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2 September 2025
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
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Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend. With the traditional “end-of-summer” holiday behind us, the pace of naval heritage-related activities is about to pick up a notch, especially with the 250th birthday of the US Navy next month and the US Marine Corps in November. The City of Brotherly Love is embracing these historic milestones and welcomes sea service veterans to participate in a wide range of celebratory and academic activities. In the middle of these events, the Naval Order of the United States will hold its congress in Philadelphia from 14–19 October.
In just over two and three weeks, there is the McMullen Naval History Symposium at the US Naval Academy and the 12th Maritime Heritage Conference in Buffalo! There is still time to register for both events!
For Naval History Book Reviews, we again thank Capt. Richard Dick for his review of a book on the fabrication of British gun mounts.
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Tuesday Tidings is compiled by Dr. David F. Winkler and Jessie Henderson as a benefit for members of the National Maritime Historical Society and friends of naval history.
As always, comments and naval history news items are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
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ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
Wednesday, 3 September – Museum of the Pacific War Webinar
“‘Enduring the Unendurable’: Japan’s Decision for Peace, 1945.”
With Jonathan Parshall
1 PM (CDT)
Thursday, 4 September – My Voyage from Mariner to Influencer
NMHS First Thursdays Seminar Series
with Dr. Salvatore Mercogliano
7 PM (EDT) (Zoom)
Washington, DC
With Walter Lewis
National Museum of the Great Lakes, Toledo
7 PM (EDT)
“The Mighty Moo USS Cowpens: From Jinx Ship to Tokyo Bay"
With Nathan Canestaro
Hosted by Dr. Dave Winkler
8 pm (EDT) (Zoom)
Maritime Museum, Greenwich UK
5:15–7 PM (EDT)
Annapolis, MD
Buffalo, NY
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Last week the Navy received new leadership, with Adm. Daryl Caudle assuming duties as the 34th Chief of Naval Operations. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Caudle received his commission through Officer Candidate School and entered the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program to serve with the submarine force. Prior to being selected as CNO, Caudle led Fleet Forces Command based in Norfolk. His biography can be found HERE.
Caudle filled a six-month void in Navy leadership following the removal of the 33rd CNO, Adm. Lisa Franchetti at the end of the first month of the current administration. During that period the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. James Kilby, served in an acting capacity. Best wishes to Admiral Caudle.
| | Tangredi to Take on Additional Chores at Naval War College! | | |
Dr. Sam Tangredi has been appointed director of the Naval War College Press and editor of the Naval War College Review. He initially joined the Naval War College as a professor of national, naval, and maritime strategy in the Strategic and Operational Research Department, Center for Naval Warfare Studies, in October 2016. Tangredi was appointed as the Leidos Chair of Future Warfare Studies in March 2019 and since May 2017, has served as the director of the Institute for Future Warfare Studies. He has published five books, more than 150 journal articles and book chapters, and numerous reports for government and academic organizations. He is a retired Navy captain and surface warfare officer specializing in naval strategy. He held command at sea and directed several strategic planning organizations. In addition to his Naval War College duties, he serves as the president of the Western Naval Historical Association.
Photo Courtesy: Naval War College
| | Last week the Associated Press reported that Donald McPherson of Adams, Nebraska, passed away on 14 August. He was 103 and the last known American pilot to have scored five victories over enemy aircraft. This week we are passing along an AP report that the first Navy pilot to score five kills and earn the status of “Ace” for the Vietnam War has passed away last Wednesday at the age of 83. Randy “Duke” Cunningham was one of the most highly decorated pilots in the Vietnam War, receiving a Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, 15 Air Medals and a Purple Heart for his actions during the war. Whereas McPherson quietly went on to serve the nation as a mail carrier, farmer, and community leader in Nebraska, Cunningham went on to serve in Congress. Sadly, his political career ended when he was convicted of accepting bribes. He will be remembered nonetheless. | | Naval History to focus on the Birth of the Navy | | |
The October edition of Naval History that is currently reaching the mailboxes of subscribers features three articles covering the American Revolution and the role of sea power. Lt. Cdr. Thomas J. Cutler, USN (Ret.), takes us to Philadelphia in 1775 in “Birth of a Navy,” covering the efforts of John Adams to overcome regional opposition to the concept of a Continental Navy to push through a resolution on 13 October 13 1775 to acquire two vessels to support the revolutionary cause. Col. Kathryn Wagner, USMC, then looks at the grander picture. In “The Maritime Factor” she credits George Washington for his insightfulness about the applications of sea power, notes the failure of the British to exploit the Hudson Valley, discusses the Delaware Valley campaign, and concludes with the entry of the French and their sea denial role that prevented relief from reaching General Cornwallis at Yorktown. Finally, Andrew Lawler looks at British operations in the Chesapeake in late 1775 that spurred colonial resistance in that region.
Also on the American Revolution theme, the “As I Recall” features an oral history conducted by Paul Stillwell with Rear Adm. Ernest Eller four decades ago, where Eller discussed the origins of the Naval Documents of the American Revolution project that Tuesday Tidings recently reported on, with the University of Virginia’s Center for Digital Editing receiving a $300,000 grant to support the completing of this effort. The Eller excerpt could not have been more timely! For the August edition of Naval History click HERE.
| | Getting Tuesday Tidings is EASY PEASY! | | Know a colleague or family member who might appreciate a weekly naval history situational awareness update? The good folks at the National Maritime Historical Society at the world headquarters in Peekskill, New York, came up with a QR square that you can aim your cellphone camera at and up pops a link to a page that simply seeks your name and e-mail. Try it! Please do share! | | NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | | |
British Naval Gun Mountings from 1890: 18-inch to 4.5 inch Mark 8; By Ian Buxton, Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, UK (2024).
Reviewed by Capt. Richard Dick, USN (Ret.)
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Ian Buxton, MBE, has co-authored two authoritative books on British naval vessel construction from the late 19th century through World War II: Battleship Duke of York (a deep dive into this King George V-class World War II battleship) and The Battleship Builders (the story of the construction of the Royal Navy that fought the two world wars). He also edited and published Diary of a Naval Constructor (the private diary of Great Britain’s most significant warship designer of the first half of the twentieth century). Buxton has now added British Naval Gun Mountings from 1890, likely to be the definitive history of British-designed and built non-transferable (i.e., built into the ship rather than simply being attached to it) gun mounts of the period of the world wars.
This book obviously will appeal to experts in the naval construction field. It is deeply researched from public and commercial archives and crisply written by an individual who is clearly a world-class expert in the subject matter. For each mounting fielded in the period under study, Buxton presents the detailed history of the development of the Admiralty requirements, the identification of the materials involved, the characteristics of each of the shipyards and the companies behind them, the factors behind the bids submitted, the costs involved, the construction and installation of the mounts themselves, and the service life and disposal of those mounts. The volume is lavishly illustrated, including color reproductions of the composite plans that supported the construction process.
However, the book offers wider lessons as well. Buxton tells the unvarnished story of the development of each mount and in that story illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of the British naval construction process. For example, he points out that Edwardian Britain was quite familiar with commercial sharp practices. Armstrong Whitworth and Vickers, the major companies involved in building British battleships in the years leading up to the First World War, almost certainly colluded on their bids. For example, the two companies’ bids for units of the Queen Elizabeth class battleships differed by only 0.6% and for the battlecruiser Tiger by only 0.3%, The six companies that produced armor plate formed a ring to ensure profits would be evenly distributed (at the government’s expense, as genuine competition disappeared). At one point, Vickers (one of the six) made 150% profits on gunhouse armor between 1907 and 1911.
British Naval Gun Mountings from 1890 is a superb technical history and an enlightening look at one of Britain’s most important heavy industries through the first half of the 20th century.
Ian Buxton, MBE, took his undergraduate degree at Glasgow University and apprenticed at the Denny Shipyard on the River Leven. He has worked in the maritime industry and taught about it at the university level for his entire working life, serving at one point as a vice president of the World Ship Society. He has also managed the Marine Technology Special Collection at Newcastle University.
Captain Dick, USNA ’75, is a retired submariner; he also served over 29 years in the defense intelligence community in scientific and technical intelligence, intelligence support to the acquisition process, and foreign materiel.
| | NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | | |
Preble Hall Podcast
Episode 251: Craig Symonds - Annapolis Goes to War
Craig Symonds, professor emeritus of history at the US Naval Academy, discusses his latest book, Annapolis Goes to War: The Naval Academy Class of 1940 and its Trial by Fire in World War II.
Listen here>>
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The Society for Military History is pleased to call for papers for its 92nd Annual Meeting, hosted at the Crystal Gate Marriott, Arlington, Virginia.
The Program Committee’s objective is to create a slate of panels that represent the breadth of expertise and interests, as well as the overall diversity of the Society’s wide-ranging membership. Proposals for panels and papers on all facets of military history (broadly defined) will be considered for inclusion. We encourage new and existing Society members, whether in academic institutions, the armed forces and governmental agencies, museums and archives, independent scholars, or employed internationally, to participate.
Priority will be given to complete panel submissions that highlight the presentation of original research, new interpretations, topics of immediate interest to our membership, and cutting-edge trends and subject matter. Roundtable submissions and proposals for individual papers and posters are also welcome. For details, see below.
Panel, paper, and poster proposals must include the following information:
• Panel proposals (ideally of three papers) must include: a panel title and 300-word abstract summarizing the theme of the panel; paper titles and a 300-word abstracts for the three papers proposed; and a one-page professional curriculum vitae for each panelist (including the chair and commentator). CVs must include professional affiliation and email address, but should not contain other personal information.
• Roundtable proposals must include a roundtable title, the full names and professional affiliations of each participant, a 300-word abstract summarizing the roundtable’s themes, points of discussion, and expected contribution of each participant; and a one-page curriculum vitae for each participant (including the moderator, if any). Roundtables may follow different formats but should plan for no more than 5-minute presentations by individual participants.
• Poster proposals allow military historians (especially, but not limited to, graduate students) to share their research through visual materials. Proposals should clearly explain (in no more than 300 words) the poster’s topics and arguments, as well as how the information will be presented visually and include a one-page curriculum vitae. This year we also especially encourage posters on the teaching of military history at all levels. The poster format is well suited to conveying information about teaching tools, tricks, and materials. In coordination with the SMH committee on teaching, and with the author’s permission, select posters may be displayed at an SMH table at conferences for educators (such as the National Council for History Education and the National Council for Social Studies).
• Individual paper proposals will also be considered and must include a paper title, 300-word abstract of the paper, and one-page curriculum vitae. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to an appropriate panel with a chair and commentator. Presenters who wish to volunteer to serve as chairs and commentators should send a one-page curriculum vitae to the program committee chair at the email listed below.
Read more information here>>
| | Call for Papers: International Journal of Naval History | | |
Call for Papers: Trafalgar Chronicle
Publication Date: Fall 2026
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THEME: Navies in the Age of Revolutions, 1775–1848
For the 2026 edition of the Trafalgar Chronicle, New Series 10, the editors seek carefully researched, scholarly articles on Navies in the Age of Revolutions, 1775–1848. We invite essays about naval contributions, roles, and issues in the context of revolutionary political, social, economic, and technological change during the last decades of the Age of Sail.
Additional Topics: We also seek general interest articles with unique perspectives on the maritime and naval history of the Georgian era: biographical portraits, battles at sea, maritime economics, exploration of foreign shores, foreign relations, politics, etc.
Proposal Submission Guidelines: Please submit a proposal/abstract of about 500 words and a paragraph about your background (a biographical sketch) by 1 September 2025. Applicants will be notified of acceptance status by 1 October 2025. Submit all proposals and inquiries to tc.editor@1805Club.org. Detailed author guidelines are available upon request.
Article Guidelines: Articles should range between 3,000 to 5,000 words long in MSWORD (unprotected) following the New Oxford Style Manual. Please include three to six high-resolution illustrations, each in a separate file (jpeg, pdf, or tiff) with a list of captions in a separate file. Articles are due 1 February 2026. They will be edited and, in some cases, submitted to peer review. Articles will be returned to authors for any revisions by 1 April 2026. Revisions are due by 1 May 2026. Publication will be Fall/Autumn 2026. Seaforth Publishing is our publisher.
While we do not pay contributors, each will receive a copy of the Trafalgar Chronicle upon publication. Non-1805 Club members will also receive a free one-year membership. Authors retain copyright to their articles.
Our Contributors: We welcome articles from 1805 Club members and anyone with an interest in the history of the Georgian era sailing navies. Our articles have come from writers of varied backgrounds: historians, journalists, university students, military personnel, preservationists, novelists and enthusiasts of the period. Contact tc.editor@1805Club.org for additional information.
The Trafalgar Chronicle is the scholarly flagship publication of The 1805 Club, a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1202272) with an international membership of scholars and enthusiasts of the Georgian maritime era. The 1805 Club takes its name from the iconic Battle of Trafalgar that gave Nelson his place in history and confirmed the role of the Royal Navy in asserting Britain’s sea power.
| | Brigadier General James L Collins Jr. Book Prize in Military History | | |
The US Commission on Military History proudly announces the submission date for all books for consideration for the Brigadier General James L. Collins Book Prize in Military History. The prize entails a $2,000 award to the author, irrespective of nationality, of the best book written in English on any field of military history published during 2024. The Book Prize Committee, comprising USCMH members Dr. Edward J. Marolda, (Chair), Dr. Jeffrey Clark, and Dr. John Hosler, will review the submitted books and select the winner. Topics in all periods and all aspects of military history (including naval and air warfare) will be considered.
One copy of books for consideration by the Collins Prize Committee must be submitted to each of the following addresses:
Dr. Edward J. Marolda
15570 Golf Club Drive
Montclair, VA 22015
Dr. Jeffrey Clarke
1011 North Van Dorn Street
Alexandria, VA 22304
Dr. John Hosler
Command and General Staff College
Department of Military History
100 Stimson Avenue
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027
Copies must be postmarked no later than 31 December 2025. Upon notification from the
selection committee, the Collins Prize will be presented at the USCMH Annual General Meeting
usually held in early November of the following year. For further information contact the Collins
Prize Committee Chair at: edwardmarolda@yahoo.com
| | UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | | |
13–17 October 2025: Oostende, Belgium 8th International Congress for Underwater Archaeology
14–18 October 2025: Naval Order 2025 National Congress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
21–22 October 2025: UK Maritime Heritage Forum Glasgow, Scotland
23 October 2025: National Maritime Historical Society (NMHS) 2025 Annual Awards Dinner, New York Yacht Club, NYC
29 October 2025: Maritime History North Autumn Conference, Liverpool, UK
30–31 October 2025: Naval History Conference Maynooth University, Ireland
Contact”
10–12 February 2026: The US Naval Institute and AFCEA International 36th Annual WEST Conference. San Diego.
21–22 February 2026: Western Naval History Annual Symposium; USS Midway San Diego
26–29 March 2026: 92nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Military History, Arlington, VA
22–25 April 2026: Council of American Maritime Museums Annual Conference Mystic Seaport, CT.
27–31 May 2026: NASOH Annual Meeting, New Haven, Connecticut
| PREBLE HALL NAVAL HISTORY PODCAST | |
A naval history podcast from Preble Hall – the United States Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland. Preble Hall interviews historians, practitioners, military personnel, and other experts on a variety of naval history topics from ancient history to more current events.
Click here for the latest episode: 252 - David Gendell - Battles at Annapolis>>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
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DRACHINIFEL YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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NAVY HISTORY MATTERS
Welcome to Navy History Matters, the Naval History and Heritage Command’s biweekly compilation of articles, commentaries, and blogs related to history and heritage. Every other week, they gather the top-interest items from a variety of media and social media sources that link to related content at NHHC’s website, your authoritative source for Navy history.
Click here for most recent article>>
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At NMHS, we preserve the stories of America’s sailors and the Navy that has safeguarded our nation for 250 years. With your support, and through publications like Tuesday Tidings, we keep naval history alive and accessible to all.
Click here to donate today >>
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