With Covid restrictions finally lifted, the Naval Historical Foundation hosted its third annual Mess Night on Saturday, November 5 at the National Museum of the United States Navy. As with previous Five Star Mess Nights, the event was built around a theme and this year’s centennial of U.S. naval aircraft carriers provided the appropriate occasion
By David F. Winkler, Ph.D.Staff Historian Finally on the morning of Saturday November 18, Cdr. Kenneth Whiting, the executive officer of the USS Langley, climbed into the cockpit of a PT seaplane which was positioned on that trolley contraption connected to the end of the catapult that had been installed on the flying deck of
By Capt. James R. “Ros” Poplar, USN (Ret) As we approach Veteran’s Day many members of America’s Greatest Generation are no longer with us and in the not-too-distant future there will be none as 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. One of those silent warriors was my father
By David F. Winkler, Ph.D.Staff Historian Today marks the centennial of the first “Navy Day” existence. With the belief that a naval arms race had been a leading cause for World War I, general public sentiment supported President Warren G. Harding’s call in June 1921 to convene a Washington Naval Arms Conference. As documented in
By David F. Winkler, Ph.D.Staff Historian Just over a century ago, on October 26, Langley, departed from a York River anchorage at 7:15 a.m., and steamed into the Chesapeake Bay off the “Tail of the Shoe” shoal just inside Cape Henry. Having taken over as the officer of the deck for the 8 till noon
By Rear Adm. Sam Cox USN (Ret.) With deep sadness the NHF reports the loss of another strong champion of naval history – Vice Adm.William H. Rowden, USN (Ret.) who passed on 15 October 2022 at age 92. Vice Adm. Rowden served as a Director on our Board of Directors for two decades from 1995
By David F. Winkler, Ph.D. Staff Historian On October 17, 1922, America’s first carrier, USS Langley held a fixed position in the York River as preparations proceeded for a historic milestone. Naval Aviator No. 41, Lt. Virgil “Squash” Griffin, climbed into a cockpit of a VE-7SF biplane (BuNo. A-5932). As Griffin prepared for takeoff, winches
By Phil Keith with Tom Clavin, Hanover Square Press [HarperCollins], (2022) Reviewed by John Grady “To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth” is one of the best works aimed at a general audience on the naval aspects of the Civil War. Phil Keith and Tom Clavin have brought back to life one of the most
By Michał A. Piegzik Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D. Readers won’t confuse this book, just published in the Asia @ War Series No. 31 (Warwick, England: Hellion and Company Limited, 2022) with similar titles: The Darkest Hour by Caroline Tung Richmond (New York: Scholastic Press, 2016) is an espionage novel about women in World
The Naval Historical Foundation mourns the loss of Capt. Paul X. Rinn, an individual who embraced history as Surface Warfare Officer, a factor that likely contributed to the survival of his ship – the guided missile frigate Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) – when she hit an Iranian-laid mine on April 14, 1988 in the Persian
Late last week we were saddened to learn of the passing of the Honorable Steve Honigman on July 26, 2022 in his sleep at Mt. Sinai in New York of stomach cancer. He was 74 years old. Mr. Honigman joined the NHF Board of Directors in 2012 and was a very active supporter of the
Dear Naval Historical Foundation Board Members: Attached you will find a series of documents to be reviewed prior to our Board Meeting on Saturday, 11 June 20122. We look forward to seeing you virtually and briefing you on the latest developments. You can find information about the Annual Meeting and Leighton Lecture, and how to
Two students and seven teachers from around the country were awarded prizes by the Naval Historical Foundation (NHF) for outstanding projects with naval/maritime themes in the annual National History Day (NHD) competition that concluded June 19. Winners of the coveted NHF Coskey Prizes for Naval History were Jessie Henderson of Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, TN,
For the fourth consecutive year, the Naval Historical Foundation (NHF) will once again present “Teacher of Distinction” awards to teachers whose students are recognized for outstanding projects at the annual National History Day (NHD) competition for middle and high school students nationwide. Inaugurated in 2018, these awards go to teachers whose students (i) receive
Celebrate Jack’s legacy with a Gift to USNA Superintendent’s Annual Leadership and Vision Award competition: Voices of Maritime History Last week it was with deep sadness that the Naval Historical Foundation shared the tragic news that Dr. J. Phillip London, a dear friend, shipmate, and director for over a decade, had passed away on 18
