Aug. 6, 2019

Wasp Amphibious Ready Group Reflects Through the Waters of the Coral Sea

For the last two months my flagship, USS Wasp (LHD 1), has sailed through the Coral Sea. We had the privilege to operate with our high-end Australian partners in the Pacific during the bilateral, biennial exercise Talisman Sabre. During this transit through the Coral Sea, we passed through the same waters one of Wasp's namesakes, USS Wasp (CV-7),

April 17, 2019

Bud Elliott and USS Wasp

My dad was descending a ladder on the starboard stern of USS Wasp (CV 7) when he was rocked by the concussion from three torpedoes hitting the aircraft carrier in rapid succession. Just 35 minutes later the captain ordered abandon ship and my dad slid down a fire hose into the warm water of the Coral Sea.Arles Edward "Bud" Elliott, was a

March 13, 2019

Eyewitness to a Sinking

Citizen SailorLike many who manned the Navy's ships and flew its aircraft during World War II, William C. Chambliss was a member of the Naval Reserve, a citizen-sailor called to active service. He entered naval service during the year of the stock market crash, receiving his wings as Naval Aviator Number 4528 in April 1930, and flying scouting

March 13, 2019

A Future CNO's Trial by Fire

In 1930, Lt. Forrest P. Sherman authored an article for U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, one of many the prolific writer submitted to the journal during the interwar years. The title was "Some Aspects of Carrier and Cruiser Design," and in it Sherman outlined the various classes of aircraft carrier required in the fleet of the future, and provided

Feb. 20, 2019

Wasp Sailor Survives Sinking

Don Cruse of El Paso joined the Navy in July 1938, at the age of 17, wanting to see more of the world than the vast landscape of Texas, eventually experiencing the Navy life in the crew of a destroyer, sleeping in a hammock, and using one bucket of water a day to wash both his working uniform and himself. He recalled being mesmerized at the time by