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Author on Deck – 1812: The Navy’s War by George Daughan March 1, 2012 WHAT: As part of the United States Navy Memorial’s Authors on Deck book lecture series, historian and award-winning author George C. Daughan will present his latest work, 1812: The Navy’s War (Basic Books; October 4, 2011). Guests are invited to [...]  Bug Roach was the Landing Signal Officer. I met him, a few times. Delightfully informal, a perpetual lieutenant commander, a peerless LSO. Died when his A-4 flamed out and the ejection seat failed to catapult him clear of the tail. His final words prior to bailout were, “This [...] I was dimly aware that one of the Flatley’s had landed a C-130 aboard a swept-deck aircraft carrier. It had evaded my attention that the USAF’s U-2 spyplane had done the same thing. Occasional reader SpazSinbad set me straight. I’d like to see them try that at night. On second thought… On this day in naval history, during the War of 1812, the USS Constitution, a 44-gun heavy frigate commanded by William Bainbridge, engaged, captured and burned HMS Java, rated at 38 guns. The sharp action, which left Java dismasted and afire, caused the Royal Navy to change its tactics with regards to engaging [...] Not just a Steve McQueen movie, but a real story about real men who wouldn’t stop fighting: It has lain hidden for nearly 70 years and looks, to the untrained eye, like a building site. But this insignificant tunnel opening in the soft sand of western Poland represents one of the greatest examples of [...] For your delectation, an assemblage of vintage aircraft vigorously attempting to tie the low altitude record. How low do they go? Lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut. Lower, even. Richard Somers was appointed a midshipman in April, 1797. He served on the USS United States in the Quasi-War in France, and captained the Nautilus in the Med, subsequently leading a division of gunboats that repeatedly attacked Tripoli. The Tripolitan corsairs had captured the nation’s attention during the Barbary Wars, and eventually Somers – [...] On this day in US naval history, the continental congress authorized the construction of thirteen frigates to guard the rebellion’s commerce and wage war upon British trading ships. Whether the number itself was unlucky, or whether we bit off more than we could chew against Nelson’s fleet, the effort was in vain. Only eight [...] An edited repost. It was 70 years ago today. For everyone of that generation – the “greatest generation”, although they didn’t know it yet – it was for them what 9/11 has become for us, without the internal rancor and divisions. Everyone could tell you exactly where they were that day. What they were [...] On 20 September 1956, a young USAF mechanic gave the machine entrusted to his care the ultimate preflight inspection: He took it flying. The rest, as the say, is history. |
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