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BOOK REVIEW – Syren’s Song: A Connor Stark Novel

By Claude Berube, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2015) Reviewed by Nathan Albright Claude Berube wrote this fictional novel as a reward to students of naval history. Many of the elegant touches, including the name of the ship, spring from the author’s own vivid experience within the United States Navy, where he is currently an

BOOK REVIEW – The Ingenious Life of Melbourne Smith – One Man’s Revival of Historic Sailing Vessels

By Paul Wood, Woods Maritime, Kamuela, HI (2015) Reviewed by Charles Bogart Paul Wood has written an excellent biographical account of naval architect Melbourne Smith who is the President of the International Historical Watercraft Society, and serves as Advisory Board Chairman for the National Maritime Historical Society and trustee of the American Ship Trust. Born

BOOK REVIEW – The Kraut: On Being German After 1940

By Erik Jurgen-Karl Dietrich, Self-Published (2015) Reviewed by Charles Bogart This self-published autobiography tells the story of Erik Jurgen-Karl Districh who was born in Germany in 1940. After the war, he lived in England until 1957, when he immigrated to the United States at age 17. After arriving in the United States, the author served

Tuesday’s Buzzing Had Deadly Precedent

By David F. Winkler, Ph.D. NHF Staff The video of a Russian Sukhoi SU-24 attack jet making close passes near the destroyer USS Donald Cook on April 12 in the Baltic brought back recollections from the early Cold War when such bravado demonstrations were frequently conducted by the naval air forces of both super power

Submarine History Seminar Recap: Burke, Missiles, and Rickover Reminiscences

“I don’t give a damn whether it is a ballistic missile or an air breathing missile, or both, so long as it will go about 1500 miles and hit the target with a warhead capable of doing the job.” Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN, Chief of Naval Operations to Henry H. Porter, Applied Physics Laboratory,

NHF Celebrates its 90th Anniversary

Members and friends of NHF came together for an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of the Foundation over nine decades and to honor its celebrated leaders. By Matthew T. Eng It all began with a number: 7. It was these seven notable Navy civilian and military leaders who signed the certificate of incorporation ninety years

Mysterious Loss of the CONESTOGA Solved (Guest Post)

This was originally posted in the July 2008 issue of the USCS Log, the award-winning philatelic journal of the Universal Ship Cancellation Society (USCS). USCS is an international society that collects naval postal history. (Author’s note:  This is a story of tragedy and loss.  It is told in narrative form, the events are factual except

The Import and Export of Creativity: Popular LEGO Program Debuts at Kalmar Nyckel Foundation

“It’s not every day you build a battleship.” –  Sam Heed, Director of Education and Senior Historian, Kalmar Nyckel Foundation By Matthew T. Eng It is always refreshing to see childhood imagination pop up in the most unlikely of places. Whether in the main stream or off the beaten path, a child’s growing mind will

U.S. Navy Baseball History Exhibit Opens at Puget Sound Navy Museum

By Megan Churchwell Museum  Curator Puget Sound Navy Museum The Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton, Washington is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibit on March 4th. “When Baseball Went to War” explores the history of U.S. Navy baseball from its earliest years through World War II. Baseball was among the earliest

A Pilgrimage to Honor and Remember My POW Husband

In 2016, the Naval Historical Foundation is celebrating its 90th year as a non-profit institution. We are highlighting stories that honor our commitment to preserve, educate, and commemorate naval history. Retired Navy Captain and former Vietnam POW Ken L. Coskey remains a central figure in the storied history of this Foundation. This  onth marks the

New Masters Degree in Naval History Offered Through Distance Learning at University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth is currently preparing a new program for students interested in British Naval History beginning in September 2016. The course offers real-life learning experiences working with archives and museums, as well as the opportunity to develop key transferable skills, such as independent learning, written communication, textual analysis and time management. This course also

Norfolk Shipbuilding Event is Building Block for Fun and Learning

By Matthew T. Eng On 6 February, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM) hosted their fifth annual “Brick by Brick” LEGO Shipbuilding event. This yearly gathering of brick aficionados and enthusiasts in Norfolk, VA, has quickly become the museum’s signature event. This year marks the third time that the Naval Historical Foundation has supported HRNM

Generous Donation Helps Preserve and Make Accessible Valuable Navy Art

In 2016, the Naval Historical Foundation is celebrating its 90th year as a non-profit institution. As a testament to our Foundation’s mission to preserve, educate, and commemorate, we are highlighting instances where we are actively seeking out ways to keep naval history alive for generations to come. By NHF Staff The Navy Art Collection, most

Building for Victory: Interview with LEGO USS Indianapolis Designer

If you are a fan or follower of the Naval Historical Foundation, you know that NHF has been involved with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum’s (HRNM) blockbuster LEGO Shipbuilding event for several years. The generous donation NHF provided this year to HRNM helped pay for a large quantity of DUPLO bricks for the event’s “youngest