Editors Picks

A note from the editor: Capt. C.A. “Pete” Tzomes—the first African American to command a nuclear-powered submarine—died at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA, June 13. He was 74. He was the first of the “Centennial Seven,” who were the only seven African American men to command …

By André B. Sobocinski, Historian, BUMED June 6, 1944, Normandy Coast, France. Pharmacist’s Mate 1st Class Stephen Cromwell stood on the bow of the LST-280 watching the Higgins Boats transporting troops to the beachhead. “The fire was quite intense,” Cromwell later recalled. “In fact, before we went in there, you …

By Daniel N. Garas, Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the destroyer USS Ward (DD 139) was conducting a patrol off the entrance to Pearl Harbor when at 3:57 a.m., she was informed of a periscope sighting by the coastal minesweeper …

By Margherita M. Desy, Historian, Naval History & Heritage Command Detachment Boston “Whereas the depredations committed by the Algerine corsairs on the commerce of the United States render it necessary that a naval force should be provided for its protection…” The fledgling United States was in a difficult position in 1794.  …

As a 19-year-old seaman who had been in the Navy for about a year and a half, Richard Nowatzki’s ship USS Hornet (CV 8) was mortally wounded in the intense World War II Battle of Santa Cruz Islands.  In this first-handaccount, from his book Memoirs of a Navy Major, Nowatzkishares …

As a 19-year-old seaman who had been in the Navy for about a year and a half, Richard Nowatzki’s ship USS Hornet (CV 8) was mortally wounded in the intense World War II Battle of Santa Cruz Islands.  In this first-handaccount, from his book Memoirs of a Navy Major, Nowatzki …

As a 19-year-old seaman who had been in the Navy for about a year and a half, Richard Nowatzki’s ship USS Hornet (CV 8) was mortally wounded in the intense World War II Battle of Santa Cruz Islands.  In this first-hand account, from his book Memoirs of a Navy Major, …

By Dave Werner, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs On Saturday, January 26th the Navy will commission its newest Zumwalt-class destroyer, the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), at 10:00 a.m. at Naval Air Station North Island.  A little further West in the Pacific, organizers are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the January 1944 …

By Lisa Crunk, Lead Photo Archivist, and Katie Delacenserie, Accessioning Archivist, Navy Archives, Naval History and Heritage Command “I’ve got something you’ll really be interested in!” “I’ve got photographs you’ve never seen before” As the Accessioning Archivist and Lead Photo Archivist, we are the point people for accepting textual and …

By Chris Martin, Historian, Naval History and Heritage Command Editor’s note: July 19, 2018 marks 100 years since the sinking of USS San Diego. In the naval history world, the sinking is fairly well known, however the loss, and its proximity to the coast of Long Island, New York, may …