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26 November 2024
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
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Happy Thanksgiving! For those of you who will be on the move to be with family and friends, we wish you safe travels. In the realm of naval history, we have much to be thankful for, as there have been numerous discoveries of sunken warships, a site selection for a new US Navy Museum, and the publication of much new scholarship, such as this month’s NHHC release of Admiral Nimitz’s correspondence to his wife. Examples below include an updated list of 2023 dissertations and the accessibility of presentations at a major conference held this past spring in England.
Tuesday Tidings takes pleasure in providing you a situational awareness of what is happening across the naval history enterprise, whether it be event announcements, calls for papers, reviews of books, or simple naval history-related news! If you are a member of the National Maritime Historical Society, we appreciate your support for this service through your membership and additional donations made in response to occasional appeals. If you are a Friend who loves naval history, perhaps now might be a good time to consider joining the Society! In any case, whether you are currently a member or a friend, consider making a donation, which supports a stipend to a 2x Captain Ken Coskey National History Day naval history prize winner as she works her way to obtaining a history degree! When you donate HERE be sure to hit the “dedicate the donation” tab and type Tuesday Tidings in the designation box. We would be grateful for your continuing support!
We also appreciate your support in providing content, especially contributions for our Naval History Book Reviews. In response to our request for reviewers, new books on Arizona and Massachusetts set sail the next day. Check out the updated list HERE. In addition, several reviewers have completed reviews, so we are set for the rest of the year! This week we feature Captain Richard Dick’s review on a book about German battleship development.
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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 and naval history news items are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
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ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
Monday, 2 December 2024 – Naval Order New York Luncheon Talk
“The New York Naval Militia”
With CWO3 Lester Chang, USN (Ret.)
11:30 am (EST)
Charting the Course: Maritime Heritage Today and Tomorrow
with NMHS president Cathy Green and Sea History editor Deirdre O’Regan
7 PM EST, Q&A to Follow
Saturday, 7 December 2024 – across the nation – commemorations and wreath layings
Saturday, 7 December 2024 – NMHS is sponsoring the wreath-laying ceremony and reception at the Navy Memorial in Washington DC
1 PM EST (In-person and Virtual)
Saturday, 7 December 2024 – Pearl Harbor Commemoration Dinner
Mark Stille, speaker
Fairfax, VA
6 PM EST
Wednesday, 11 December 2024 – “Resurrecting the Dead: Bringing Deceased Authors Back to Life”
With Dr. David F. Winkler
8 PM (EST) (ZOOM)
Friday, 13 December 2024 – Mariners’ Museum Monitor Legacy Program
The Wounding and Recovery of Lt. John L. Worden
with John Quarstein
Noon (EST) (Live Virtual)
Sunday, 5 January 2024 – Mare Island Speaker Series (In person)
KAMIKAZE
With Dr. Rob Hoffman
3 PM (PST)
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Help Wanted:
The International Journal of Naval History Seeks a Copyeditor to Join Its Volunteer Staff!
Individuals with copyediting experience who would like to get a first crack at reviewing world-class naval history content and reviews please reach out to managing editor Dr. David F. Winkler at winkler58@msn.com
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Video Presentations by each of the speakers at our 2024 annual conference are now available
From Yards to Hards: Preparing Allied naval forces for the 1944 Normandy landings
On Saturday, 18 May, our 28th annual conference was held at the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth. The theme was “From Yards to Hards: preparing Allied naval forces for the 1944 Normandy landings."
The conference was absolutely sold out and many people were disappointed in not being able to get a ticket. Therefore, we arranged for the talks to be video recorded and offered for purchase through an online shop.
There is a small administrative charge for each. You can buy just one talk by clicking the link next to the speaker’s profile below, or you can buy the whole lot here. We hope you like them!
Introduction and Interviews
Here is Andrew Whitmarsh’s introduction to the Naval Dockyards Society’s 28th Annual Conference, held at the D Day Museum. This is to explain the history of the Museum. Here, too, are some interviews conducted by Joe Brennan, the editor of our newsletter, Dockyards, with the following speakers at the conference: Dr Adrian Webb, Chris Barrington Brown, Dr Andrew Jeffrey, and Dr. Jacob Thomas-Llewellyn. View all at: https://payhip.com/b/DrN0d
The Presenters
Dr. Andrew Jeffrey, “From Operation Claymore to the Normandy decision: The critical role of Scotland’s Combined Operations bases in Allied preparations for D-Day.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/D8g7l
Dr. John M. Curatola, LtCol USMC (Ret.) “Amphibious Allies: Overlord Preparation and the Combined US/UK Effort.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/8SeLT
Matthew Mackmin MBA, MSc, “Operation NEPTUNE and the Combined Operations Experimental Establishment.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/KiYVM
Chris Barrington Brown, 'The Logistic Build-Up to D-Day'. View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/z6xAK
Dr. Adrian Webb, “The road to D-Day: The Hydrographic Department's role in supplying Allied Forces.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/tVs7T
Andy Skinner, “Southampton and the Preparations for Operation Overlord.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/tVs7T
Dr Jacob Thomas-Llewellyn, “Prefabricating Victory: The Design and Development of the MULBERRY Harbours, 1942–1944.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/eDjmV
Dr. Ian Buxton MBE, “Building the Tank Landing Craft.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/QulJZ
Andrew Whitmarsh, Curator, The D-Day Story, “LCT 7074.” View the video here: https://payhip.com/b/bZvlB
About these videos
How were UK and overseas naval establishments occupied in constructing, supplying, and transporting harbors and pipelines?
The Allied assault on German-occupied France on and after D-Day (6 June 1944) was only possible through naval support, from the largest warships and merchant vessels through to the smallest landing craft. Existing dockyards, harbors and shipyards in the UK, the US, Canada and Bermuda played a vital role in building, preparing, maintaining and repairing the Allied fleets. Remains of these coastal installations survive as tangible heritage of this endeavour.
However, the magnitude of the projected naval and land forces required many more temporary bases and facilities, which entailed systematic forward planning. The roles of these establishments included supporting landing craft flotillas, building Mulberry harbors, embarking troops and supplies, and supplying fuel via the PLUTO pipeline. Workforces were dedicated to planning, victualling and furnishing all kinds of supplies. Personnel went through an equivalent period of training and preparation. Nine speakers addressed these themes.
The NDS Conference was sponsored by the Society for Nautical Research.
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Navy-Related Dissertations for 2023
In a previous edition of Tuesday Tidings, we offered a preliminary look at dissertations that were published in 2023. Here is an updated list. Congratulations to the Class of 2023! A preliminary list from 2024 is forthcoming!
Dissertator: Baldwin, Christopher
Department: Univ. of Toronto, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Condemned as Lawful Prize: British Privateers, the Royal Navy, and Enslavement in the Wartime Caribbean, 1739-63”
Advisor: Newton, Melanie
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Dissertator: Brazier, Hayley
Department: Univ. of Oregon, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Seafloor Machina: Aging Machines in the Depths of the Pacific”
Advisor: Carey, Mark
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Dissertator: Callahan, Shawn
Department: Univ. of Maryland, Coll. Park, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Warfighting: John Boyd’s Theory of Conflict, the Origins of Maneuver Warfare, and the Complex Process of Doctrinal Change in the US Marine Corps, 1975–89”
Advisor: Sumida, Jon
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Dissertator: Chardell, Daniel
Department: Harvard Univ., Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “The Gulf War: An International History, 1989–91”
Advisor: Manela, Erez
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Dissertator: Davis, Richard
Department: Florida State Univ., Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Feeling the Hot Breath of History: The Impact of Forrest Carlisle Pogue on US Military History, 1942–72”
Advisor: Piehler, G. Kurt
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Dissertator: DeVries, Amber
Department: Syracuse Univ., Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Building a Navy: Masculinity, Recruitment, and Life at Sea in the United States Navy, 1775–1900”
Advisor: Schmeller, Mark
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Dissertator: Frakes, Matthew
Department: Univ. of Virginia, Corcoran Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Rogue States: The Making of America’s Global War on Terror, 1980–94”
Advisor: Hitchcock, William
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Dissertator: Grasberger, Brooke
Department: Brown Univ., Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Spirits of the Sea: The Faith of Sailors through the Death of the Age of Sail”
Advisor: Fisher, Linford
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Dissertator: Leese, Bryan H.
Department: Department of War Studies King’s College London
Dissertation Title: “The Evolution of US Navy Operational Intelligence in the Cold War”
Advisor: Lambert, Andrew
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Dissertator: Mowry, Bethany
Department: Univ. of Oklahoma, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Relative Distances: Sailors and Women on the Philadelphia Waterfront, 1770-1830”
Advisor: Davis, Jennifer
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Dissertator: Philipps, Ross
Department: Texas A&M Univ., Coll. Station, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Cracking the Corps: The Marine Corps Withdrawal from Vietnam, 1969–71”
Advisor: Linn, Brian
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Dissertator: Scarminach, Shaine
Department: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Making Waves: US Foreign Policy and the Law of the Sea, 1967-82”
Advisor: Costigliola, Frank
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Dissertator: Seablom, Rachel
Department: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “Women Servicemembers of the 1980s: Integration of the American Military through Presence, Persistence, and Advocacy”
Advisor: Cheng, Cindy
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Dissertator: Stryker, Julia
Department: Univ. of Texas, Austin, Dept. of History
Dissertation Title: “‘But Then, You'll Say, She Was Used to the Sea’: Women’s Work at Sea and Britain's 19th-Century Empire’
Advisor: Levine, Philippa
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An announcement from Capt. Peter Swartz, a retired naval analyst and recipient of the Dudley Knox Medal for lifetime achievement in the naval history profession!
This week I transferred my unclassified personal professional archive of 14 file drawers of hard copy materials to the Naval War College Archives in Newport. The move was suggested and facilitated by my friend and colleague, Naval War College professor Anand Toprani, and sponsored by the Naval War College Foundation, to whom I am grateful (I’m particularly grateful to Naval War College archivist Patricia Gilrein, who handled the logistics of the move with professionalism and good humor).
The material largely deals with the Maritime Strategy of the 1980s, its antecedents, and related and subsequent commentary through 2024. It has hitherto resided in my home in Burke, Virginia, and has often been used over the years by you and others. The material pertains to several institutions, not just the Naval War College, but also OPNAV, the DON secretariat, fleet staffs, allied navies, the Marine Corps, the other US services, the Soviets, CNA, and independent analysts. There are no full-length books in the collection, in accordance with Naval War College Archives policy, although there are several copies of book chapters and other book extracts. In addition to strategy and policy, there is material on operations and exercises, war gaming, and tactics.
Henceforth, my collection will reside in Newport, in the custody of the Naval War College Archives, and will eventually be organized and administered by the Archives. It should prove useful to students, faculty, researchers, and others studying the US Navy in the 1980s and related topics.
(Note: My Vietnam War papers still reside in the archives of Texas Tech University. My classified Maritime Strategy papers still reside in the archives of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC)).
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Thanksgiving Day celebrations on board in November 1893, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command. | |
Get your 2025 Maritime Art Calendars! | |
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Naval History Book Sale Opportunities for Tuesday Tiding Readers
Two Major mublishers of naval history books have asked us to pass along notices of holiday savings!
Casemate is currently running its annual Pre-Thanksgiving sale which offers 75% off a list of more than 600 titles. There are a lot of naval books included, so it runs through November 28th (Thanksgiving Day). The list of discounted books can be found at the link below. The discount code and directions can also be found there.
https://www.casematepublishers.com/pre-thanksgiving-sale/
Then there is the Naval Institute Press. It is offering 50% off on many titles. See the catalogue at: US Naval Institute 2024 Holiday Catalog by USNIBooks - Issuu
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS REVIEWS | |
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From Ironclads to Dreadnoughts: The Development of the German Battleship, 1864–1918 By Dirk Nottelmann and David M. Sullivan; Helion and Co., Warwick, UK (2023).
Reviewed by Capt. Richard Dick, USN (Ret.)
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| |  | From Ironclads to Dreadnoughts, based on a series of articles by Dirk Nottelmann in Warship International, is probably the most comprehensive and detailed design and technical history of German battleships prior to 1919 currently available in English. The core of the narrative is a class-by-class history of the navies of Prussia and, after 1871, the German Empire. The authors place this class history into a detailed outline of the navy’s organization, particularly those parts of the navy devoted to ship design and construction. They begin their story with a brief maritime history of the German states from the Middle Ages through the founding of the Prussian Navy in 1815 and the navy’s eventual adoption of its first ironclad warship in 1865. At that point, the authors begin a deep dive into the German adoption and eventual development of ironclad and steel battleships. They draw on deep archival research to look at the creation of each class and the factors which influenced the design and construction choices made by German authorities. In every section, the authors incorporate many superb illustrations from photographs (many from the authors’ personal collections) and drawings, some of which were prepared specifically for the book.
Beginning with the formation of the German Empire in 1871, the writers organize the class-by-class narrative into eras defined initially by the heads of Admiralty. Kaiser Wilhelm II, who came to the throne in 1888, regarded himself as the head of the navy and assigned the responsibility for warship design and construction to the office of the Navy State Secretary, the office eventually occupied by the man most identified as the father of the Imperial German Navy, Alfred von Tirpitz, who occupied the post from 1897 to 1916.
As noted above, From Ironclads to Dreadnoughts is unmatched (at least in English) in its detailed description of the development of the German battleship to the end of World War I in its discussion of marine engineering, naval architecture, and armor and armament development. While the authors sketch the service history of each warship, they do not provide in-depth descriptions of each naval battle and each ship’s role in that battle. The only real weaknesses of the book (and they are minor) are the lack of a detailed table of contents and index. Also, this book is, foremost, a technical history and compendium. Readers who could not care less about block coefficients and the lozenge arrangement of gun turrets may find this volume a bit dry.
Dirk Nottelmann is a German marine engineer who has been researching and writing on the Prussian and Imperial German navies for 40 years. This book is his fifth in this area, along with over 150 articles and reviews in Warship International and other publications.
David M. Sullivan is a prominent naval and maritime historian; he is president of the International Naval Research Organization and edits its journal, Warship International. He also edits The Military Historian and Collector, the journal of the Company of Military Historians. His published works include a four-volume history of the US Marine Corps in the Civil War.
Captain Dick, USNA ’75, is a retired submariner; he also served over 29 years in the defense intelligence community in scientific and technical intelligence, intelligence support to the acquisition process, and foreign materiel.
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | |
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King’s Navy: Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King and the Rise of American Sea Power, 1897–1947
Dr. David Kohnen, PhD
Watch here>>
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McMullen Naval History Symposium 2025
The year 2025 marks many significant milestones for the United States and its navy. Of special note is the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the founding of the Continental Navy. Many other significant naval events celebrate lesser milestones this year as well, including the end of the First Barbary War and the War of 1812, the end of World War II, and the founding of the US Naval Academy. The History Department of the United States Naval Academy invites proposals for papers to be presented at the 2025 McMullen Naval History Symposium on these and any other topics related to the naval and maritime history of the United States or the world. While we encourage in-person attendance and participation, the 2025 McMullen will be equipped for very limited virtual participation for participants from outside the United States. Proposals should include a one-page curriculum vitae and an abstract of no more than 250 words that summarizes the research and its contribution to historical knowledge. Panel proposals that include three presenters and a chair are highly encouraged, and should include all relevant material on the presenters, as well as a one-page CV for the chair. The chair will function as a moderator for the panel; there will be no separate comment, apart from audience Q&A. When submitting proposals, either individual or panel, please put all materials into a single file.
Email proposals to navalhistorysymposium@gmail.com by midnight, 14 February 2025.
The program committee anticipates announcing a draft program by the end of April 2025. Online registration for the conference will begin in the spring of 2025. A small number of modest travel stipends are available to graduate students and recent PhDs who do not hold a tenure-track position or full-time employment. Support for these grants comes from the generosity of the McMullen Sea Power Fund established in honor of Dr. John McMullen, USNA Class of 1940. Please indicate your desire to apply for a travel stipend with your proposal. The committee will publish a volume of proceedings in the New Interpretations of Naval History Series, containing the best papers presented, at a future date. Further information on the 2025 McMullen Naval History Symposium, including hotel registration, will be available online at www.usna.edu/History/Symposium in early 2025. Specific inquiries may be directed to the director, Captain Stan Fisher, or deputy director, Dr. Abby Mullen, at the email address listed above.
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Maritime Communities Celebrating Milestones
SAVE THE DATES!
24–27 September 2025 • Buffalo, NY
We are delighted to be holding the 12th Maritime Heritage Conference in Buffalo in September 2025.
The conference brings together organizations and participants that engage in all aspects of maritime heritage. This includes maritime museums, historic lighthouses, tall ships for sail training and youth, small craft, marine art, sailing, naval and maritime scholars, advocacy, and more. It is also a gathering of the leadership of the maritime heritage community.
Buffalo will host the first Maritime Heritage Conference to be held in the Great Lakes region.
The 12th Maritime Heritage Conference (MHC) will bring together nautical heritage organizations and individuals for an information-packed conference encompassing a broad array of topics on the banks of Lake Erie at historic Buffalo, New York. Following in the wake of the World Canal Conference, which concludes with a bicentennial celebration of the opening of the Erie Canal, the 12th MHC will use that historic milestone to open a three-day program that invites attendees to consider other historic nautical milestones worthy of broader public attention.
The MHC has earned a reputation for its high take-away value, networking opportunities, and camaraderie. The conference steering committee invites you to become involved as a presenter; both session and individual proposals are encouraged. Don’t miss this opportunity to gather with individuals from all segments of the maritime community.
Call for Papers & Session Proposals
Papers and session topics include, but are not limited to:
• Inland Water Commerce and Seaport Operations (Erie Canal bicentennial!)
• Maritime and Naval History (2025 marks USN/USMC 250th Birthday)
• Maritime Art, Literature, and Music
• Education and Preservation
• Underwater Archaeology
• Trade and Communications
• Maritime Libraries, Archives, and Museums
• Marine Science and Ocean Conservation
• Historic Vessel Restoration
• Maritime Heritage Grant Program
• Maritime Landscapes
• National Marine Sanctuaries
• Small Craft
• Shipbuilding
• Marine Protected Areas
Focus sessions include, but are not limited to:
• Non-Profit administration
• Event Management
• Fundraising
• Media and Publications
• Media and Social Media
Submissions
Individual paper and session proposals should include a 250–400 word abstract and a one-paragraph biography about each presenter.
Please e-mail proposals and other queries to Dr. David Winkler at: MHC@seahistory.org
Deadline for proposals for papers and sessions is 31 May 2025.
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Society for Nautical Research Winter Lecture Series 2024–25
The Society for Nautical Research is delighted to announce the schedule for the forthcoming winter lecture series. These online talks will highlight new and ongoing research being undertaken by members of the society and its affiliations. The series aims to promote research into economic, social, political, military and environmental aspects of nautical history, drawing on British, European and international experience.
The 12-part lecture series will be held fortnightly on Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM (UK) between October 2024 to March 2025. Lectures will only be available online (via Zoom) and will be FREE to paying members of the SNR.
Not yet a member?
Sign up now from as little as £22.50 a year. Get access to exclusive events and talks, quarterly editions of the Mariner’s Mirror, and discounts at affiliated museums and gift shops! https://snr.org.uk/become-a-member/
Dates for your calendar:
4th December 2024: Sarah Mott, (Lloyd’s Register Foundation) “Rewriting Women into Maritime History; the SHE_SEES exhibition.”
18th December 2024: Bill Lindsay (independent scholar), “William Schaw Lindsay; Victorian Entrepreneur.”
Christmas Break
15th January 2025: Prof. Rodrigo Pérez Fernández (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), “The past, present and future of shipbuilding.”
29th January 2025: Dr. Alan James (King’s College London), (full title TBC)
12th February 2025: Dr. Matthew Heaslip (University of Portsmouth), (full title TBC)
26th February 2025: Dr. Michael Roberts (University of Bangor), Archaeological exploration of historical shipwrecks in the Irish Sea. (full title TBC)
12th March 2025: Dr. Jo Stanley (independent scholar), “Diversity at Sea: How sharing historical research can make a difference to the present and future of the maritime industry and public understanding.”
19th March 2025: Dr. Cathryn Pearce (University of Portsmouth), “‘Bandied about for a place of refuge’: Extreme Weather, Coastal Shipping, and the Loss of Lord Nelson, 1840”
How to attend the lectures?
Zoom details will be circulated prior to each of the lectures but details can also be found in the “events” section of the members area of the SNR website (Click Here).
For any questions or queries please contact the convener (daisy.turnbull@myport.ac.uk).
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UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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31 January–2 February 2025: Western Naval History Association Symposium (WNHA), San Diego, CA
27–30 March 2025: Society for Military History (SMH) Annual Meeting, Mobile, AL
9–11 April 2025: Council of American Maritime Museums Annual Meeting, Pensacola, FL
24–25 May 2025: Canadian Nautical Research Society Annual Conference Port Hope,
Ontario
18–19 September 2025: McMullen Naval History Symposium, US Naval Academy
24–28 September 2025: Historic Naval Ship Association (HNSA) Symposium/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: 242 - Last Days of the Schooner America with David Gendell>>
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 >>
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