Naval History Blog

In 1897, William McKinley was inaugurated as 25th President of the United States. As an advocate of tariffs and protectionist policies, McKinley believed in supporting U.S. interests in Cuba and around the globe through diplomacy and tough negotiations. And yet, just over 12 months after his inauguration, McKinley would find himself leading the United States into war against a European power. Although America would enjoy total victory in 1898, this was despite the lack of naval preparation throughout the 1880s and 1890s. The near-immediate naval build-up in 1897 and early 1898 was due in large part to the bold actions… Read the rest of this entry »

This Blog picks up with my grandfather Thomas Schreck’s journal on 8 May 1944. My grandfather was a passenger on the liberty ship SS Reverdy Johnson in route to Algeria to meet the ship he served on until the end of the war. The Reverdy Johnson was part of convoy UGS-40 that sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 23 April, my grandfather boarded two days earlier. Monday May 8th Started betting on when we would see the rock, Saw birds and small craft. The rock is the Rock of Gibraltar, which every ship traveling to North Africa passed. Seeing birds and small… Read the rest of this entry »

Author’s note: The term “retro bomb” is used throughout this article in preference to the alternate “retrorocket” which to the modern reader might cause confusion. The later term was often used at the time this weapon was in service, as a retrorocket as we know it today had yet to exist. On 24 February 1944, Patrol Squadron VP-63 scored their first victory against a German U-boat, marking almost two years of development and use of their unique weapon, the retro bomb. Two of their PBY Catalina aircraft drove U-761 to the surface and forced its abandonment off Gibraltar. Weeks after… Read the rest of this entry »

In this audio excerpt from his oral history, Admiral Duncan describes the Navy’s V-12 College Training Program, which was launched to beef up the numbers of commissioned naval officers during World War II (some 125,000 participants passed through the program during and immediately after the war years). Admiral Duncan was XO of the USS Hutchins (DD-476) in 1942 in combat action in the Aleutians and South Pacific, then CO of the USS Wilson (DD-408), taking part in action in the South and Central Pacific. After World War II, he served as XO of the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) and CO of the Chilton (APA-38), Assistant Chief of… Read the rest of this entry »

By the end of the Civil War, the Union’s Armed Forces loss some 365,000 men, with more than double that in total casualties suffered during the four year-long “War Between the States”. With such widespread violence plaguing the divided country, acts of heroism and bravery on the part of fighting men were becoming more and more commonplace. However, this same violence caused concern in the ranks of the Navy very early on in the war. Would enough men be willing to enlist for service, put their lives on the line for their country? Various awards for distinguished service in the… Read the rest of this entry »

  One of our foremost Hispanic Naval figures is Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, who’s brilliant career is well-known. What may not be so well known is his interesting early life.David Glasgow Farragut was born July 5, 1801 Campbells Station, Tennessee. His father was Jordi Farragut Mesquida who anglicized his Catalan name to George Farragut when he came to America and joined the South Carolina Navy. George Farragut was of unmixed Spanish decent born in Minorca where his family had been prominent for centuries. He married the former Elizabeth Shine of Dobbs County, North Carolina and the family moved to New… Read the rest of this entry »

With this blog I pickup on day four of my grandfather, Thomas D. Schreck’s journal. To recap, he was a passenger aboard the liberty ship SS Reverdy Johnson traveling to North Africa to join the ship he would serve on until the end of the war. The Reverdy Johnson was part of convoy UGS-40 which departed Norfolk, Virginia on 23 April 1944. I am writing this blog as a way to preserve his experiences for the historic record so that future generations may continue to learn from the “Greatest Generation.” As we lose more and more World War II veterans each… Read the rest of this entry »

The only thing worse for military members than repeating history is not knowing their heritage. Military members should learn about the women who served during World War II to ensure the long, lasting legacy of their sacrifice. This essay will examine the background of Navy and Army WWII nurse Prisoners of War (POWs), discuss their impact, and inspiration to future generations. Background In March 1941, none of the American nurses stationed in the Philippines during WWII expected to ever experience what lay before them. By December 24th, they were on the run from the Japanese, no longer in hospital buildings… Read the rest of this entry »