Navy History

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Comment by Paige on July 31, 2009 at 8:49pm

NNS020718-25. This Day in Naval History - July 31

From the Navy News Service

1815 - Commodore Stephen Decatur concludes agreement with Bey of Tunis to compensate U.S. for seizure of merchant ships during the War of 1812.
1865 - East India Squadron established to operate from Sunda Strait to Japan.
1874 - Commissioning of USS Intrepid, first U.S. warship equipped with torpedoes.
1912 - First attempt to launch an airplane by catapult made at Annapolis.
1933 - USS Constitution commences tour of principal U.S. seaports.
1964 - All-nuclear task force with USS Long Beach (CGN 9), USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and USS Bainbridge (CGN 25) leaves Norfolk, Va., to begin voyage, Operation Sea Orbit, to circle the globe without refueling. They returned October 3.

Comment by Paige on July 31, 2009 at 9:49am

Kathleen, thank you for sharing the story from your patient. His circumstances turned out to be very fortunate for him. I also have read other stories where it was mentioned that many sailors lost their lives due to shark attacks while they floated in the ocean awaiting their rescue. It is truly a tragic story.

Comment by Kathleen~Ma of Jonis on July 30, 2009 at 7:46pm

I'm a Physical Therapist & work in Nursing homes.... one of my pts had just retired off the USS Indianapolis a matter of days before her last voyage when the below happened... He voiced so many yrs later a lot of guilt b/c so many of his buddies were on this ship at that time & were killed or mamed & he was safely in Hawaii...

Comment by Paige on July 30, 2009 at 6:48pm

Naval Historical Center Photo #19-N-86911
USS Indianapolis off Mare Island 10 July 1945

USS Indianapolis (CA-35), 1932-1945
USS Indianapolis, a 9,800-ton Portland class heavy cruiser, was built at Camden, New Jersey. Commissioned in November 1932, she operated in the Atlantic and Pacific during the peacetime years. During the 1930s, she hosted President Franklin D. Roosevelt on several occasions, among them a voyage to South America in November and December 1936.

Following the U.S. entry into World War II, Indianapolis operated with carrier task forces in the southwestern Pacific until Spring 1942, when she took up station in the Alaska area. She served there for over a year, sinking a Japanese transport in February 1943. Later in 1943, Indianapolis became Fifth Fleet flagship. In that role, into mid-1944, she took part in operations to capture the Gilberts, Marshalls and Marianas, plus strikes on Japanese positions elsewhere in the central Pacific. She also participated in the Peleliu invasion in September 1944.

In February and March 1945, Indianapolis, again flagship of the Fifth Fleet, joined in attacks on Iwo Jima, the Japanese home islands and the Ryukyus. During the latter operation, on 31 March 1945, she was damaged by a Kamikaze plane. In late July, following repairs, Indianapolis made a high speed transit from California to Tinian to deliver atomic bomb components. She then sailed for the Philippines. Shortly after midnight on 30 July 1945 she was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-58 and sank quickly. Due to communications and other errors, her loss went unnoticed until survivors were seen from a passing aircraft on 2 August. Rescue efforts over several days saved only about a quarter of her nearly 1200-man crew.

Comment by Paige on July 29, 2009 at 6:34pm

NNS090729-20. Two New Historical Booklets Take A Fresh Look At Vietnam

From Naval History and Heritage Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) released two booklets in its new and very revealing commemorative series, "The U.S. Navy and the Vietnam War."

The first is "Edward Marolda's The Approaching Storm: Conflict in Asia, 1945-1965."

In this publication Marolda highlights the 25 year history of the United States and its allies in their attempt to preserve the independence of free governments in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

The author goes on to say, however, that,"The struggle for Southeast Asia …was only one episode in the even longer Cold War that began in 1946 and ended with the collapse of global communism in the late 1980s."

The book covers the global, regional, and ideological stimulants of the conflict, setting the stage for subsequent NHHC booklets on the fight for the rivers and canals of Vietnam, naval special warfare, the Prisoner of War experience, the Rolling Thunder bombing campaign, Navy medicine at war, coastal operations, the Linebacker bombing campaign, and several more.

John Sherwood's "Nixon's Trident: Naval Power in Southeast Asia, 1968-1972" is the second in the series.

In his introduction to his insightful and intriguing expose, Sherwood plunges the reader into the psychological shock that the Tet Offensive had on the American viewing public and the tragic sense of defeatism felt in the United States particularly by then-President Lyndon Johnson.

"Despite suffering over five times as many military casualties as the Americans and their allies," writes the author, "North Vietnam won the Tet Offensive in a strategic sense," because "…After Tet, President Johnson looked for a way out of Vietnam that would not involve further major combat operations against North Vietnam."

With this preface Sherwood sets the stage for Nixon's Trident of military action from the air, sea and land to achieve his goal of "peace with honor" – called the Vietnamization of the conflict designed to withdraw U.S. ground forces from Vietnam and the turning-over of the country's defense to the Vietnamese.

According to Marolda, "It is the objective of the series to honor the faithful service of the men and women who, as John Paul Jones said, went "in harm's way" to fight for freedom.

For more news from Naval History and Heritage Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navhist/.

Comment by Tony on July 26, 2009 at 10:22am

This year the Naval Postgraduate School is having its 100 year anniversary. I got the opportunity to visit the campus with my daughter yesterday. It was a very impressive campus.

Comment by Paige on July 20, 2009 at 7:21pm

Two Generations Reflect on Navy's History of Maritime Security
Story Number: NNS090718-07
Release Date: 7/18/2009 11:22:00 AM


By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW/SW) Shawn D. Graham, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans Public Affairs

JEFFERSON, La. (NNS) -- Plankowners and crew members from USS Pamanset (AO-85) gathered for a reunion in Jefferson, La., July 16.

Following its commissioning April 30, 1944, Pamanset served in numerous campaigns during World War II, including service in the U.S. 3rd Fleet.

"It's an honor to interact with such an amazing group," said Capt. Bill Snyder, commanding officer of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (NAS JRB), who offered the keynote address. "Your actions and the actions of service members from that era ensured the freedom this country enjoys today. You are all trailblazers."

Snyder shared his father's World War II-era Bluejacket's Manual with crew members and many remembered specific pages and phrases from the manual.

Snyder also said that current Sailors could learn a lot from the former Sailors' experiences.

"The crew performed with distinction under adverse conditions and pressure," said Snyder. "Your crew consistently refueled and provided repairs to other ships under the threat of enemy ships and aircraft."

Jack Darrington, former water tender and plankowner aboard the ship said that today's Sailors remind him of his old shipmates.

"Uniforms, ships and people change," said Darrington.
"What doesn't change is the spirit and courage of the Navy. We have always been there for the country. My generation of Sailors and this generation, share a lot of qualities and similarities. Both generations stood up and helped defend the country."

Crew members shared stories about their lives on the sea and the many close calls, including the dangerous refueling operations that were conducted in very heavy seas.

"The Pacific Ocean was unforgiving," said Darrington.
"You would handle lines in high seas while constantly on the lookout for enemy ships. It was dangerous but very necessary. The U.S. Navy's ability to replenish fuel helped keep our ships on station so they could block supply lines to the enemy."

Toria Morgan, whose father David Morgan served as a radioman, said that the Pamanset played a vital role in her father's life.

"My dad talked about the Navy a lot while I was growing up," said Morgan. "He told us stories of his adventures during the war and the friendships he forged. His shipmates are family to him."

After extensive combat operations, Pamanset was decommissioned March 18, 1946 and was later transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service Oct. 1, 1949. It was commissioned during the Korean conflict but was later decommissioned again Feb. 24, 1956.

Comment by Paige on July 13, 2009 at 10:13am

Thanks Paul, I'll look for that DVD set the next trip I make to Costco.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on July 11, 2009 at 10:09am

I picked up a 4-DVD set at Costco a couple of days ago that I would reccomemnd to anyone interested in the history of some amazing Navy vessles. It's called Hero Ships from the History Channel (Click for Link) and it tells the stories of some amazing ships--- from the LSTs that severed with little recognition in WWII to the Samuel B Roberts to the Yorktown, these are some stories that everyone should know that appreciates Navy history.

Comment by Paige on July 10, 2009 at 10:09am

Hans,
Thank you for joining our Navy History group!

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