Oct. 8, 2020

Uncommon Valor and Courage Can Come From Anyone: Sgt Cole's Heroic Story

Editor's Note: October 12, 2020 will mark the 20th anniversary on the attack of USS Cole. For the Navy, and Destroyers especially, there is a lot in a ship's name and the heroism, resilience and warfighting exhibited by the Sailors that fateful day truly lived up to their namesake, Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, The Fighting Music. Today, Sgt Cole's

July 30, 2020

Families of USS Indianapolis Crewmembers: We Are Their Legacy

Editor's Note: The story of the WWII service and ultimate loss of USS Indianapolis (CA 35) is an important chapter in the story of the U.S. Navy. Days after delivering components of the atomic bomb later dropped on Hiroshima to a base in the Pacific, the cruiser was attacked by a Japanese sub just after midnight on July 30, 1945. Sinking within

July 27, 2020

Claim to Fame on Korean Armistice Day

July 27, 1953, 158 meetings spread out over two years and 19 days finally came to an end with the signatures of United States Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison and General Nam Il, a Soviet-born Korean on the Korean Armistice Agreement. United Nations Commander Gen. Mark Clark, Gen. Peng Teh-huai, commander of the Chinese People's Volunteers, and Marshal

May 8, 2020

Victory in Europe: Honoring Those Who Served

May 8th is Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day, which marks the day the Allies officially accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, thus ending World War II in Europe.This year's theme, "A Hard-Won Homecoming," highlights the courage and sacrifice of our troops in combat and of their loved ones at home. The Allied Victory in Europe

April 27, 2020

Curator Day 2020

USS Comfort (AH 6) Pennant (NHHC 2019.075.005): This pennant is from the former USS Comfort (AH 6), the second of three hospital ships to bear that name. The Curator Branch collects a wide variety of material to include rare textiles such as this. T...

April 24, 2020

Honoring Museum Volunteers during National Volunteer Week

On April 20, 1974, President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer week to offer appreciation for the great work of volunteers and call for more citizens to give back to their communities. In presidential proclamation 4288 Nixon stated, "I urge all Americans to observe that week by seeking out an area in their community in which they can

March 27, 2020

Honoring our Navy's Vietnam War Veterans

March 29th is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day we join the nation in honoring our Vietnam War-era veterans. Although we are unable to honor these veterans in person while maintaining proper social distancing, we are able to highlight some of our Navy Vietnam War-era veterans through our online platforms.During the Vietnam War, Sailors

March 16, 2020

An Interview with Ima Black, a WWII-era WAVES Sailor

Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) hosted Mrs. Ima Black, widow of the Navy's first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Delbert Black, for a tour of the National Museum of the United States Navy (NMUSN) Sept. 20, 2019. The tour gave Black a chance to see pieces from NHHC's expansive collection, including uniforms and memorabilia from her

Feb. 18, 2020

The Search for Seaman Joachim Pease

The Civil War saw the introduction of the Medal of Honor, an award that would come to represent the highest military honor in the United States. By the end of the war, 328 U.S. Navy Medals of Honor had been awarded. Of those, eight were awarded to U.S. Navy people of color. Seaman Joachim Pease, one of these recipients, is often overshadowed by

Feb. 11, 2020

The Sailors of Iwo Jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945 as Sailors and Marines faced Imperial Japanese forces over the control of the island. The island was a critical point for the United States as it planned their attacks on the Japanese main islands.The 36 days of battle are considered some of the bloodiest and fiercest fights of the Pacific theater

Dec. 12, 2019

When Caroline Kennedy Last Christened a Ship in the Name of Her Father

191207-N-PG550-1463 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Dec. 7, 2019) Caroline Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy's daughter, former ambassador to Japan, and sponsor of the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), christens the ship, Dec. 7, 2019. US...

Nov. 27, 2019

"This is Dad's letter!"

Photo of Y3c Richard Calvin McVay submitted by his family to the United States Navy Memorial Log. McVay served from February 1944-April 1946....

Nov. 6, 2019

A Family Tradition

Hugh Wyman Howard's Naval Academy sweater....

Nov. 1, 2019

The History of Navy Rank: The Officer Corps

To outsiders, especially members of the non-maritime services, the U.S. Navy's unique rank structure can be confusing. The history of Navy ranks is equally complicated, and includes an assortment of ranks that no longer exist and some that have disappeared, reappeared, and disappeared again! In this part of a three-part series, we look at the

Nov. 1, 2019

The History of Navy Rank: Warrant Officers

Showing from left: Private, Drummer (Marine Corps), Warrant Officer, Musician, Chief Petty Officer (Master-at- Arms), Private (Marine Corps), Corporal (Marine Corps). Lithograph by Werner, copyright in 1899 by The Werner Company.To outsiders, especially members of the non-maritime services, the U.S. Navy's unique rank structure can be confusing.

Sept. 6, 2019

Today's Midshipman Must Be Tomorrow's Jack Crawford

The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) is hosting a true American hero Friday and helping him celebrate his 100th birthday. In December 1941, Midshipman First Class (a college senior) John "Jack" W. Crawford may have had doubts he'd see his next birthday. In ...

Aug. 27, 2019

The Enduring Journey: A Historical Review of Medical Readiness through Training

With the pressing need for skilled medical personnel in the Korean War the Navy established Field Medical Service Schools (FMSS) in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and at Camp Pendleton, Calif.[i] Between October 1950 and July 1953 over 5,000 Hospital Corpsmen trained as field medical technicians at these schools, among them four individuals who later received

Oct. 25, 2017

John S. McCain III - Lessons from a "Biased" Son on Legacy, Service, Sacrifice

Editor's note: Anyone who has ever worn a military uniform is no stranger to sacrifice; their normal is weeks and months of long working hours under arduous conditions in sometimes inhospitable locations while separated from loved ones. People who have worn military uniforms also understand that, despite those day-to-day sacrifices, they, like many

April 24, 2017

Toughness: Aviation Machinist Mate First Class (AMM1/C) Bruno Peter Gaido

Editor's note: The following is part of NHHC Director Sam Cox's larger "H--gram" series. Inspired by Admiral Zumwalt's series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today's decision-makers. For more information, visit the NHHC Director's

Oct. 6, 2016

An Iconic Figure to Remember, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr.

Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., a U.S. Navy admiral, whose naval career extended from World War II to the Vietnam War, was the youngest admiral to serve as Chief of Naval Operations.As a young man, one of his greatest desires was to become a doctor as both his parents were. But in 1939 he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. In