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.

March 23, 2022

Essex-Class Aircraft Carriers

As aviation and naval technology advanced in the early-to-mid twentieth century, aircraft became faster and carried heavier weapons. The US Navy responded to these developments by designing the Essex, a new class of aircraft carriers that could accommodate more and bigger planes. From 1942 through 1945, large numbers of the Essex-class, the most

June 14, 2017

19th Century Naval Shipyard Innovation

As the Navy transitioned from wooden sailing vessels to a steam powered fleet, three major innovations - steam power, marine railways, and the shiphouse - changed the tone and development of shipyards during the 19th century. Each of these now seemingly simplistic innovations helped the Navy progress from a few small yards into a global system of

May 31, 2017

Innovation and Victory at the Battle of Midway

When I take a look at the arc of history in the Pacific, in particular the history of the Pacific Fleet, one of the things I find most compelling is the immense shift that took place at the Battle of Midway. For decades prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, our Navy was centered around our battleships. By the time we fought at Midway just six months

Aug. 1, 2016

Preserving Peace with Strategic Deterrence

Imagine working for years to design and build something you hope fervently never to use. The U.S. Navy does just that with the nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles that form the foundation of the Navy's strategic deterrence program. Deterrence strategy aims to prevent a possible nuclear attack by demonstrating the ability to retaliate. To

Dec. 9, 2014

Grace Hopper: Navy to the Core, a Pirate at Heart

The typical career arc of a naval officer may run from 25-30 years. Most, however, don't start at age 35.Yet when it comes to Rear Adm. Grace Hopper, well, the word "typical" just doesn't apply. Feisty. Eccentric. Maverick. Brilliant. Precise. Grace Hopper embodied all of those descriptions and more, but perhaps what defined her as much as anything