

April 11, 2015

Naval Battles of the American Revolutionary War

Despite the success of the fledgling Continental Navy during the American Revolution the ending of the war actually brought an end to our nation's first navy. A few months after the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown Oct. 19, 1781, the British Parliament made its first overtures to the United States to begin peace talks the following spring.

April 1, 2015

Operation Iceberg -- Okinawa Invasion in 1945

Editor's Note: The following photos tell just a brief story of the U.S. Navy's involvement during the Okinawa Invasion and Battle of Okinawa. One of the unique items NHHC has in its archives is an oral history of Cmdr. Frederick J. Becton, commanding officer of destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724), which saw action during the Okinawa operations. All the

March 31, 2015

Silent Professionals: History of the Rank of Chief Petty Officer

Since the days of antiquity, highly skilled seamen have been prized for their knowledge and skill. As vessels grew more complex, duties began to split into different responsibilities, which evolved into a rating system that was first formally organized by the Royal Navy and later adopted by the U.S. Navy. This system of rank and position aboard a

March 23, 2015

Driving Navy Innovation: Turboelectric to Hybrid Propulsion

Rear Admiral Kevin R. SlatesNinety-eight years ago today, the Navy deployed a new technology on USS New Mexico (BB 40) that was then hailed as one of the most important achievements of the scientific age: the turboelectric drive. Before this major event, ships used a direct-drive steam turbine, which started with the HMS Dreadnought. Direct drive

March 12, 2015

The Iwo Jima Legacy Lives

As executive officer and now commanding officer of USS Iwo Jima, I have always been very proud and honored to serve aboard a ship with such a powerful namesake. February 19th until March 26th marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima.U.S. troops near Coast Guard and Navy landing craft unload supplies to the blackened sands of Iwo Jima, a