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

Oct. 25, 2015

Why Historic Naval Ships are Critical to our Nation

As the sun set over San Pedro, California, homeport of U.S. battleships between WWI and WWII, I stood underneath the center barrel of the aft 16" gun turret of the museum ship USS Iowa. I had the honor to address the closing banquet of the annual Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) Conference on the fantail of a historic battleship in what was

Oct. 23, 2015

Recovering History - CSS Georgia Update

As a conservator for NHHC's Underwater Archaeology (UA) Branch, the majority of my work is focused on treatment of archaeological material recovered from U.S. Navy sunken military craft and primarily takes place in the UA Archaeology & Conservation Laboratory located on the Washington Navy Yard. However, I am occasionally afforded the chance to

Oct. 23, 2015

Return of USS Pirate's Flag Still a Mystery

For this month's celebration of Flag Friday, we'll revisit a time a little more than 65 years ago when a ship went down so quickly "nothing of value" could be salvaged, only to find out two years later the assessment was a bit premature.The sinking involved the minesweeper USS Pirate (AM 275) on Oct. 12, 1950, while clearing a channel in the area

Oct. 20, 2015

Navy's Strength Beneath the Sea - An Enduring Evolution

Submarines have lurked beneath the vast world waters for as long as the U.S. Navy's 240-year existence. Albeit a mystical notion to some in the beginning, submarines are now capable of conducting a wide variety of missions including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, land attack, intelligence gathering, mine reconnaissance, supporting special

Oct. 15, 2015

Remembering Hispanic-Americans in the U.S. Navy

Even if someone didn't know much about the social history of the Navy, they could probably still expect it to mirror, or even just closely align with, the social history of the nation it serves. It's certainly true of Hispanics service in the Navy, and immigrants in general. Indeed, it's a remarkable fact, according to naval historian Dennis

Oct. 12, 2015

Honoring Those Lost: Taking the Fight to the Enemy

Editor's note: While currently Navy's curator, at the time of attack on USS Cole, Retired Admiral Sam Cox was the U.S. 5th Fleet Intelligence Officer. He was a principal advisor to the commander on intelligence matters and remained in the position well after the attack and into Operation Enduring Freedom.Starboard side view of the US Navy (USN)

Oct. 9, 2015

Top Dates in Navy's History

In celebration of more than 240 years of Navy readiness, we ask our fans what they think our most important dates in history are. Every moment in Navy history from the birth of our Navy in 1775 all the way up to Navy's missile attacks against ISIL in September 2014 have played a pivotal role in shaping our Navy and our nation. Below are just a few

Oct. 5, 2015

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions

Have you ever wondered what a "field day" is or why "side boys" are named as so? What exactly is a "ropeyarn Sunday?" How did the term "scuttlebutt" come to be used to refer to gossip? The language of the Navy can be just as interesting as its origins. In the first of this series of blogs and infographics, we'll explore some of the more common and