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Tag: WWII

Oct. 31, 2016

Have You Heard of a Ship Called the Good Reuben James?

Popularized for many Americans by the Woody Guthrie song, "The Sinking of the Reuben James," USS Reuben James (DD-245) was the first U.S. Navy ship to be sunk by enemy action during World War II. Months before America officially entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Reuben James Sailors paid the ultimate price. The story of these

Sept. 7, 2016

VJ Day is an Opportunity to Remember

Editor's note: Rear Adm. Roegge was the keynote speaker at the WWII-end Missouri ceremony on Friday, September 2nd. In his speech, he reflected on the lasting impression the war made on Pearl Harbor and the Navy's major contributions in the victory. Below is an excerpt from his speech. Here, in Pearl Harbor, and onboard the USS Missouri, we have a

Dec. 10, 2015

The Story of a WWII Hero: Honoring an American Fighter Ace and Navy Cross Recipient

On Armistice Day 1943, 25 years after the end of the First World War, then Ensign Charles "Billy" Watts shot down his first enemy aircraft on his first day in combat while flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat.His Navy career started in May 1942, five months after the U.S. joined World War II, when Watts completed his second year of college at East Texas

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

Dec. 5, 2014

On the Edge of Infamy: Misinformation Worked in U.S. Favor

USS Lexington (CV-2) leaving San Diego, Calif., Oct. 14, 1941, on her way to Pearl Harbor. Planes parked on her flight deck include F2A-1 fighters (parked forward), SBD scout-bombers (amidships) and TBD-1 torpedo planes (aft). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.  As the Japanese Imperial Navy Strike Group

Nov. 26, 2014

Prelude to War: Japanese Strike Force Takes Aim at Pearl Harbor

The road to war between Japan and the United States began in the 1930s when differences over China drove the two nations apart. In 1931 Japan conquered Manchuria, which until then had been part of China. In 1937 Japan began a long and ultimately unsuccessful campaign to conquer the rest of China. Then in 1940, the Japanese government allied itself

Sept. 25, 2014

Fit to Fight: American Shipbuilding and Salvage Comes Through in the Wake of Pearl Harbor

This is the final chapter in a 3-part series about the salvage operation that brought USS West Virginia (BB 48) back to the fleet 70 years ago Sept. 23, 1944. She had been hit by seven torpedoes and two bombs during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Click for Part 1 and Part 2.Lessons noted, lessons learnedThe Pearl Harbor Salvage Division

Sept. 23, 2014

American Shipbuilding, Navy Maintenance Past and Present: Keeping the Fleet Fit to Fight

Part One of a 3-part seriesA ship rejoining the fleet after a major overhaul is nothing new in the Navy. But 70 years ago today, when USS West Virginia (BB 48) returned to Pearl Harbor, it was a momentous event. West Virginia was the last, and most heavily damaged, of the 18 ships salvaged after the Dec. 7, 1941 attack. Her return to the fleet

July 23, 2014

#PeopleMatter: Remembering the Honor, Courage and Commitment of Lt. John W. Finn

 Like the man for whom the ship is named, USS John Finn (DDG 113) will be built to fight, durable and ready to go the moment her crew brings her to life. That is when the 63rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer joins the fleet in 2016. So we'll talk instead about the ship's namesake on the occasion of his birthday, July 23, 1909.John William Finn was

July 10, 2014

#PlatformsMatter: Adding a ZERO to Navy Know-How Equals Victory

Some called it the finest fighter in the world, quick, agile with fluid maneuverability. The biggest problem was it wasn't an American fighter. The Mitsubishi A6M2 carrier fighter ZERO had long dominated the skies at the beginning of World War II, earning a 12-1 kill ratio against slower, heavier Allied planes. But American ingenuity and a chance