On Our Scope

By Eric Mills

June 2021

Highlights from the June 2021 issue of Naval History.

Naval History News

June 2021

A rundown of the latest news stories from the world of naval history.

In Contact

June 2021

Readers weigh in on topics from the Bay of Pigs to Desert Shield and Storm.

A Transport . . . and Much More

By Norman Polmar

June 2021

The Convair 440 airliner in military service was a most versatile aircraft.

Four Days in 1666

By Eric Mills

June 2021

The Anglo-Dutch Wars witnessed naval warfare on an unprecedented scale, the apotheosis of which was the epic Four Days’ Battle of 1666.

The Navy’s Place in the Department of Defense

By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)

June 2021

While the Navy has its own internal organization, it is a component of the much larger Department of Defense.

Anchors Aweigh

By Philip K. Allan, author, Sea of Wolves

June 2021

A look at the history and evolution of anchors.

The Blockading, Raiding Navies of the Civil War

By Craig L. Symonds

June 2021

Blockades and blockade-runners, combined ops and commerce raiders—here is the naval story of the Civil War.

Intel Assignment: Tokyo

By John Prados

June 2021

For U.S. Navy attachés stationed in Japan preceding World War II, the name of the game was info-gathering.

Forgotten Victor

By Vincent P. O’Hara and Stephen McLaughlin

June 2021

The Red Navy entered World War II as an underdog, yet it proved vital to the Soviet Union’s triumph.

Black Saturday Declassified

By Douglas Gilbert

June 2021

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable nuclear scenario.

The Lost Letter of Stephen Decatur

By Frederick C. Leiner

June 2021

A recently rediscovered note from the young hero of the Old Navy offers fresh insights.

‘A Very Daring and Gallant Affair’

By David Curtis Skaggs

June 2021

Presenting the exploits of a Royal Navy lieutenant who gave the Americans what-for on Lake Huron in the War of 1812.

Acts of Valor: Brigadier General Hiram Bearss, USMC

By Kelly Swann

June 2021

The illustrated story of “Hiking Hiram,” the legendary Medal of Honor recipient.

Fact or Fiction?

By J. M. Caiella

June 2021

Did the Fletcher-class destroyer William D. Porter (DD-579) deserve her reputation as a “hard-luck” ship?

Book Reviews

June 2021

Experts review All Present and Accounted For, The Shores of Tripoli board game, and other new and noteworthy books.

Rescuing Survivors at the Battle of Midway

By Rear Admiral Joseph M. Worthington, U.S. Navy (Retired)

June 2021

A vivid firsthand account of the action during the June 1942 clash with Japan that turned the tide of the Pacific war.

Pieces of the Past

By Michael Markowitz

June 2021

A history of ships on U.S. stamps.

Training the Golden Thirteen

By Taira Payne

June 2021

Paul D. Richmond describes creating the training program for the Golden Thirteen.

Naval Academy Granite, Old and New

By Jon Hoppe

June 2021

What does a large slab of carved granite in the middle of a field have to do with the history of the U.S. Naval Academy?

Naval Aviation Oddity

By Jon Hoppe

June 2021

The Butler-Ames aerocycle was no ordinary airplane.

Rocket Ships

By Jon Hoppe

June 2021

A pictorial overview of close-in fire support ships developed during World War II.

The Life and Service of a World War II Mine Warfare Sailor, Part 17

By Jason Schreck

June 2021

The Sway enters the Pacific.

The Rescue Coast: The Lifesaving Legacy of Massachusetts’ Shores

By Commander Kevin Duffy, U.S. Coast Guard

June 2021

The origins of the U.S. Coast Guard in Massachusetts.

A Lack of Seatbelt Saves a Life

By Colgate W. Darden, Jr.

June 2021

Colgate W. Darden describes a plane accident he was involved in during World War I in this excerpt from his oral history.

Why We Remember

Lee Kennedy

June 2021

it is important to reflect on the soldiers, sailors, and airmen that have kept the United States safe.

Retiring the Lightships

By Taira Payne

June 2021

ADM Edwin Roland discusses the process of retiring lightships in favor of towers.

The Phantom (II) of the Naval Academy

By Jon Hoppe

June 2021

The history of the Phantom (II) on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy

Japan’s Victory in World War I

By Amon Kiilleen

June 2021

A review of Japan’s role as a principal Great War victor highlights critical lessons from naval history.

Swimming Goes to War

By Specialist (Athletics) Third Class Robert L. Haines & Edited by Robert A. Taylor Ph.D.

June 2021

The importance of swimming in winning World War II as told from a March 1945 article in "The Mock-Up".

The Life and Service of a World War II Mine Warfare Sailor, Part 18

By Jason Schreck

June 2021

The USS Sway continues minesweeping in preparation for the invasion of Japan.

The Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard in World War II

By Will Buckley

June 2021

Life in the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard during the war years.

Who is Captain Snoke?

By John W. Davis

June 2021

It is time to properly identify and honor those American POWs killed during the bombings of the Oryoku Maru and Enoura Maru.

Good Cheer Bag

By Miranda Summers Lowe, Curator, Armed Forces History

June 2021

World War I care packages for servicemen overseas.

A Century of British Dominance of the Mediterranean: Lessons for the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea

By Lieutenant (junior grade) Steven J. Holcomb, U.S. Navy

June 2021

Few of the world’s waterways witnessed as much naval history as the Mediterranean Sea.