This issue of Naval History commemorates a monumental anniversary for the U.S. Navy: the centennial of the Great White Fleet’s departure on its round-the-world cruise. James R. Reckner, author of Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet (Naval Institute Press, 1988), leads off our anniversary package. In his article, “The Rebirth of the Fleet,” he examines the global military implications of the voyage. David Stevens of the Sea Power Centre–Australia follows up in his short article, “The Eagle and the Kangaroo,” by discussing the cruise’s effect down under.
Meanwhile, Lori Lyn Bogle, associate professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy, focuses on two Sea Service spectaculars—naval participation at the Jamestown Exposition and the Great White Fleet’s cruise—staged by President Theodore Roosevelt to persuade Congress to approve construction of bigger and faster battleships. Her article is titled “TR’s Use of PR to Strengthen the Navy.” Images of cruise mementos from Bill Stewart’s fabulous Web site, www.greatwhitefleet.info, help illustrate the anniversary articles.
In each issue of Naval History we try to deliver at least one surprise, be it a fold-out map or an article that sheds light on an amazing, little-known incident or action. Master Chief Thomas Helvig’s article, “You Were Most Deceitful,” is an example of the latter. Captain Robert Peniston, U.S. Navy (Retired), a former skipper of the USS New Jersey (BB-62) first told me about the World War II ruse his friend Lieutenant Lea Booth orchestrated from on board the USS Tucson (CL-98). The captain then put me in touch with Master Chief Helvig, who had interviewed Lea Booth before he died.
While warships such as the Tucson are frequently featured in Naval History articles, we haven’t run any stories in recent memory about the men who design and build ships. This issue, however, includes profiles of two very different sorts of naval constructors. In “Who Was Henry Eckford?” Andrew Jampoler, Naval History’s 2006 Author of the Year, explores the up-and-down fortunes of one of early America’s greatest ship designers. On the other hand, Vincent Scott’s article, “An Artist’s Lifelong Project,” examines August Crabtree and his miniature ships. The intricately crafted models are a prized part of the Mariners’ Museum’s collection.
Speaking of ship experts, in this issue we welcome aboard the latest member of the Naval History crew, Robert Cressman, who is our new Historic Fleets columnist. The head of the Naval Historical Center’s Ships History and Archives Branch, Bob is also the author of numerous books, including USS Ranger: The Navy’s First Flattop Keel to Mast (Potomac Books, 2003) and the Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II (Naval Institute Press, 1999).
And finally, in June 2007’s On Our Scope I mentioned Americans at War, the Naval Institute’s series of inspiring 90-second vignettes featuring U.S. combat veterans. The episodes have been airing between programs on PBS stations since June. With the project gathering momentum, Fred Schultz—an Americans at War producer, as well as the senior editor of Naval History and Proceedings—will be providing Naval History readers with updates on its progress. His first report appears on page 8.