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21 March 2023
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
Spring is here, and our feature story focuses on the Navy Memorial’s use of the warming weather to roll out an impressive lineup of Navy-themed movies for free public viewing at their Pennsylvania Avenue location in the nation’s capital, beginning with South Pacific.
As noted in the Items of Immediate Interest, there are some great presentations this week that you can watch online, starting with Taylor Kiland’s interview with former Prisoner of War Porter Halyburton this Thursday at 10:30 AM EDT at the Naval Institute’s Jack C. Taylor Center in Annapolis. With the fiftieth anniversary of the end on the Vietnam War and the repatriation of our POWs, the conversation about the challenges our servicemen had to overcome will be timely.
Two days later, at 11 AM EDT, the National Maritime Historical Society offers up Dr. Michael A. Verney, whose dissertation research that resulted in A Great and Rising Nation: Naval Exploration and Global Empire in the Early US Republic argues that early US naval expeditions, often characterized as merely scientific, were in fact deeply imperialist, reflecting the diverse imperial aspirations of the new republic, including commercial dominance in the Pacific World, a religious empire in the Holy Land, proslavery expansion in South America, and diplomatic prestige in Europe. Verney’s conclusions contest the current convention that American imperialistic aspirations came with the Spanish-American War.
And finally, next Monday at noon EDT, Mike Galloway of the Navy Museum will offer an online presentation about the Washington Navy Yard during the Civil War. With Navy Yard Commandant Franklin Buchanan resigning his commission to join the Confederacy, Commander John Dahlgren took on the task of building up the Navy Yard’s capacity to produce armaments to include the Dahlgren gun. A frequent visitor: President Abraham Lincoln!
Of course, if you happen to be in San Diego later this week, drop in on the annual meeting of the Society for Military History, which will feature some 44 presentations and two roundtables on a plethora of naval topics.
Thank you, Bill Fowler and Lou Liotti, who offer this week’s Naval History Book Reviews.
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 | |
23 March: Lessons in Heroism with Former Prisoner of War Porter Halyburton with Taylor Kiland
10:30 AM EST
Jack C. Taylor Conference Center, Annapolis, MD
Free to watch online
www.usni.org/events/lessons-heroism
23–26 March: Society for Military History, San Diego
For a list of 44 naval history-related presentations and 2 roundtables click here >>.
https://smh-hq.org/annualmeeting/info/confregistration.html
25 March: A Great and Rising Nation: Naval Exploration and Global Empire in the Early US Republic with Historian and Author Michael A. Verney
11:00 AM EDT
Zoom Lecture
Click here for more information and to register >>
27 March: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War
Noon EDT
Mike Galloway
National Museum of the United States Navy, Washington, DC
Talk: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War >>
29 March: Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Lecture—
Lessons Learned by Seabees and Civil Engineer Corps in Vietnam
Noon PDT
Lara Godbille
US Navy Museum, Pt. Hueneme, CA
Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War (navy.mil) >>
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
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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In case you missed it!
Tim Loughman - “A Strange Whim of the Sea: The Wreck of the USS Macaw”
Naval Order of the United States History Night >>
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Free Movies on the Memorial Offer Another Reason to Visit Your Nation’s Capital! | |
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Recently, Tuesday Tidings caught up with Rear Adm. Frank Thorp IV, the President and CEO of the Navy Memorial, who expressed excitement about the forthcoming line-up of films that will be screened outdoors on the Navy Memorial Plaza. Thorp discussed the interesting process of film selection and how the #1 pick to kick off this season on Thursday, 6 April—South Pacific—surprised him. With many local school districts on spring break, Thorp is expecting a good crowd. To make the evenings even more enjoyable, the Navy Memorial’s sponsors, USAA and Northrop Grumman, are providing vouchers to distribute to attendees for use on food trucks parked at the Navy Memorial.
Thorp observed that hosting the movies for Spring and Fall runs has proven more patron-friendly, given Washington’s reputation for heat and humidity in July and August. An added advantage is that the earlier sundowns in the spring and fall allow the films to start at earlier times. Though movies begin at dusk, the Navy Memorial encourages viewers to arrive early to get a prime spot on the plaza. In the case of inclement weather, movies will be canceled.
Thorp seemed very enthusiastic about the Thursday, 13 April offering of Top Gun: Maverick. This highly-acclaimed Tom Cruise Top Gun sequel proved to be Hollywood’s biggest box office draw for 2022. Assuming the weather cooperates, the outdoor venue will be ideal for viewing this film that captured numerous awards for outstanding cinematography. Following Thursdays in the spring will feature Men of Honor, Flight of the Intruder, Crimson Tide, Top Gun (1986), and Run Silent, Run Deep. The fall lineup has also been announced to start on 7 September with The Hunt for Red October, followed by Midway (2019), In Harm's Way, and Tora! Tora! Tora!, and close out on 12 October with The Sand Pebbles. The Navy Memorial appreciates the support provided by Northrop Grumman and USAA to continue this popular series in the nation’s capital.
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | |
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Death By Fire and Ice: The Steamboat Lexington Calamity by Brian E. O’Connor. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis (2022).
Review by William M. Fowler, PhD
...While others have written about Lexington, O’Connor’s work stands apart. Not only does he relate, in finely crafted prose, the details of the disaster, but employing his skills as a distinguished lawyer, he takes the reader into the intricacies of the law and the conduct of the
investigations. It was a time when the nation’s ability to build powerful machines surpassed its capacity, or willingness, to regulate these new devices. In this case, a devil’s brew of failure resulted in the worst maritime disaster in the history of Long Island Sound.
Read the full review >>
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Take Charge And Move Out: The Founding Fathers Of TACAMO (True Believers And The Rise Of Navy Strategic Communications) by Lewis F. McIntyre. Casemate Publishers, Havertown, PA (2022).
Reviewed by Louis H. Liotti
... That same device—the use of many personal narratives—underscores what I believe to be a strength of this book, whether intentional or not. Essentially, McIntyre’s book tells a story of what it was like to serve as a naval officer in the final quarter of the 20th century; albeit in a particular community of naval aviation. The challenges, the satisfactions and the disappointments are all relayed while these men tell the story of building a new program for the Navy. McIntyre’s writing is accessible and he is to be commended for expanding the history of naval aviation.
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 | |
NAVAL HISTORY CALLS FOR PAPERS | |
UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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23–26 March 2023: Society for Military History, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego, CA
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
| 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: 178: On the Roof Gang: Early Navy Cryptologists>>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
| NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE COMMAND H-GRAMS | |
H-Gram 077: 24 February 2023 >> Carter Hall at the Naval Academy, Remember the Maine, and the Charge of USS Bailey
| 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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