On 12 May 1986 U.S. Navy destroyer USS David R. Ray (DD 971) deterred an Iranian Navy attempt to board American merchant ship President McKinley in the Gulf of Oman. David R. Ray is shown here underway circa 1985. US Navy photo DN-SC-86-00173.
On 29 April 1814, during the War of 1812, United States Sloop-of-War Peacock captured the British Brig Epervier off Florida.This oil on canvas by Tomiro depicts the battle. NHHC image NH 83139-KN.
On 24 April 1778, during the American Revolution, Continental Navy sloop-of-war Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones, captured British HMS Drake, off Carrickfergus, Ireland. This painting is by Arthur N. Disney, Sr. NHHC image NH 48548-KN.
Seawolf: Maritime Strategy Covered In Sub History Seminar
With the Covert Submarine Operations exhibit in the National Museum of the U.S. Navy’s Cold War Gallery serving as a backdrop, a large crowd filled the Gallery’s North Hall on the evening of 11 April 2013 (coinciding with the Submarine Force’s 113th Birthday) to witness and participate in a program titled “Seawolf and The Maritime Strategy: Examining the Relationships of Policy, Strategy, Technology, Tactics and Acquisition.“
In what has become a fixture on the April calendar for over a decade, the joint Naval Submarine League – Naval Historical Foundation Submarine History Seminar reviewed how the U.S. Navy’s posture changed from the Carter years of being a reactionary one that assumed the Soviet Navy would replay the role of the Germans in fighting a Battle of the Atlantic III, to a proactive strategy during the Reagan years that aimed at attacking Soviet ballistic missile submarines at the onset of war. A key was a realization by American Navy leaders that the Soviets had little interest in using their submarine forces to interdict allied operations in the North Atlantic. This shift in American thinking on how to employ forces in a general war with the Soviet Union became known as “The Maritime Strategy” and the Seawolf submarine, of which only three were built, was designed as a big, fast, quiet, torpedo-laden weapon system that could effectively operate in hostile waters.
On 20 April 1861 during the American Civil War, Norfolk Navy Yard was abandoned and burned by Union forces. This line engraving was published in “Harper’s Weekly”, 1861, providing two scenes of the burning of Norfolk Navy Yard and the destruction of ships located there. NHHC image NH 59179.
BOOK REVIEWS – I Remember the Yorktown; They Called Me Wee Vee; Apology
Reviewed by Charles Bogart
I Remember the Yorktown (2006) is the first of three self-published books that Gene Domienik has written concerning his service in the U. S. Navy during World War II. The book focuses on his tour of duty onboard Yorktown (CV 5) from October 1941 to its loss at the Battle of Midway on 7 June 1942. The author was a 17-year old who had just graduated from the Navy Machinist Service School when he was assigned to Yorktown. On board Yorktown, he served in M (main propulsion) Division. This book is an interesting read of life in the prewar and early war Navy as seen by an enlistedman. At times, the author’s memory is at odds with accepted historical facts, but these glitches do not destroy this account of Yorktown going to war.
On 18 April 1942 aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV 8) launched 16 Army B-25 bombers for the first aerial attack on Japan. The raid, led by Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy” Doolittle, would be immortalized as “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.” National Archives image 80-G-41197.
On 5 April 1946 the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63), at the center of this photo, arrived in Turkey to return the body of the Turkish ambassador Mehmet Munir Ertegun from the U.S. and to show U.S. support and willingness to defend Turkey. Destroyer USS Power (DD 839) is at left, and the Turkish Battlecruiser Yavuz (formerly the German Goeben) is at right. National Archives image 80-G-366179.
On 1 April 1945, over 1,200 Navy ships supported the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. In this photo, the battleship USS Idaho (BB 42) bombards shore targets with her 14”/50 main battery guns. Photographed from USS West Virginia (BB 48). National Archives photo 80-G-K-3829.
On 27 March, 1794 Congress authorized the construction of 6 frigates for the U.S. Navy. The frigates were: United States, Constellation, Constitution, Chesapeake, Congress, and President. This spar and rigging plan for Constitution was created during her early 20th century restoration. More plan views are available here.
