May 10, 2017

Naval History of Washington State

The state of Washington is named after President George Washington, who was an early proponent of sea power. He's quoted as saying, "It follows then as certain as that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive naval force we can do nothing definitive, and with it, everything honorable and glorious."Washington was the 42nd state admitted to

March 31, 2017

Why Navy History Matters to Mississippi

Mississippi, named for the Mississippi River which forms its western boundary, was the 20th state admitted to the Union in 1817. The name, roughly translated from Native American folklore, means "Father of the Waters," which makes it fitting that more than 30 ships have been named after this great state and its cities, people, and places.Five ships

Oct. 28, 2016

Louisiana's Naval History

Louisiana has played an important role since the early days of the U.S. Navy. New Orleans, the largest city of Louisiana, was the scene of Andrew Jackson's great victory at the close of the War of 1812, in which small naval forces under Commodore David Patterson played a large role. Years later during the Civil War, Admiral David Farragut opened

Oct. 6, 2016

Maryland's Naval History

Maryland, known as the "Old Line State" to honor the troops of the Maryland line who fought courageously during the Revolutionary War, was one of the original thirteen colonies.The state has played an important role since the early days of the U.S. Navy. The Constellation, one of the original six frigates, was built at the Sterrett Shipyard,

Sept. 9, 2016

Naval History of New Mexico

Navy ports might be far from the 300 square miles of White Sands in New Mexico, but in the 1940s and 50s the state, also known as "Land of Enchantment," was the perfect place for atmospheric research, rocketry, surface-to-air missile defense systems testing, and the Navy's Desert Ship test facility.There are at least 31 ships named after New Mexico

Aug. 11, 2016

Naval History of Iowa

Despite being thousands of miles from America's ocean coasts, a rich stream of naval heroes and heritage pours from Iowa's heartland all the same. For starters, at least 26 U.S. Navy ships, past and present, represent Iowa's people and places. Possibly the most famous Iowan ship, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided

July 15, 2016

South Dakota's Naval History

When you think of South Dakota, you may not immediately think of the U.S. Navy. But, did you know at least 9 ships have been named after the state, its cities, places, and people? Here are a couple:USS South Dakota (BB 57) USS South Dakota, lead ship of a class of 35,000-ton battleships, was built at Camden, New Jersey. She was commissioned in

July 1, 2016

Wisconsin's Naval History

Wisconsin, known as "America's Dairyland," is located in the north-central region of our country. On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state to be admitted to the Union.There have been more than 65 U.S. Navy ships named after the cities, people, and places of Wisconsin. Of note are the two battleships that take their namesake from this great

June 10, 2016

Naval History of Ohio

Ohio, known as "The Buckeye State," was the 17th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803, retroactively after an oversight in 1953 that found Congress never passed a resolution formally admitting it to the Union. The customary practice of Congress declaring an official date of statehood did not begin until 1812, with Louisiana's admission as

May 13, 2016

Why Naval History Matters to Virginia

In 1788, only 13 years after the establishment of the U.S. Navy, Virginia ratified the constitution, and became the 10th state to enter the Union. The state's heritage includes hosting the first North American-English colony, which likely gave rise to the popular nickname, "Old Dominion." Virginia's naval lineage includes several landmark events