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4 April 2023
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
Sadly, this week marks the anniversary of two tragedies. Today is the 90th anniversary of the crash of the airship USS Akron off the coast of New Jersey. Only three of a crew of 76 would survive. April 10th will mark the 60th anniversary of the loss of the submarine USS Thresher off Cape Cod, claiming the lives of 129 embarked crew and shipyard workers. The Thresher loss is commemorated in the latest edition of the US Naval Institute’s Naval History, See: On Our Scope | Naval History Magazine - April 2023, Volume 37, Number 2 (usni.org)
On a much more upbeat note, last Friday marked the retirement of a legend within the naval art community: Gale Munro, who served as the curator for the Navy Art Collection for decades. She was a subject-matter expert; she put together some fabulous traveling exhibitions and advocated for better storage facilities to house the collections as well as to arrange for the digital imaging of thousands of paintings, sketches, and posters for posterity. Gale will be missed. An overview of her career is our feature article and we salute her for her outstanding work. For more information about Navy Art, see: Art (navy.mil)
Also, we have a submission this week from our German colleague Dr. Sebastian Bruns in the form of a call for papers. For those who served in the US Navy in Europe during the later decades of the 20th century, there could be an opportunity to participate in a pair of gatherings in northern Germany later this year and early next!
Speaking of Germany, thank you again to Richard Dick and Jeff Schultz for reviewing two books about Kriegsmarine warships for this week’s Naval History Book Reviews. We’ve received a LARGE shipment of recently published naval history books for review. Please review the updated list and send your requests to david.winkler@usnwc.edu.
If you haven’t signed up yet for the NMHS 60th Annual Meeting the weekend of 14–16 April at The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia, register today! There’s something here for every maritime interest—naval heritage and Civil War history, shipwrecks, and sunken relics, USS Monitor artifact conservation and ship preservation, a visit to battleship Wisconsin, and a cruise of Hampton Roads Harbor with a front-row seat to the Norfolk Naval Base fleet of destroyers, aircraft carriers, and submarines.
Finally, we offer for this week’s “In Case You Missed It” an encore presentation of the recently published November 2022 Sea History Today posting that covered the efforts to preserve battleship Texas.
Tuesday Tidings is compiled by Dr. David F. Winkler and Jessie Henderson. As always, comments are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
| ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
6 April: Vietnam POWs: A Conversation with Everett Alvarez Jr.
1 PM CDT
With Commander Alvarez
Pritzker Military Museum and Library
Webinar Registration Zoom >>
6 April: Movie at the Memorial—South Pacific
7:30 – 9:30 PM EDT
Navy Memorial, Washington, DC
https://www.navymemorial.org/new-events/2023/1/13/south-pacific
12 April: Virtual Presentation: Nimitz at Ease—How a Honolulu Couple Helped Nimitz Cope with the Stresses of Command, with Capt. Michael A. Lilly, USN (Ret.)
8:00-9:00 PM EDT
https://www.navalorder.org/noushistoryhappenings
14–16 April 2023 NMHS 60th Annual Meeting
The Mariners' Museum and USS Monitor Center in Newport News, Virginia
Click here for more information and to register >>
19–21 April 2023 CAMM Conference
Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon
Click here for more information and to register >>
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Gale Munro, Navy Art Collection Branch Head, Retires after 35 Years in Charge of US Navy Art
On Tuesday, 28 March, at a ceremony and reception in the Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard, Ms. Susan Gale Munro retired as Navy Art Collection branch head, capping 35 years of extraordinary service to Navy art, the Navy, and the nation. Surrounded by examples of Navy art in the museum displays, Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) deputy director Pat Burns presented Ms. Munro with the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award for her dedicated work in support of the art collection, housed at the Navy Yard, and made available to the public through the NHHC website and outstanding customer service by Gale and her staff.
Growing the collection to over 20,000 works and generously sharing those works with museums and galleries throughout the US and around the world, as well as Navy leaders at the Pentagon, Gale created an internal database to more effectively manage, interpret and safeguard the collection. She ensured that a 200-year-old tradition of combat artists continued during her tenure by adding artists and aggressively obtaining the resources to send those artists out to the fleet to capture the Navy in action in war and peace.
Her decades of hard work culminated with the design and construction of a new state of the art collection facility at the Navy Yard where the collection will finally, this year, be located in one place and readily accessible to the art curators for conservation, education, and display.
Speaking as Gale’s long-time colleague and friend, we wish her well in her retirement in
Washington, DC, and hope that she will continue to serve as the “corporate memory” for Navy art for years to come!
Captain Todd Creekman, USN (Ret.)
Former NHC/NHHC Deputy Director (1996–1999)
Former Naval Historical Foundation Executive Director (1999–2016)
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Call for Papers: NATO’s Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations Since 1985
The Institute for Security Policy Kiel University (ISPK) and the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the German Armed Forces (ZMSBw) are conducting a joint research project that seeks to address NATO’s maritime strategies and allied naval operations of the past four decades. Two separate workshops will be hosted to bring together international experts on maritime strategy, naval operations, and allied sea power. The organizations are looking for proposals from academics, think-tankers, policy-makers, and military officers, both senior and junior.
Proposals, which are due no later than 30 April 2023, should consist of a title, abstract of no more than 200 words, and bio. Please email all proposals to CDR Dr. Christian Jentzsch, ZMSBw, christianjentzsch@bundeswehr.org, AND Dr. Sebastian Bruns, ISPK, sbruns@ispk.uni-kiel.de.
Please see the Call for Papers for more information >>
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A NOTE ABOUT LAST WEEK’S
“IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!” FEATURE FROM LW
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“Enjoyed your article about the dry docks. I believe the author is incorrect in stating that the Gosport Navy Yard was in Norfolk, Va. It was very much in Portsmouth, VA. While some of Gosport may have been across the Elizabeth River, the dry dock was in Portsmouth.”
Editor’s Response: Great catch! Of course, there has always been some confusion since the Gosport Navy Yard, now called the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, was named for the largest nearby city. It’s kind of like the New York Giants and New York Jets, who play their home games in New Jersey. For more on the history of the Norfolk Navy Yard see: History (navy.mil)
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | |
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German U-Boat Losses During World War II: Details of Destruction, by Axel Niestle. Frontline Books, Barnsley, UK, 2022.
Reviewed by Capt. Richard Dick, USN (Ret.)
...Niestle’s depth of research and attention to detail are remarkable. For every lost U-boat for which the relevant information is available, he lists the boat’s name/number, date of commission, date of last departure from a German-controlled base or port, the name and rank of the last commander, and details of the final loss (including the location, casualties, and units responsible for the sinking). The author adds appendices providing details about the last commander of the U-boat and listing of the Allied ship commanders or pilots that sank each U-boat, the ships involved in the sinking, and the air units involved in the sinking.
While Dr. Niestle’s work may not be a scintillating read, it is an indispensable, affordable, and up-to-date reference for those interested in the U-boat war.
Read the full review >>
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Cruisers of the III Reich: Volume Two by Witold Koszela. Stratus, 2022.
Reviewed by Jeff Shultz
... One of the major strengths of the work is Koszela’s attention to detail, both in the images provided, but also in the accompanying narrative. Many different ship modifications, alterations, upgrades and other differences from one ship in the same class to another are noted in great detail. This penchant for minutiae will appeal to modelers and researchers alike, such as when a specific AAA gun mount was installed or upgraded, etc. The line drawings which litter the book deserve attention, they are a distinct strength and one that elevates this work above average competitors. There are also some specific photos which detail aspects of the ships such as cranes, weapons, floatplanes and other spaces of potential interest. This is offset by the large number of photos which receive superlative captions describing them as “beautiful” views or similar and the text also suffers from occasional poor translations. Unfortunately, Koszela does not provide any notes or sources, nor does he offer photo credits for the many images in the book, which limits the degree by which this can be considered an academic work. That said, it remains a useful, image-heavy reference which ship modelers and naval enthusiasts would find attractive.
Read the full review >>
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NOTE FOR AUTHORS OF VIETNAM NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS: The Capital Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States has been provided a tent on the National Mall for the forthcoming Vietnam Veterans welcome home event to be held in the nation’s capital from 11 to 13 May. To provide historical context for the thousands of veterans expected to attend, the Naval Order seeks authors of sea service Vietnam-themed books to be on hand to autograph books and talk history with those who served in SE Asia. If you are interested in participating, contact Dave Winkler at david.winkler@usnwc.edu. | |
NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | |
NAVAL HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARIES OF NOTE | |
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USS Akron (ZRS-4)
USS Akron (ZRS-4), the first ship of her class, was built at Akron, Ohio. Along with her sister ship, USS Macon (ZRS-5), both dirigibles had 6,500,000 cubic feet. Commissioned in October 1931, she performed tests and search exercises in the eastern United States and western Atlantic, including tests with the Scouting Force. In February 1932, she was damaged during a ground-handling accident but was repaired to test embarking airplanes.
Departing for the West Coast in May, Akron reached Camp Kearny, San Diego, California, where she had an accident while mooring and two sailors lost their lives. Returning to Lakehurst, New Jersey, she had yet another accident in August while leaving the hangar. For the rest of the year, she operated up and down the East Coast along with testing aircraft such as F9C-2s.
Read more here >>
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Worst Airship Disaster in History: USS Akron – April 4, 1933
The Akron disaster killed 73 of the 76 men on board, and two additional men were killed when the Navy’s J-3 blimp crashed during a rescue mission to search for Akron survivors. (In contrast, the Hindenburg crash took 36 lives, and most of the Hindenburg’s passengers and crew survived.)
The Akron was a flying aircraft carrier designed to provide long-distance scouting in support of fleet operations of the United States Navy.
Akron crashed at sea during a storm off the coast of New Jersey in the early morning hours of 4 April 1933, after the ship’s tail hit the water. Despite being a US Navy vessel, the ship carried no lifejackets, and only one rubber raft, and most of the crew drowned or died of hypothermia in the freezing water.
Read the full article>>
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USS Thresher (SSN-593)
USS Thresher (SSN-593) was the lead nuclear-submarine attack submarine of her class and was commissioned on 3 August 1961, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. Following commissioning, she completed trials in the Atlantic and Caribbean areas testing her new technological systems and weapons. On 10 April 1963, following overhaul, Thresher began deep-diving tests, along with USS Skylark (ASR-20), about 220 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. As the tests proceeded, Skylark received garbled communications from her, which eventually stopped. It became apparent she had sunk, taking the lives of the 129 officers, crewmen, and civilian technicians. Thresher’s remains were located about 8,400 feet below the surface on the sea floor by the bathyscaphe Trieste, aided by USS Mizar (AK-272) and other ships. After a review of the evidence, the Court of Inquiry determined she had probably sunk due to a piping failure, subsequent loss of power, and the inability to blow ballast tanks rapidly enough to avoid sinking.
Read more here>>
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ADDITIONAL FEATURED CONTENT | |
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Is this the Oldest US Navy Cannon Carriage?
By John L. Morris
During a visit to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum in downtown Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1986, I noticed a very old naval gun carriage. The didactic read: “Naval Gun Carriage, c.1855– 1860. This gun carriage was excavated from the construction site of Building 510 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1953. This type of carriage was typical of mid-19th century naval guns mounted on board ships and may have been removed from the C.S.S. Virginia (ex-Merrimac) when that ship was broken up at the yard in 1876. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum Collection 687.58.15.” And “…when that ship was broken up…” may be explained further by the following:
“On June 29, 1875, diver James West’s lighter, loaded with old metal and two cannons from the Virginia, sprang a leak and sank at the Portsmouth Ferry Dock. In May of 1876, James West raised the bottom timbers of the Virginia and towed them with their tug Nettle to Dry-dock #1 (where she was originally refitted as the Virginia) to be cut up. Part of the wood was sold to Messrs. Tilley and Co. to be manufactured into relic canes and the rest was sold as scrap.” Source: https://numa.net/expeditions/merrimack-u-s-s/
Read the full article>>
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NAVAL HISTORY CALLS FOR PAPERS | |
UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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14–16 April 2023: National Maritime Historical Society 60th Annual Meeting, The Mariners’ Museum and Park, Newport News, VA
19–21 April 2023 Council of American Maritime Museums (CAMM) Conference, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR
9 May 2023: National Maritime Awards Dinner, National Press Club, Washington, DC
17–20 May 2023: North American Society for Oceanic History Conference, Maritime Museum of San Diego, CA
18–21 September 2023: Historic Naval Ship Association Conference aboard USS Slater
21 September 2023: Navy Memorial Lone Sailor Award Dinner, National Building Museum, Washington, DC
21–22 September 2023: McMullen Naval History Symposium, US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
17–22 October 2023: Naval Order of the United States Congress, San Diego
| Click here to watch Dr. Michael A. Verney’s presentation of his book: A Great and Rising Nation: Naval Exploration and Global Empire in the Early US Republic. | PREBLE HALL NAVAL HISTORY PODCAST | |
A naval history podcast from Preble Hall – the United States Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland. Preble Hall will interview 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: 181: Admiral Mike Mullen, Part VI - N8>>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
| NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE COMMAND H-GRAMS | |
H-Gram 078: 20 March 2023 >> The Revolt of the Admirals, Ship Renaming
| DRACHINIFEL YOUTUBE CHANNEL | INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAVAL HISTORY | |
The International Journal of Naval History (IJNH) provides a preeminent forum for works of naval history, researched and written to demonstrable academic standards, with the goal of stimulating and promoting research into naval history and fostering communication among naval historians at an international level. IJNH welcomes any scholarly historical analysis, focused on any period or geographic region, that explores naval power in its national or cultural context. The journal is independent of any institution and operates under the direction of an international editorial board that represents various genres of naval history.
Click here to read the February 2023 edition and archived issues on the IJNH website >>
| SUPPORTING US NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE | |
With the 250th anniversary of the US Navy on the horizon, NMHS seeks your support as we plan to honor those who have provided for our maritime security.
Click here to donate today >>
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