December 7 1942 – The first of many rememberences and concerrn for...
On the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, many reflections take place in towns across the United States. I was reading yesterday that one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors turns 101 years old this...
View ArticleSubmarine Minelaying – More than one way to skin a cat
There is more than one way to skin a cat. That is one of those odd sayings form a long lost generation that typically means there is more than one way to successfully complete a task. My cats Moses and...
View ArticleThe Story of the Nautilus and the Nuns – New Years 1943
The Story of the Nautilus and the Nuns – New Years 1943 Eighty years ago this week, the submarine Nautilus shifted from her incredible role as a hunter killer to perform a mission of mercy. This is the...
View ArticleThe Broken Frame – Accidents happen. Or was it an accident?
Short post today. I was taking advantage of the New Year to clean up my Zombie Room. The Zombie room is where I write and have all my shelter in place supplies. The walls are filled with pictures and...
View ArticleA Day at the Races – Submarine Skulduggery in the Home Islands 1942-1943
Skulduggery has been described as underhanded or unscrupulous behavior. Using technology to sneak up on an enemy was once viewed by proper gentlemen as nothing more than skullduggery. In the nicest...
View ArticleA Swashbuckling Submariner – Creed Burlingame
The Washington Star GRAVURE SECTION from February 14, 1943 featured pictures of the many faces of the war around the world....
View ArticleHit Me on Head/ Patient in Undersea Ordeal Asks as Anesthesia Wears Off – The...
This is a companion article to the Swashbuckling Submariner. A Swashbuckling Submariner – Creed Burlingame I did a number of assignments on board the submarines I served on. That isn’t unusual since we...
View ArticleCOMSUBPAC is Missing – The Last Flight of the Philippine Clipper January 21,...
We take flying for granted. Before I went into the navy, I had been on one flight. Pittsburgh to Cleveland. It was a prop driven plane and I remember the thrill of lifting off the ground and speeding...
View ArticleOffenders to Be Enlightened-Equal Treatment to All : Japanese Propaganda in 1943
I’m a little behind this week since my younger brother passed away on Sunday. He had suffered from cardiovascular disease for quite some time and other complications. But 65 is still too young. His...
View ArticleJustice for the Sinking of the SS Dorchester on February 3 1943
Many articles have been written about the loss of the SS Dorchester on February 3, 1943. Eighty years ago this week, the sinking resulted in the tragic loss of many American soldiers who had never...
View ArticleA Gallant Ship – SS NATHANAEL GREENE
I love a story about a ship that was heroic. During the early days of World War 2, many ships were rapidly built to replace the ones that were being sunk by the onslaught of German Submarines in the...
View ArticleShe built it well
I got a “proud Aunt” note from one of my favorite cousins last year about her niece. “Hi Bob! Hope all is well. Just wanted to share. My niece, Isabella just became a certified welder and had her...
View ArticleRule number one at sea: keep the sea outside of the boat
What is bravery? Through the years, I have often been told by people that they could never ride a submarine. Claustrophobia is probably a big thing, but the fear of being cooped up in a small metal...
View ArticlePurple Heart Day July 7 2023 – Leadership Matters
Leadership I have studied leadership for most of my adult life. Watching the ultimate example of my own Father and the men of his generation was my first exposure to what it should look like. Honesty,...
View ArticleRemembering the Marby – The Story of the USS Marblehead and her Brave Crew
Watching the types of ships being built for the past few years reminds me of the ideology of the 1920’s. There was a desire for peaceful relations between the global community mixed with...
View ArticleNavy Day 1923 – Illusions of Peace
Editorial from the DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL Wednesday, October 10, 1923 “I knew by the smoke that so gracefully curled Above the green elms, that a cottage was near, And I said, ‘If there’s peace to be...
View ArticleTelegraphic News Flash: Explosion Kills Three on Submarine S-37
Life on submarines has always been risky. Whether it’s defying the physics of overcoming the sea’s depths or the nature of the machinery required to do so, every submariner undestands that the...
View ArticleRabaul – A Place Where Victory Came to Die
Rabaul was a significant base used by the Japanese during the early years of the secone World War. The Battle of Rabaul, also known by the Japanese as Operation R, an instigating action of the New...
View Article“if a submarine is hit, the crew will never hear the explosion”
October 1943 was a very busy time for an expanding fleet in every corner of the world. The trials for the leadership of the Navy and Army that had been in charge during the attacks on Hawaii and...
View ArticleNavy Day 1943 – Threats from Within and Warnings about the Future
In October 1943, the country had been at war for nearly two years. The strength and power of our industrial base was at nearly full speed and in every corner of the land, the equipment and supplies...
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