The big news in naval history last week was the formal transfer of the battleship Iowa (BB-61) to the Pacific Battleship Center, and her subsequent departure from the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, CA. Iowa‘s transfer to a private organization closes the book on the battleship era. Nicknamed “the Big Stick,” Iowa is
Screams echoed across Washington Navy Yard on Friday night, as visitors crowded on board the haunted Ghost Ship Barry, an annual Halloween tradition. An estimated 955 children and adults survived the horrors lurking below decks of this Cold War era destroyer. Visitors began their evening in the National Museum of the United States Navy, where
On Saturday, 22 October, the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS) held its annual Dewey Luncheon in which Admiral James L. Holloway, III, USN (Ret.) – former Chief of Naval Operations, and Chairman Emeritus of the Naval Historical Foundation – was recognized as the 2011 recipient of the George Dewey Award. The luncheon was
In June 2011, the Naval Historical Foundation cut the ribbon on the brand new Covert Submarine Operations exhibit, at the Cold War Gallery, Washington Navy Yard (see photos of the ceremony, which was attended by CNO Admiral Jonathan Greenert, on our Flickr page). The exhibit is the latest display built by the Foundation on behalf
By AOC Delbert Mitchell, USN (Ret.) The Mojave Desert of southern California can be a very foreboding place during any time of the year – from the extreme dry heat of the summer months, to the cold windy days of winter, it is anything but Mediterranean in climate and temperature. But, it is also here
Opportunity: Since 1997, the Naval Historical Foundation (NHF) has maintained a list of members who are available to speak to groups on naval historical topics in their areas of expertise. Many of our speakers are scholars who have conducted research and are widely published. Other speakers are Navy veterans “who were there” or have strong
This fall, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation will open a new exhibition and visitors center at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at Building 92. Among the many items on display at this new museum will be an intricately detailed model of the 19th century ship of the line USS Ohio. The model was built
The following remarks were delivered by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Cooling, (historian and author of USS Olympia: Herald of Empire) at the Independence Seaport Museum Summit on Olympia, 30 March 2011. The Independence Seaport Museum is in the process of selecting a new caretaker for the historic cruiser. Please read this article for an update on
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is now accepting submissions for its annual awards program. Each year, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation presents a series of awards honoring the outstanding, creative work of individuals in preserving and propagating the history, traditions and culture of the Marine Corps. Marines and civilians alike may submit their own entries
On Wednesday 31 August, 2011, NHF member Thomas Ostrom, along with Kenneth A. Thamert, Joseph Connell, and James Graham interviewed Jerry L. Weltzin, a proud U.S. Navy veteran and retired IBM employee. Sharing a background of military service (highlighted below), the enthusiastic interrogators elicited information and stories from former ETR1 (lst Class Electronics Technician, Radar)
This year marks 100 years of naval aviation, and the Navy has celebrated with ongoing events, from public commemorations and publications, to awe-inspiring airshows. These events celebrate the year 1911 – a year which featured a series of landmark achievements in naval aviation. The first successful take-offs and landings from ships at sea laid the
Originally published in Notre Dame Magazine by Patrick Burns ’86 Captain Burns heads the Navy’s Office of Commemorations office across from the Naval Historical Foundation On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was in the Norfolk, Virginia, office of Commodore Scott Jones when someone came in and said, “Hey, you’re from New York. A
Earlier this year, the Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy launched their first website, with the support of the Naval Historical Foundation. Going forward, the site is being hosted by the Foundation, continuing our long partnership with the Society. Sponsors are named by the Secretary of the Navy, and participate in many of
Recently, the Naval History and Heritage Command published the U.S Navy Heritage Mini-Series on their YouTube channel. The Naval Historical Foundation produced these mini-series segments in 2002 and donated their use to the Navy, where they were a part of General Military Training and Recruit Training Command programs at Great Lakes, IL. The project enhanced
Captain Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., USN (Ret.) and a contingent of colleagues honored the Cold War Gallery with a visit on 28 July. Captain Hudner generously sponsored the creation of a model F4U-5 Corsair for display in the Cold War Gallery. This Corsair is modeled after the aircraft he flew in 1950 during his heroic
