Tuesday Tidings Newsletter

6 February 2024

Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!

The Surface Navy Association recently announced its 2024 inductees to the Surface Navy-Coast Guard Cutterman Hall of Fame. Below, we celebrate Coast Guard Signalman First Class Raymond Evans, Coast Guard Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Donald Robert Horsley, Navy Watertender Second Class Fon Huffman, Navy Capt. Wayne P. Hughes Jr., and Dr. Gladys West. A note on Dr. West, who began her career in the 1950s as a mathematician at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia: considered one of the Surface Navy’s “Hidden Figures” she deserves an extra “Huzzah!” during this Black History month, as she is the lone living inductee to personally receive the honor. She also will be receiving the inaugural Exploration and Innovation Award this October by the National Museum of the Surface Navy at its Freedom of the Seas Gala.

With news from the Navy, we share a story of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of landings at Anzio. As 1944 was one of the more eventful years of World War II, we can anticipate many more such commemorations.

Our friends at the Society for Nautical Research in Great Britain have posted the latest edition of their quarterly journal Topmast. Check it out for the latest happenings on the other side of the pond, as well as an article about a new museum on this side of the pond, in Maine, dedicated to maritime pets. Topmasts-49.pdf (snr.org.uk).

Naval History Book Reviews offers two reviews from Chaplain Prevoznak and Dr. Satterfield and an announcement of the publication of two books this past week by a Tuesday Tidings co-compiler. Look for these two publications to be added to the books available for review list in the near future.

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 are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.

ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST

7 February 2024 - Noon-1 PM, (EST) National Museum of the US Navy, Washington, DC.

Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) discusses diversity and equity with a panel of retired US Navy officers. The conversation will be moderated by NHHC Director’s Action Group Director Kathryn Denise Krepp. Panelists include (left to right): Sinclair M. Harris, Lori E. Chestang, and Gerald A. Collins, Reuben K. Green.

10 February 2024 - Black Americans, the US Navy, and the Civil War

Speaker, Navy Museum Curator Dr. Edward Valentin Jr.

1 PM—2 PM, (EST-in person) Southwest Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC

14 February 2024 - Virtual Book Talk: The Kissing Sailor

With Captain George Galdorisi

Noon–1 PM (EST)

14 February 2024 - Naval Order History with Dr. Daivid Kohnen

The Last British Invasion of America – The Beatles in the Global Maritime Arena

8 PM (EST) (Zoom)

17–18 February, 2023 – Western Naval History Association Symposium, San Diego, CA

February Naval History magazine look-ahead

FEATURED CONTENT

Surface Navy Association Hall of Fame Inductees: 2024

Signalman First Class Raymond Evans

Signalman First Class Raymond Evans displayed extraordinary heroism as coxswain of a Higgins boat assisting in the rescue of over 500 Marines trapped by Japanese forces at Guadalcanal. Although he knew that his boat was to be used to draw enemy fire away from other craft evacuating the trapped Marines, Signalman First Class Evans, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, volunteered as a member of the crew. Gallantly remaining at his post during the entire evacuation and with every other member of his crew killed or wounded, he maintained control of the boat with one hand on the wheel and continued to fire his machine gun with the other, until the last boat cleared the beach. By his great personal valor, skill, and outstanding devotion to duty in the face of grave danger, he contributed directly to the success of his mission by saving the lives of many who otherwise might have perished. He was one of only six men to receive the Navy Cross for actions performed while serving in the Coast Guard during World War II.

Evans was later commissioned as a Coast Guard officer. He commanded USCGC Ivy (WAGL-329), was the executive officer of USCGC Chautauqua (WPG-41) and was the Captain of the Port in Houston. He served in the Coast Guard until 1962, accumulating 12 years of sea-time during his 23 years in the service. He retired at the rank of Commander.

A Sentinel-class fast response cutter was named in honor of Commander Evans, as well as a Coast Guard award for distinguished coxswains. https://youtu.be/KRfp75iz3k8

Master Chief Boatswains Mate Donald Robert Horsley, USCG

Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Donald Robert Horsley served the Coast Guard continuously from age 17 to 62, enlisting on 4 August 1942. He served on active duty for 44 years, four months, and 27 days. His career spanned three wars and saw service on 34 vessels. During World War II BMCM Horsley served aboard USCGC Cepheus (AKA-18) as a coxswain on landing craft and participated in Operation Dragoon (the invasion of southern France) and Operation Iceberg, (the invasion of Okinawa). Following the war, Horsley had successive tours on six cutters. After a tour of duty ashore at Loran Station Ulithi, he served at sea on board five more cutters.

During the Vietnam War, BMCM Horsley served 41 months as the senior enlisted person assigned to Division 13, Coast Guard Squadron One out of Cat Lo, Republic of Vietnam. This division of 82-foot patrol boats was tasked with the maritime interdiction of the reinforcement and re-supply of Communist forces fighting in South Vietnam. During this assignment, BMCM Horsley was awarded the Bronze Star with a Combat “V.”

Read full article>>

US 6th Fleet Visits Nettuno, Participates in Battle of Anzio Commemoration Ceremony

25 January 2024

From US Naval Forces Europe-Africa / US 6th Fleet Public Affairs

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) hosted a ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings during World War II at Anzio and Nettuno, Jan. 24, at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy. The Office of the Secretary of Defense designated US European Command as the Department of Defense lead for the 80th anniversary of World War II in Europe, a commemorative period that runs from July 2023 to May 8, 2025.

Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander, US 6th Fleet, spoke at the ceremony of the importance of the commemoration of the landings.

“Eighty years ago, it was these sailors and soldiers who stood the watch in defense of liberty, security and prosperity,” said Ishee. “It is in these moments we remember them and pay tribute to the heroes eternally resting on this sacred ground.”

Ishee added that World War II is a reminder that allies with a common purpose can deter aggression and keep global peace.

“It is extremely important that we remember these dark times in World War II and how it was the sacrifice of Americans and other nations that really brought us out of those dark times,” said Ishee. “Today, there is a lot of threat to security and stability, threat to freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, in the Red Sea and other places in the world. We should all remember that it is through our allies and partners that we come together and we overcome these challenges and these threats.”

Ishee highlighted how the United States and Italy’s partnership together and through NATO continues to be an example of the strength of alliance.

“Italy is one of the United States’ greatest allies,” said Ishee. “Over the last year we have had over a dozen Italian navy ships that have escorted our carriers, escorted our ships, and conducted operations. If we need something, we ask them, they help provide and we are equally supportive of them.”

During the commemoration, students shared individual stories of people buried or memorialized at the cemetery, capped by performances by the US Naval Forces Europe Band.

Read full article>>

NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS

Arming East Asia: Deterring China in the Early Cold War

By Eric Setzekorn, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2023).

Reviewed by J.A. Prevoznak

...The Cold War may be over, but it was never fully resolved, and many of the policy decisions articulated by Setzekorn continue to echo today in East Asia and the halls of Congress. He builds upon a clear argument that many of the decisions made were not based in a grand strategy, but were selfishly made by career focused military leaders and politicians, showing how the smallest considerations can have lasting ripple effects throughout history. Setzekorn describes the sentiment of many post-World War II officers believing that military-assistance assignments would be detrimental to their career progression. Several members of Congress held similar beliefs, arguing against any foreign aid appropriations while declaring fiscal constraint was needed in the post-war era, simultaneously passing pork barrel spending for their own Congressional districts. Setzekorn articulates the context of the presidential administrations seeing the need to shore up the security of East Asia, which allowed for certain foreign aid to be appropriated but could never truly muster a proper strategy. Setzekorn excellently connects these dots for the reader to follow, showing this lack of forward thinking and cogent strategy leading to the near-disaster of the Korean War and the complete disaster of the Vietnam War.

Setzekorn superbly writes this must-read book for every modern history scholar of East Asia, and there is no doubt the reader will take away with every chapter new insight of the United States’ role in East Asia today. But this book is not too accessible for a simple weekend read, and there is a prerequisite of knowledge and interest needed to fully appreciate his incredible level of scholarship. Ultimately, Setzekorn points to the successes of military assistance and mutual defense policies developed but recognizes the challenges that are present today. The reader can take away that positive policy combined with positive leadership have positive outcomes that can define a peaceful future.

Read full review>>

The Steep Atlantick Stream: A Memoir of Convoys & Corvettes

By Robert Harling, Lyons Press, Essex, CT, (2023)

Reviewed by Dr. John R. Satterfield

...We must, then, decide whether The Steep Atlantick Stream is memoir or fiction. Given the style and grace with which Harling writes, one suspects that his book fits both categories.

The Battle of the Atlantic was World War II’s longest continuous struggle. It was also ruthless, costing more than 72,000 allied lives, divided among naval, military and merchant casualties. The Kriegsmarine lost about 30,000 seamen, with 8,000 more captured out of 40,000 serving at sea. The Italian Navy sacrificed five hundred more. Germany sank 3,500 Allied merchant vessels and 175 warships. Atlantic anti-submarine operations also claimed more than 750 aircraft from the Royal Air Force’s Coastal Command and Allied air services. German U-boat losses were overwhelming. Of 863 U-boats deployed in combat, 785, more than nine out of ten, went down, many with entire crews. The Allies built a total of 294 Flower-class corvettes. These lightly armed little ships, displacing less than 1,000 tons with hulls just over two hundred feet long, fought valiantly to protect merchant convoys in appalling weather and roiling seas. The Allies lost thirty-three corvettes, with twenty-two sunk in submarine attacks, several with all hands. These grim statistics embody an enduring tragedy, whether one treats them in fiction or fact.

Read full review>>

NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW

See the current List of Naval History Books Available for Review >>

Reviewers, authors, and publishers can also see our Guidelines for Naval History Book Reviews >>

Tuesday Tidings co-compiler has two books published – in the same week!

Through a remarkable alignment of planets, Tuesday Tidings co-compiler Dave Winkler received hot-off-the-press copies of two books he had been working on over the past two decades. Of the two, Witness to Neptune’s Inferno: The Pacific War Diary of Lieutenant Lloyd M. Mustin (USS Atlanta (CL-51) had the longer incubation, with research beginning in 2004 following Winkler’s receipt of the actual diary from Mustin’s son, Vice Adm. Henry Mustin, following a series of oral history interviews. Assigned as the assistant gunnery officer onboard the Navy’s first cruiser designed specifically to shoot airplanes out of the sky, Lloyd Mustin offered blunt assessments of the US Navy’s conduct of the war in the Pacific during 1942 as Atlanta participated in the Battle of Midway and then in the campaign for Guadalcanal, meeting her demise during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in mid-November 1942. Published by Casemate, Witness to Neptune’s Inferno’s title pays homage to the late James D. Hornfischer, author of Neptune’s Inferno: The US Navy at Guadalcanal, who provided sage editing advice and suggestions on how to make the narrative marketable.

Of course, one of the reasons why it took two decades for Witness to come to fruition was that other opportunities presented themselves, such as a chance to hold the Class of 1957 Chair of Naval Heritage at the US Naval Academy and then the Charles Lindbergh Chair of Aerospace History at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. When it was brought to his attention that no book had ever been written about USS Langley (CV-1), Winkler, with support from the Smithsonian, conducted extensive research, poring through thousands of pages of deck logs and other source materials to learn about the perils and successes of the early years of “flying deck” operations. Thanks to correspondence files, oral history citations, and crew surveys that were kept by the reunion association, the book is full of personal vignettes of service aboard the “Covered Wagon.”

Winkler has a third book project underway: Destroyers at War, featuring chapters written by the late Adm. James L. Holloway III about his years in Ringgold (DD 500) and Bennion (DD 662) during World War II. The book will be a prequel to Holloway’s Aircraft Carriers at War (Naval Institute Press, 2007) and is currently in production at the US Naval Institute, with an aim for year-end publication.

The two new books will soon be posted on our list of books available for review. However, recognizing that we can assign only one book to a Tuesday Tiding reviewer, Casemate has created a 35% off pre-order discount code at its website that NMHS members and friends can use to pre-order Witness to Neptune’s Inferno. You simply need to enter the code NMHS35 in the shopping cart to activate the discount. https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781636244075/witness-to-neptunes-inferno/.

Meanwhile, for America's First Aircraft Carrier, US Naval Institute members receive 40% off automatically. Additionally, non-members can use the code: LANGLEY at checkout to receive 25% off the list price of America's First Aircraft Carrier. Click here for more information on becoming a member, and claim your discounts today!