July 19, 2023

Truman’s Executive Order 9981: Advancing Military Policy Ahead of American Attitudes

For seventy-five years, the military departments of the United States have implemented personnel policies that favor equality “without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.”[i] President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981—“Establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of the Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed

July 18, 2023

In Memoriam: Rear Admiral Donald K. Bullard, USN (Ret.)

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Donald Kenneth Bullard on 11 July 2023 at age 72. Rear Admiral Bullard was commissioned in June 1973 and served as a naval aviator until his retirement in February 2008 as the first commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). His commands included Strike Fighter

July 18, 2023

In Memoriam: Rear Admiral Jimmie W. Taylor, USN (Ret.)

It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral (lower half) Jimmie Wilkes Taylor on 11 July 2023 at age 89. Rear Admiral Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a naval aviation cadet in February 1957 and served as a naval aviator until his retirement in 1991 as chief of Naval Air Training. His command tours included

June 29, 2023

Nimitz at the Naval Academy: The Plebe Year of One of America’s Most Distinguished Admirals

Plagued by poor health and lacking nautical experience, future Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz persevered and excelled during his plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy which began in 1901.

June 14, 2023

From Beijing to Annapolis: The Journey of the International Gun

U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate First Class Joseph Mitchell built an improvised gun using parts provided by allied nations to defend besieged foreigners in Beijing. Later, the gun was shipped to West Point, prompting a flurry of correspondence until the War Department agreed it belonged at the Naval Academy.

June 13, 2023

In Memoriam: Admiral James B. Busey IV, USN (Ret.)

It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Admiral James Buchanan Busey IV on 21 April 2023 at age 90. Admiral Busey enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1952, was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve in February 1954, and served as a naval aviator until his retirement in June 1989 as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces

June 13, 2023

U.S. Industrialization and Naval Technology before the Spanish-American War

When most people think of Civil War-era naval technology, it is generally USS Monitor that comes to mind. The low, iron-covered hull with its distinctive round turret is very different from the wooden-hulled steam frigates that made up most of the Civil War U.S. Navy, with their traditional rigging and sails. But while Monitor was dramatic, both in

June 8, 2023

In Memoriam: Rear Admiral Burnham C. McCaffree Jr., USN (Ret.)

It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral (lower half) Burnham Clough “Mike” McCaffree Jr. on 13 May 2023 at age 91. Rear Admiral McCaffree enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1948, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1954, and served as a surface warfare officer until his retirement in 1988 as Assistant Deputy Chief

June 6, 2023

The “Unhappy Controversy”: Admiral Sampson, Commodore Schley, and the Santiago Campaign of 1898

During World War II, Admiral Chester Nimitz famously kept his opinions of his fellow officers to himself. On one occasion in 1944, he revealed why. When a staff officer showed Nimitz a CINCPAC draft report critical of Admiral William “Bull” Halsey’s performance at the Battle of Leyte Gulf,[1] Nimitz sent it back with the following note: “What are

May 17, 2023

A Sailor on Foot: Lieutenant Victor Blue and the Search for the Spanish Fleet, July 1898

In war, sailors find themselves doing jobs they never would have expected to perform in normal circumstances. This was especially true in the Spanish-American War of 1898, as the Navy’s officers and men dealt with new technologies in America’s first conflict overseas since the Mexican-American War. The war gave plenty of opportunities for