By Patrick Gabridge, Penmore Press, Tucson AZ, (2015) Reviewed by Robert P. Largess Robert Smalls was a black slave at the beginning of the long blockade and siege of Charleston during the Civil War. He was also a skilled waterman and harbor pilot, as well as a man of remarkable charisma and intelligence, and on
By Norman Polmar and Edward C. Whitman, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2016) Reviewed by Larry A. Grant Hunters and Killers, Volume 2: Anti-Submarine Warfare from 1943 is the second volume of a sweeping survey of submarine and antisubmarine warfare written by two very well-informed authors. During his forty-year career as a Navy civilian employee,
By Ian W. Toll, W.W. Norton, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by John Grady Ian Toll’s Conquering Tide is the middle piece of his Pacific War history, and it is a superb fit with the first volume, Pacific Crucible. Now available in paperback, Conquering Tide tells the story of the fight after the Battle of
By James Keffer, Penmore Press, Tucson, AZ (2015) Reviewed by Rick Elkin When reading fiction, I tend to enjoy science fiction more than any genre. My taste in maritime and naval books tends to lean heavily toward non-fiction books. I enjoy “real” history. That said, I remember as a young boy watching “Horatio Hornblower” with
By Joseph A. Williams, Chicago Review Press, Chicago, Il (2015) Reviewed by Rick Elkin As followers of naval history, most of us have, at least, a small amount of knowledge regarding submarine disasters that have occurred since just after World War I, when submarines became major weapons thanks to the German use of U-Boats. However,
By Philip Kaplan, Pen & Sword Maritime, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England (2015) Reviewed by Ed Calouro Devotees of big-gun battleships apparently cannot get their fill. In Battleships: WWII Evolution of the Big Guns, prolific author Philip Kaplan has completed his third volume in the “Images of War” series about these warships. In 2004, Kaplan wrote
By Gary Slaughter, Fletcher House, Nashville, TN (2016) Reviewed by Charles Bogart Gary Slaughter has crafted a fascinating book about his service in the U.S. Navy. The narrative starts with his life as a small town boy seeking greater opportunity than his surrounding area offers. His method of choice to escape his small town is
By Hans Joachim Koerver, Dr. Cynthia Dyre-Moellenhoff (ed.), LIS Reinisch Verlag, Steinbach, (2016) Reviewed by Eric Dietrich-Berryman, Ph.D. War of Numbers is not a long book but packs impressive, relevant detail, much of it original from the author’s searches through British records. Arguments pro and con in the Imperial German Navy are here, as is
By Geoff Dyer, Vintage Books, New York, NY (2014) Reviewed by Nathan Albright Whether or not a reader appreciates this book will greatly depend on their mindset. If someone comes to this book looking for someone who is serious about the United States Navy, has lots of respect for the military or the religious and
By Matthew T. Eng One of the longstanding missions of NHF is to collect artifacts relevant to naval history. Often these objects are then donated to worthy institutions and organizations, chiefly the U.S. Navy, best suited to care for and display them. In the case of a rare 19th-century globe, acquired by NHF 20 years
Books have always been popular gifts to present to deserving individuals during the holiday season, birthdays, and events such as retirements and changes of command. However, when those books are inscribed to that individual – well that’s way cool and very meaningful! The Naval Historical Foundation is providing the opportunity for employees at the Washington
By NHF Staff Naval Historical Foundation historian Dr. David Winkler recently traveled to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in a workshop to discuss the “Avoidance of Hazardous Military Incidents.” With the relations between Russia and the NATO alliance in decline due to the annexation of Crimea, ongoing fighting in the Ukraine, and contentious issues elsewhere, the
Today marks America’s observance of the National POW/MIA Recognition Day. It is a day to remember those service members who were either prisoners of war (POW) or are still missing in action (MIA). It is also a day to acknowledge the suffering and sacrifices made by POW/MIA families, some of whom are still waiting for
By Captain George W. Stewart, USN (Ret.) Author’s Preface: When reading this post, bear in mind that we are discussing the conditions that existed in 1979-1981. I recognize that there have been many developments since that time. In October 1978, the Navy launched a “Women in Ships” program which provided for the assignment of women
By Geoffrey Bennett (originally published B.T. Batsford Ltd., London, UK 1964), Pan & Sword Books Ltd. Barnsley, UK (2015) Reviewed by Tim McGrath Few historians, on land or sea, can match the depth and breadth of the work of Captain Geoffrey Bennett. As a Royal Navy officer who served Great Britain in war and peacetime,
