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7 November 2023
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
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A Happy 248th Birthday this Friday to the US Marine Corps, followed the next day with our nation’s November 11 recognition of its veterans. Thanks to Brent Hunt at the Naval History and Heritage Command, our main feature offers an overview of the history behind these commemorations.
Naval History Book Reviews thanks Dr. Charles Kolb for his review of Robert Stern’s recent Naval Institute Press book on carrier battles in the South Pacific in 1942. Once again if you have recently published a naval history-related memoir or history—let us know! The revised book list is attached! Thanks to all who requested books this past week the list has been shortened.
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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 are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
| ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
7 November: Reflections on Captivity – Porter Halyburton
6 PM (EST) (In Person)
Hampton Roads Naval Museum, Norfolk, VA
8 November: Naval Order Monthly History Presentation
The One Ship Fleet: USS Boise - WWII Naval Legend Phillip T. Parkerson, PhD
8 PM EST (ZOOM)
Meeting ID: 812 4147 0593
Passcode: 7041890
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A Salute to the Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day
Compiled by Brent A. Hunt, Naval History and Heritage Command’s Communication and
Outreach Division
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Continental Marines conducted their first amphibious assault in the Bahamas, March 1776. | |
Happy Birthday, US Marines!
On 10 Nov., 1775, the second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and voted to raise two battalions of Marines for service as landing forces, thus establishing today’s US Marine Corps. Under the command of Capt. Samuel Nicholas and serving on land and at sea, these first Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations that included their first amphibious assault, which took place in the Bahamas in March 1776. Nicholas was the first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines and remained the senior Marine throughout the American Revolution. After the war, the Continental Navy’s ships were sold, and the Marines were discharged.
The US Navy was reestablished in 1794, and the Marines were subsequently reconstituted on 11 July 1798. During the Quasi-War with France, Marines landed on Santo Domingo and, between 1801 and 1805, took part in multiple operations against the Barbary pirates along the “shores of Tripoli.” During the War of 1812, Marines took part in the defense of Washington, DC, at Bladensburg, Maryland, and fought alongside Gen. Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans. During the Mexican-American War, Marines seized seaports on both the Gulf and Pacific coasts of Mexico. A battalion of Marines joined Army Gen. Winfield Scott at Pueblo and fought all the way to the “halls of Montezuma” in Mexico City. During the Civil War, Marines took part in all of the US Navy’s operations, including riverine warfare and amphibious landings. Marines continued to perform with valor during the Spanish-American War on operations in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
In World War I, the Marine Corps distinguished itself on the battlefields of France. The 4th Marine Brigade earned the name “Devil Dogs” for its actions in 1918 during the pivotal Battle of Belleau Wood and during the final Meuse-Argonne offensive. Marine aviation also played a significant role in the war with bombing missions over German-occupied areas of France and Belgium. More than 30,000 Marines served during the war and roughly one-third of them were either killed or wounded. Fourteen Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during World War I.
Prior to World War II, the Marines began to develop doctrine, equipment, and organization for amphibious landings. This effort proved successful first on Guadalcanal, then on Bougainville, Tarawa, New Britain, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. By the end of the war, the Marine Corps had grown to six divisions, five air wings, and supporting troops. During World War II, 87,000 Marines were either killed or wounded. Eighty-three Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor.
Read full article>>
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Naval Order of the US Heritage Night -- 11 October 2023
Dr Michael A. Verney, PhD
“A Great and Rising Nation: Naval Exploration and American National Maturity, 1815–1860”
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | |
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Knife’s Edge: South Pacific Carrier Battles from the Eastern Solomons to Santa Cruz By Robert C. Stern, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, (2023).
Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D.
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 |  | ...The Santa Cruz Islands group lie about 250 miles to the southeast of the Solomon Islands archipelago and are the site of the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands fought during 25–27 October 1942, the fourth carrier engagement of the Pacific Theater in World War II. The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) planned a major ground offensive on Guadalcanal for 20–25 October in an attempt to push Allied forces from Guadalcanal and recover Henderson Field, to end an impasse since September, and in hope that the Allied fleet would be challenged so that the IJN could engage these naval forces and break another stalemate. Japanese naval forces (two fleet carriers, two light carriers, four battleships, eight heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 24 destroyers) faced an American force (two fleet carriers, one battleship, three heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and 12 destroyers). The Japanese forces were divided into three groups (Third Fleet, Vanguard, and Advance Force) and the Americans into two task groups TF16 (Hornet) and TF17 (the repaired Enterprise) and separated by ten miles. The Vanguard and Advance Forces raced ahead and engaged TF16 and the two-day battle began. Japanese losses included one fleet carrier (Shokaku) and one light carrier (Zuiho) heavily damaged, and one heavy cruiser and one destroyer damaged. The Americans suffered one fleet carrier (Hornet) and one destroyer sunk; and one fleet carrier (Enterprise), one battleship (South Dakota), one light cruiser and two destroyers damaged.
Santa Cruz was a tactical and a short-term strategic victory for the Japanese in terms of ships sunk and damaged, and ability to control the seas around Guadalcanal. Nonetheless, Japan’s loss of many irreplaceable aircrews would prove to be a long-term strategic advantage for the Allies, whose aircrew losses in the battle were lower and more quickly replaced. The Japanese had hoped for and needed an overwhelming, decisive victory but, given the industrial might of the United States, they would not be able to exploit that advantage. The coup de grâce was the Battle of the Philippine Sea, a major fleet versus fleet naval battle on 19–20 June 1944 that eliminated the IJN’s ability to conduct further large-scale carrier actions.
This is a splendid well-researched and well-written book that is packed with great detail and worth a reader’s full attention.
Read full review>>
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | |
NAVAL HISTORY CALLS FOR PAPERS | |
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The Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize is a $50,000 prize sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The award recognizes the best book on American military history in English distinguished by its scholarship, its contribution to the literature, and its appeal to the broadest possible general reading public. Books that touch upon historic military events of other countries may be considered as long as their primary focus is on American military history. Publishers, critics, and authors may submit or nominate books published in the current year.
Please note that as of 2022, only books with a primary focus of American military history can be considered.
To nominate books copyrighted in 2023, please send five copies to the address below before the submission deadline of 31 December 2023.
Daniela Muhling
Book Prize Manager
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
49 West 45th Street, 2nd Floor
New York NY 10036
For more information, please call 646.366.9666 ext.144 or send an email to bookprizes@gilderlehrman.org.
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UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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28–29 November: Historic Ships 2023 – National Maritime Museum, London Historic Vessels – Sustainable Futures
7–9 December: 16th International Conference on World War II – National World War II Museum, New Orleans
9–11 January 2024: Surface Navy Association National Symposium
29 February–1 March 2024: Women’s History Symposium, National World War II Museum, New Orleans
18–21 April 2024: Society For Military History Annual Conference Arlington, VA
24–25 April 2024: Council of American Maritime Museums, Constitution Museum, Boston, MA
20–23 June 2024: Joint NASOH/CNRS Conference, St. Catherines, Ontario
24–28 September 2025: 12th Maritime Heritage Conference, Buffalo, NY
| 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: 206: Vice Admiral Doug Crowder, USN (ret) and "Sea Stories">>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
| 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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