The Virgin Islands

                                                 31 MARCH 1917                                            THE VIRGIN ISLANDS World War I had been tearing Europe apart since the summer of 1914.  Here, we struggled to stay neutral, despite the sinkings of American merchant ships carrying cargoes to the Allies.  To most Americans, WWI Read More

The Yeomanettes

                                                 19 MARCH 1917                                             THE YEOMANETTES By the Spring of 1917 the “Great War” had been raging in Europe for several years and a yet neutral America was being drawn ever closer to the fray.  Noting the gathering war clouds, Congress had Read More

Navy Veteran Presidents

                                               20 JANUARY 1961                                     NAVY VETERAN PRESIDENTS The inauguration of Donald J. Trump as our 47th President later today calls attention to the dwindling number of government legislators with prior military service and the impact this has on defense issues.  For the Read More

The Origin of “U.S.S.”

                                     TODAY IN NAVAL HISTORY                                                 8 JANUARY 1907                                           THE ORIGIN OF “U.S.S.” Prior to the 20th century there was no policy governing the titling of US warships in official correspondence.  Navy vessels were sometimes distinguished from merchant or research ships by Read More

RADM William S. Benson, USN

                                             25 SEPTEMBER 1919                                  RADM WILLIAM S. BENSON, USN In the years before WWI, the Secretary of the Navy took a more hands-on approach to day-to-day Navy activities.  He was assisted by the Chiefs of the eight Bureaus in matters such as Read More