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19 September 2023
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
This is THE week for naval history conferencing, with the Historic Naval Ships Association currently meeting in Albany, New York, hosted by the destroyer escort USS Slater, and the Naval Academy’s McMullen Naval History Symposium to convene on Thursday. That event will conclude on Friday evening with the Commodore Dudley W. Knox Dinner hosted by the US Naval Institute.
As this Saturday is the 244th anniversary of the Battle off Flamborough Head between Bonhomme Richard and Serapis, attendees at the McMullen gathering are strongly encouraged to visit the John Paul Jones Crypt within the Naval Academy Chapel.
Another anniversary will be noted this Friday as former Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf II turns 99. Having served as secretary during the Ford administration, Middendorf has maintained a strong interest in naval history, serving as a director with the Naval Historical Foundation and engaging in national security affairs with his most recent book The Great Nightfall: How We Win the New Cold War (Heritage Harbor Foundation, 2020), which addresses the confrontational relationship with China. Remarkably, Middendorf is not eldest on the list of living former Navy secretaries. Paul Ignatius, who served as SecNav in the Johnson administration, looks forward to his 103rd birthday in November.
A Huzzah to Eric Jay Dolan, winner of the New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States prestigious Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature for his book Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. The announcement of his receipt of the award and other books considered for the coveted prize is our feature story.
Naval History Book Reviews is offering Dr. Charles Kolb’s review of a post-war Royal Navy assessment of the Okinawa campaign that has now been made available to the public. Enjoy! If you have recently published a naval history-related memoir or history—let us know! We intend to have titles on hand at the McMullen Naval History Symposium to offer attendees review opportunities.
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. We will both be at the McMullen Naval History Symposium and we look forward to seeing you at the National Maritime Historical Society table.
As always, comments are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
| ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
18–21 September 2023 - Historic Naval Ship Association Conference USS Slater
21–22 September 2023 - McMullen Naval History Symposium, Annapolis, MD
Click here to Register>>
22 September 2023 - Naval Institute Knox Award Dinner, Annapolis, MD
23 September 2023 - Battle for the Columbia River: The Rise of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company” with author Mychal Ostler on at 11 am
National Maritime Historical Society (EDT) (In person – Zoom)
Click here to register for a Zoom link>>
28 September 2023 - Movies at the Navy Memorial: Top Gun (1986)
7:15 PM (EDT) (in person)
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Eric Jay Dolin To Receive Morison Prize | |
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The New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States announces Eric Jay Dolin as the winner of the Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature for his book Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution, published by Liveright (imprint of WW Norton), ISBN 978-1631498251, 352 pages, (May 31, 2022) $32.50.
This distinguished writing award is presented to an American author “who by his published writings has made a substantial contribution to the preservation of the history, heritage and traditions of the United States Sea Services—the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and US Flag Merchant Marine.”
The prize, named for the late Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison, a Harvard University history professor widely considered to be America’s most distinguished naval historian, is administered and presented by the New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States.
The finalists and winner are selected by a distinguished committee of members of the New York Commandery. Books may be recommended for consideration by any member of the Naval Order of the United States but must be nominated by a Companion of the New York Commandery for committee consideration. Detailed and stringent standards of review must be met by both the author and the work, following set guidelines, for committee consideration for the award. The remaining four finalists for the 2023 Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature (listed in alphabetical order, not by standing) each receive an Honorable Mention, and are highly commended for their books as outstanding contributions to naval literature. They are:
Lewis McIntyre – Take Charge and Move Out: The Founding Fathers of Tacamo
Publisher: Casemate; (12 May 2022)
Thomas Sheppard – Commanding Petty Despots: The American Navy in the New Republic
Publisher: Naval Institute Press (15 March 2022)
James Stavridis – To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision
Publisher: Penguin Press (24 May 2022)
Beverly Weintraub – Wings of Gold: The History of the First Women Naval Aviators
Publisher: Lyon Press (15 December 2021)
The award will be presented to the winner by Capt. Lawrence B. Brennan, USN (Ret), Commander, New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States in a ceremony at The Racquet & Tennis Club on Park Avenue, New York City on Monday, 13 November 2023, 4:30 PM–7:30 PM. For further information on the New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States and information on attending this event, please see the NY Commandery web site at navalordernyc.org.
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | |
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Okinawa: The Last Naval Battle of WW2: Official Admiralty Account of Operation Iceberg. Compiled by John Grehan, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Frontline Books, an imprint of Pen & Sword Books, Ltd, (2022).
Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, PhD
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 |  | ...A primary British source is Charles Stephenson’s The Eastern Fleet and the Indian Ocean, 1942–1944. The Fleet that had to Hide (Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Ltd; Havertown, PA: Pen & Sword Books, 2020). Stephenson’s account of the British Pacific Fleet is the most recent narrative among a half-dozen major works published since 1969. Two pioneering essays were published by Peter C. Smith: Task Force 57: The British Pacific Fleet, 1944–45 (London: William Kimber, 1969; reprinted in Manchester: Crécy, 2001) and John Winton (1969) The Forgotten Fleet: The Story of the British Pacific Fleet, 1944– 45 (Wadhurst: Douglas-Boyd Books, reprinted 1989). More current volumes were The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy’s Most Powerful Strike Force, by David Hobbs (Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing, 2011, reprinted in paperback, 2017); The British Pacific Fleet in World War II: An Eyewitness Account, by Waite Brooks (Bloomington, IN: Author House, 2013); The British Pacific Fleet Experience and Legacy, 1944-50, by Jon Robb-Webb (Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies, London and New York: Routledge, 2013); and The Royal Navy in Eastern Waters: Linchpin of Victory, 1935–1942, by Andrew Boyd (Barnsley South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing, 2017). The 1969 books are now both a bit dated and, of course, do not benefit from access to more recently released archival documents utilized by authors writing during the new millennium; the availability of Battle Summary No. 47 to the general public is an example.
Prolific writer David Hobbs, retired from the Royal Navy, employs archival resources in his research, and has authored The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force (Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing; Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2011, reprinted 2017). He devotes two chapters to the Okinawa campaign in this book: “Chapter 6: Operation Iceberg I” pp. 126–158, and “Chapter 8: Operation Iceberg II,” pp. 175–179. Hobbs comments that "In August 1944 the British Pacific Fleet did not exist, [but] six months later it was strong enough to launch air attacks on Japanese territory, and by the end of the war it constituted the most powerful force in the history of the Royal Navy, fighting as professional equals alongside the US Navy in the thick of the action. How this was achieved by a nation nearing exhaustion after five years of conflict is a story of epic proportions in which ingenuity, diplomacy and dogged persistence all played a part. As much a political as a technical triumph, the BPF was uniquely complex in its make-up: its C-in-C was responsible to the Admiralty for the general direction of his Fleet; took operational orders from the American Admiral Nimitz; answered to the Government of Australia for the construction and maintenance of a vast base infrastructure, and to other Commonwealth Governments for the ships and men that formed his fully-integrated multi-national fleet.”
Grehan had done a great service to military historians and scholars by making this primary document retrieved from the Kew archive, Battle Summary No. 47, “Naval Operations in Assault and Capture of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg) March to June 1945,” available to the general public. The report remains a pristine British view of the operation and clarifies and expands the actual participation of the Royal Navy’s Pacific Fleet in Operation Iceberg, augmenting Morison’s brief narrative (1960) pp. 102–107.
Read full review>>
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | |
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Naval Order History Happenings:
Dwight Hughes
“The Naval Civil War in Theaters Near and Far”
13 September 2023
Warch presentation here>>
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The Battle of Flamborough Head
Where the Continental Navy got its sea legs.
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"The Action Between the Frigates USS Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis during the Battle of Flamborough Head, 1779. The Alliance fires on the combatants." Public Domain. | |
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Following the American victory at the Battles of Saratoga, Britain’s long-time rival France formed an official alliance with the American rebels. The Kingdom of France had already been shipping supplies to the Continental Army in June of 1775, but on 6 February 1778, the Franco-American Treaty was signed. The treaty required that the Kingdom of France provided the 13 colonies with military aid. This aid included forms of financial aid, providing equipment and other provisions, and supplying the Continental Army with the resources of the French military. The French Navy, especially, helped to give the Continental Army a standing chance against the battle-hardened and formidable British Royal Navy.
In 1779, Scottish-born patriot naval captain John Paul Jones was making a name for himself in the Revolutionary War. As the infamous captain of the USS Ranger, Jones successfully captured the HMS Drake in a duel in the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland, which became a large symbol of the naval patriot cause. As a seasoned captain, Jones was placed in command of sailing the Duc de Duras, renamed the USS Bonhomme Richard by Jones after Benjamin Franklin’s pen name Poor Richard. The former merchant ship was given to the Continental Navy by the French. Jones sailed from Lorient, France to Eastern England on August 14, 1779, with the Pallas, Vengeance, and the Alliance.
Read full article>>
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John Paul Jones
6 July 1747 − 18 July 1792
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Captain John Paul Jones, USN engraving from a portrait. L. B. Longacre, engraver, Charles Wilson Peale, artist. (NH 48626) | |
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Adapted from Lauren Pitre’s article for SWONET
Jones was born John Paul on 6 July 1747, in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. At the age of 12 he entered the British merchant marine and went to sea for the first time as a cabin boy.
He became first mate on a slaver brigantine in 1766, but soon left that trade in disgust. He was appointed master in 1769. In 1773, he killed the leader of his mutinous crew in self-defense at Tobago, in the West Indies. To avoid trial, he fled to Virginia and was considered a fugitive by the British. He concealed his identity by adding the surname Jones.
At the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, Jones went to Philadelphia and entered the Continental Navy. He was commissioned a lieutenant on the first American flagship, Alfred. Jones was quickly promoted to captain in 1776, and was given command of the sloop Providence. While on his first cruise aboard Providence, he destroyed British fisheries in Nova Scotia and captured sixteen prize British ships.
In command of Ranger in 1777 and 1778, he operated in British home waters and made audacious raids on England’s shore. In recognition of his exploits, he was placed in command of five French and American vessels. Aboard his flagship, Bonhomme Richard, Jones led his small squadron in the capture of seven merchantmen off the Scottish coast. On 23 September 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis. Although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight.” More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.
Read full article>>
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John Paul Jones Cottage Museum Information
Journey back in time with a visit to the John Paul Jones Cottage and Museum located near southwest Scotland’s Solway Firth in the village of Kirkbean. This tiny white cottage has been visible to mariners entering the Solway from the Irish Sea for centuries. We invite you to stand within the very room where Scotland’s own John Paul was born and matured into John Paul Jones, the Father of the United States Navy. Today, he is universally considered one of the greatest naval officers in history.
The John Paul Jones Cottage was built on the 114-acre Arbigland Estate, where John’s father had been employed as the Head Gardener by its Laird, William Craik. In addition to Commodore Jones, this tiny patch of land also produced Dr. James Craik, the personal physician to American president George Washington and the first Surgeon General of the United States military. Robbie Burns visited Arbigland on many occasions.
The John Paul Jones Trust is dedicated to preserving the remarkable story of John Paul Jones, Arbigland, and other great men and women of Galloway. We offer unique artifacts and accurate historical information for all and fun, hands-on displays and virtual reality experiences for our young visitors.
In addition to the wealth of information our Visitor’s Center provides, we also sell passes to Arbigland’s 24 acres of magnificent gardens bordering the Solway beach and you can arrange a tour of the principal rooms of Arbigland House, built in 1755. We also provide limited caravan parking at affordable rates and can direct you to nearby historical lodging and great food.
Visit museum website here>>
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A NOTE FROM THE McMULLEN SYMPOSIUM | |
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Shipmates, Colleagues, and Friends,
The USNA History Department is looking forward to having the naval and maritime historians of the world rendezvousing on Sampson and Mahan Halls at USNA later this week. We have over 400 in-person registrants and this year's McMullen Naval History Symposium promises to be one of the biggest in decades.
During this year’s symposium, two of our panel rooms will be rigged for hybrid sessions. If you are interested in attending any of these sessions virtually, you can find the details at the McMullen ’23 page on the FINHSS website (Forum for Integrated Naval History & Seapower Studies).
This year you will be able to watch 18 sessions remotely, in addition to the Thursday morning Welcome Aboard Plenary and Dr. Jasons Smith’s talk “A Historian Looks at Forty: Some Reflections on ‘Doing Naval History’ at Mid-Life,” and Dr. Andrew Lambert's McMullen Sea Power Address “Seapower as Culture: Mahan, Corbett and Strategic Choice.” Virtual attendees will be able to watch the sessions; however, Q&A will be reserved for the in-person attendees.
If you are a virtual panelist in one of these hybrid panels, you will receive an invite/link directly to your email address. We ask you to have your own slides (PowerPoint or Google Slides) open on your computer desktop so that you can “present” in Google Meet and advance your own slides as you see fit.
We’re looking forward to a wonderful conference and sharing the 50th anniversary of the first USNA Naval History symposium with all of you.
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NAVAL HISTORY CALLS FOR PAPERS | |
UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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3 October: Navy Memorial Lone Sailor Award Dinner. National Building Museum, Washington, DC
5 October: New York Navy League Council Maritime Security Conference 2023 at John Jay College: “Navigating Global Commerce and Conflict”
7 October: Steamship Historical Society of America Annual Meeting
Ship History Center, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI
9 October: US Naval Institute 150th Celebration
14 October: Navy League of the US – US Navy Birthday Ball
17–22 October 2023: Naval Order of the United States Congress, San Diego
19 October 2023: USS Constitution Museum Golden Gala Celebrating 50 Years
25 October 2023: US Naval Institute Conference – Critical Thinking—Our Greatest Weapon to Winning Tomorrow’s War
28 October: National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, FL, Girls in Aviation Day
28–29 November: Historic Ships 2023 – National Maritime Museum, London Historic Vessels – Sustainable Futures
| 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: 194: Captain Benjamin Armstrong: Naval Presence and the Interwar US Navy and Marine Corps>>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
| NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND H-GRAMS | DRACHINIFEL YOUTUBE CHANNEL | |
Welcome to Navy History Matters, 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>>
| 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 >>
If you are one of those friends who have considered joining the Society or have wanted to recommend membership to friends, the Society is offering a 60th anniversary membership sale: ten bucks! See: Anniversary Membership Special Offer.
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