Contributors

November 2012

Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), the 2010 Naval History Author of the Year, served 29 years as an assault amphibian officer. He has published six books ...

On Our Scope

November 2012

The late 1940s was a tumultuous time for the U.S. Marine Corps. Amid interservice feuding and postwar budget tightening, funding for the Corps was cut to the quick. The Fleet ...

Historic Aircraft - A Dart from the Sea

By Norman Polmar

November 2012

From the 1920s into World War II several nations developed high-performance floatplane aircraft. Indeed, some were among the fastest aircraft of their time. During World War II, the British evaluated ...

Historic Fleets - The Saga of the Williebee

By Robert J. Cressman

November 2012

Shortly before the end of the midwatch on 8 December 1941, a radioman on board the destroyer-seaplane tender USS William B. Preston (AVD-7), at anchor in Malalag Bay off Davao ...

Close Air Support: The Pioneering Years

By Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)

November 2012

Marines in the air have got their brethren on the ground covered; from the early days to Korea, how a doctrine was developed.

A Vital Concept Refined

By Colonel Glen Butler, U.S. Marine Corps

November 2012

In the second half of the 20th century, the Marines took combat-forged lessons to heart and further honed close air support’s role and capabilities.

Climax of Isolationism, Countdown to World War

By Lieutenant Colonel Frank N. Roberts Jr., U.S. Army (Retired)

November 2012

The Japanese bombardment of the U.S. gunboat Panay on the Yangtze River in 1937 was a portent of Pearl Harbor and the Pacific war.

The Constitution's Victorious Captains

By Commander Tyrone G. Martin, U. S. Navy (Retired)

November 2012

Three commanders, three battles: Old Ironsides’ legendary War of 1812 victories were as varied in nature as the men who won them.

Saving Lives During America's Deadliest Disaster

By William H. Thiesen

November 2012

The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was the worst of the worst, but out of great tragedy arose even greater heroism.

Grabbing and Holding 'the Rock'

By Arnold Blumberg

November 2012

In 1704–5 England’s marines helped capture and hold a chunk of real estate that would serve as a cornerstone of empire—Gibraltar.

Appointment with Destiny in the North Atlantic

By Gannon McHale

November 2012

The Liberty-ship crewman knew in advance something bad was going to happen; a U-boat would be the fulfillment of his predictions.

Book Reviews

November 2012

Misadventures of a Civil War Submarine: Iron, Guns, and PearlsJames P. Delgado. College Station: Texas A&M University Press. 288 pp. Illus. Maps. Notes. Bibliog. Index. $34.95.Reviewed by Andrew ...

Reliving the War of 1812 at Nancy Island Historic Site

By Andrew Hind

November 2012

Among its many battles and skirmishes, the War of 1812 brought a sharp contest at Wasaga Beach, Ontario, along the sandy shores of Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay. It was here ...

Looking Back - ‘The Finest Naval Officer I Ever Met’

By Paul Stillwell

November 2012

The U.S. Naval Institute lost a good friend in mid-August with the passing of Rear Admiral Robert W. McNitt at age 97. Tall, slender, friendly, and invariably gracious, the retired ...

In Contact

November 2012

Enterprise’s Long HistoryCaptain Charles T. Creekman, U.S. Navy (Retired), executive director, Naval Historical FoundationPaul Stillwell does a great job of describing the significant role the USS Enterprise ...

Naval History News

November 2012

Archaeologists Document Civil War Shipwreck in Gulf of MexicoA team of marine archaeologists and technicians assembled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began work in September to create ...