On Monday 12 March, a new interactive display was dedicated at the National Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. The touch screen driven display gives museum visitors a chance to learn about the history of the commanding officers of the historic frigate USS Constitution. It was the brainchild of Dr. Jack London,
Ray Godfrey is part-time curator for the Naval Historical Foundation, a position he has held since 2002. Of late, he has been hard at work de-accessioning many of the artifacts that the Foundation has acquired over the years, finding new homes for them in museums and archival collections. This past weekend, Ray had the chance
By NHF Director, Dr. William S. Dudley The Naval Order of the United States has teamed with the National Park Service to create a wayside marker to be placed alongside the statue of Commodore John Barry, U.S. Navy, in Franklin Park at 14th Street, NW, in Washington, DC. Although the statue has been standing since
By MC2 Gina Morrissette and MC1 Amy Kirk As part of the 150th Anniversary of the USS Monitor and the legendary Battle of Hampton Roads, the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., hosted a commemorative program in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office (NOAA) of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Naval History and
The Navy Museum Store at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC, will be hosting a two-day used book sale in the Museum Education Center (Bldg #76) on 8 and 9 March (0900 – 1400). Enter through the main Navy Museum entrance on Sicard St. We have many titles on naval and military history to choose
By Dr. Gary E. Weir, Editor, IJNH (NOTE: This article originally appeared in the online International Journal of Naval History, hosted by the Naval Historical Foundation. Information on submission of scholarly articles to IJNH can be found on the new website at www.ijnhonline.org) Every once in a while we all need to make a change,
By Brian Arthur (Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 2011) Review by NHF Director, Dr. William Dudley (Note: this review and the author’s response originally appeared in Reviews in History. We thank them for allowing this republication.) Among the new books that have emerged coincident with the commemoration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812, Brian Arthur’s
Admiral James Holloway III, USN (Ret), former Chief of Naval Operations, and Chairman Emeritus of the Naval Historical Foundation, stopped by our office yesterday on his 90th birthday. He had the chance to enjoy some birthday cake, and toured the Cold War Gallery with his son-in-law, Richard Quist. He also had the opportunity to go
Design and Production, Inc., a leading builder of large, complex museum exhibits, has been contracted to build “Into the Lion’s Den,” a new Cold War Gallery exhibit at the U.S. Navy Museum. Scheduled for completion by June 2012 as commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the war in Vietnam begins, “Into the Lion’s Den” describes
In September 1861, with the American Civil War five months old and showing signs of becoming a protracted conflict, Dr. Ezra Pray, practicing medicine in New England, applied for and was granted a naval surgeon’s appointment. Pray had been born on 13 March 1832 in Rochester, NH, son of farmer Ezra H. Pray and mother
ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: WIN A RIDE ON A TALL SHIP! SAIL TRIUMPHANTLY INTO PORT WITH A FLEET OF TALL SHIPS Operation Sail, Inc., the national non-profit organization that produces tall ship events commemorating patriotic American milestones, announced its sponsorship of an essay contest and an art contest for high school students in association with
Captain Bob Naughton, USN (Ret), a former prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, poses for a photo with the prison camp model of the “Zoo,” where he spent time during his captivity, just a few miles outside of the city of Hanoi in North Vietnam. Captain Naughton visited the Cold War Gallery, Wednesday, 1
The age of the battleship has passed into history, but along the coasts of the United States are reminders of this dramatic era in naval history. Nestled in Wilmington, NC, is the battleship ex-USS North Carolina (BB 55), moored on the Cape Fear River. Commissioned in 1941, she was awarded 15 battle stars during World
By Benerson Little, Fair Winds Press, Beverly, MA (2011). Reviewed by Capt. Roger F. Jones, USN (Ret.) From the cover, one might be forgiven for thinking that Little’s book could be an “ode to piracy,” but after reading a few pages, it is clear that the author has something very different in mind. He has
Britain and the Sea: The Maritime Sphere and the Past, Present and Future of the UK This conference will examine the relationship between Great Britain and the Sea. It is increasingly said that Britain is in danger of losing its self-identity as a maritime nation at the point when the sea becomes the focus for
