With the 2012 Olympics getting set to kick off in London, we thought it appropriate to share some fascinating artifacts from the collection of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) here in Washington, D.C. The NHHC Curator Branch maintains a large collection of materials from Captain Carl T. Osburn, USN, who held the record
By David J Ulbrich, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2011) Reviewed by Colonel Curt Marsh, USMC (Ret.) The story of General Thomas Holcomb who was Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1936 to 1943 illuminates a crucial period of Marine Corps history and the very significant contributions of one key participant. Most Marines know all
By Robert W. Cosgriff, CDR USN (Ret.) The highlight of the Annual Meeting of the Naval Historical Foundation on 23 June, 2012 was the ribbon-cutting of a new exhibit for the Navy Museum, “Into the Lion’s Den,” covering the nighttime naval battle of Haiphong Harbor on 27 August, 1972. This exhibit had particular resonance for
In an energetic National History Day ceremony at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center in mid-June, three middle school students from Alaska were awarded the Naval Historical Foundation’s Captain Kenneth Coskey Award for Naval History scholarship. The 2012 NHD theme was “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History”, and the three young girls, Hallie Whitmore, Challis Debenham
By Taylor Hitt, NHF Intern In May of this year, the battleship Texas celebrated the 100th anniversary of its launching. Of the eight American battleships open for public display, she is the only one that served in both World Wars. During World War I, she patrolled in the North Sea alongside the British to protect
By Thomas P. Ostrom, McFarland & Company, Jefferson, NC, (2009) Reviewed by Charles H. Bogart This is a well-written and nicely researched account of the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. The author, using seventeen topical chapters, provides short, concise accounts of various missions carried out by the Coast Guard during the war. Each
Speaking on the deck of the decommissioned Olympia in Philadelphia on 3 May 1931, Naval Historical Foundation President Rear Admiral William Rodgers told thirty veterans of the Battle of Manila Bay and some ten thousand onlookers that “everything possible will be done to preserve Olympia as a historic shrine in Washington along with the Constitution
NHF Digital Historian Dave Colamaria had the opportunity to embark on board the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) for a 24 hour visit in late June. NHF has worked closely with Navy Recruiting District, Richmond over the past two years on the NHF STEM-H Teacher Fellowship Program. The June embark
We recently received an inquiry about some well known photographs from World War II. The images (see below) depict a vast fleet of U.S. Navy warships at anchor at Ulithi Atoll, on 8 December 1944, nicknamed “Murderer’s Row.” A group of model builders is working to recreate the images in question, using 1/2400 scale ship
Story and photos courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command WASHINGTON (NNS) — The National Navy Museum (NNM) received cable-controlled undersea recovery vehicle (CURV) III, the Navy’s most sophisticated deep sea recovery submersible until its retirement in 2007, along with its operator control van, July 2. The submersible and van were installed in the
By Henry J. Hendrix, Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 2009. Reviewed by Thomas P. Ostrom Captain Henry J. Hendrix, USN brings an impressive background of naval professionalism and scholarly credentials to the task of writing this history of President Theodore Roosevelt (TR) and the 14-month global cruise of the Great White Fleet of U.S. battleships
At the 2012 NHF Annual Meeting held on 23 June, two outstanding volunteers were recognized for their contributions towards our mission: Preservation, Education, and Commemoration of Naval History. Captain Roger Jones, USN (Ret), and Charles Bogart, were nominated and approved as the 2011 Naval Historical Foundation Volunteers of the Year. Both have been instrumental in
National Maritime Museum Conference, 25-27 July 2013 From conflict, culture and science to society, economics and politics, the Royal Navy’s relationship with Britain has always been complex and reflexive. It has been the nation’s primary arm of defence and the means by which empire was expanded and sustained. In both peace and war, it has
Edited by John B. Hattendorf and Bruce A. Elleman. Naval War College Press/Government Printing Office (2010). Reviewed By Corbin Williamson Nineteen Gun Salute is a collection of short biographies of American admirals who demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities during their naval service. The admirals were skilled operational and strategic commanders as well as diplomats. The work
The Naval Historical Foundation 2012 Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, 23 June, and featured the debut of a brand new exhibit for the Cold War Gallery. Admiral James Holloway, USN (Ret), christened the new exhibit with a riveting firsthand account of the 1972 battle in Haiphong Harbor that is memorialized in the new “Into
