Naval History Magazine - April 2023, Volume 37, Number 2

On Our Scope

April 2023

Our cover story this issue commemorates the 60th anniversary of the loss of the Thresher—and offers a compelling case for a possible solution.

Korean War Aviator Receives Navy Cross

April 2023

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro awarded the Navy Cross to retired Navy Captain Royce Williams for his exploits during the Korean War.

Naval Historical Foundation Finds New Home with Naval Institute

April 2023

The U.S. Naval Institute announced in January that NHF’s legacy and mission will continue within the Naval Institute fold.

2023 CNO Naval History Essay Contest Announced

April 2023

Essay entries should apply lessons from throughout naval history to the great-power competition of today.

The submarine HMS Seraph briefly served as a U.S. vessel during World War II to assuage French sentiments

In Contact

April 2023

Readers respond to stories from recent issues of Naval History.

Prelude to the Beginning

By J. M. Caiella

April 2023

The Lightning could contribute nothing to the newer technology, thus she simply faded away, including from the record books.

A Bomber Without Bombs

By Norman Polmar

April 2023

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress—the most famous Allied bomber of World War II—was not the fastest bomber, nor did it have the largest bomb capacity, nor the longest range, nor ...

Sail, Steam, and a Lone Star Shootout

By Eric Mills

April 2023

Not Many People realize that Texas once had a Navy of her own.

The Evolution of Frigates in the Age of Sail

By Philip K. Allan

April 2023

The word frigate originally was a generic term to describe any lightly armed, fast, and maneuverable warship.

The fully dressed Thresher hits the water during her launching ceremony

What Killed the Thresher?

By Norman Polmar

April 2023

It was history’s first loss of a nuclear-powered submarine. Sixty years later, we are still asking, “What happened?”

Marines of the 3d Battalion, 5th Regiment

First Combat on the Road to Baghdad

By Chip Reid

April 2023

Five days after crossing the Kuwait border, the 3d Battalion, 5th Marines encountered an ambush. They quickly proved, to the Iraqi troops’ dismay, that the best defense is an offense.

An Object Lesson on Allied Interoperability

By Andrew K. Blackley

April 2023

The Second Prize winner in the 2022 CNO Naval History Essay Contest gleans lessons for today from the experiences of the ill-fated American-British-Dutch-Australian Command.

The Perseverance of Lieutenant Nash

By William Galvani

April 2023

The remarkable story of Margaret Nash—World War II U.S. Navy nurse, POW, and Bronze Star recipient.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott writing in his diary in his Cape Evans hut

Heroism and Betrayal in Antarctica

By Karen May

April 2023

Scott of the Antarctic made one last expedition to reach the South Pole. When things fell apart, he maintained his honor to the bitter end.

A fanciful 17th-century depiction of the 13th-century Siege of Damietta

The Elusive Fleet of the Knights Templar

By Captain Sam J. Tangredi, U.S. Navy (Retired)

April 2023

They have been the subject of endless, outlandish speculation and farfetched theories. Here is a clear-eyed look at the legendary Crusader knights’ various uses of naval power.

Acts of Valor: Christian F. Schilt, USMC

By Kelly Swann

April 2023

Graphic artistry celebrates the heroic acts of a pioneering Marine Corps aviator who used a biplane to rescue his wounded comrades from a dire fate in Nicaragua.

The replica Golden Hinde is berthed at St Mary Overie Dock in London.

The Replica Golden Hinde: Drake’s Famous Treasure Galleon in London

By William Galvani

April 2023

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the original Golden Hinde and her faithful replica is that both of these tiny vessels (102 feet long) successfully circumnavigated the globe.

Book Reviews

April 2023

Experts review Lethal Tides, Blue Water War, and other new and noteworthy books.

‘Dont Give Up the Ship’—Paul X. Rinn

By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)

April 2023

Commander Paul X. Rinn’s dedication to damage control training and his cool head under pressure helped the Samuel B. Roberts’ crew save their ship after a mine blast broke her ...

‘Somebody’s Got to Say Something About the Problem’

By Admiral George W. Anderson, U.S. Navy (Retired)

April 2023

During his 1961–63 tenure as Chief of Naval Operations during the presidency of John F. Kennedy, Admiral Anderson weathered the storm in the wake of the mysterious loss of the ...

Pieces of the Past

April 2023

There are naval artists, and then there are Navy artists—painters who ply their talents in an official capacity while in uniform.

When a Religious Sea-Change Occurred at Annapolis

By Samuel Limneos

April 2023

Fifty years, ago, mandatory attendance at religious services ended at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Avoiding ABDACOM’s Annihilation: Lessons for Today from 1942

By Lieutenant Kyle Cregge, U.S. Navy

April 2023

If the allies want to deter or deny Chinese aggression, now is the time to learn from ABDACOM’s annihilation.

When a Religious Sea-Change Occurred at Annapolis—Part Two

By Sam Limneos

April 2023

Capping a long legacy of ever-evolving chapel regulations.

Sailors in Olive Drab

By James P. Gregory Jr.

April 2023

During the final year of World War I, enlisted U.S. Navy medical personnel performed great acts of heroism amid the killing fields of the Western Front.

At War with Their Own Government

By Taylor Baldwin Kiland

April 2023

How a group of military wives changed history during the Vietnam War.

Founding the WAVES

By Taira Payne

April 2023

Captain McAfee discusses how she joined the WAVES.

Shipwreck Discovery

By Emily Martin

April 2023

Additional photos of the wrecks of the USS Juneau and USS Lexington discovered in March 2018.

The Gunboats of Shiloh

By Brigadier General Raymond E. Bell Jr., U.S. Army (Retired)

April 2023

General Grant’s beleaguered forces faced an increasingly dire situation in April 1862; a pair of U.S. Navy gunboats helped engineer a reversal of fortune for the U.S. Army.