By Zach Smyers HRNM Educator Before he became a Grammy winning songwriter, singer, and producer, Bill Withers served his country in the U.S. Navy. William Harrison Withers Jr., the youngest of six children, was born on July 4, 1938, in Slab Fork, West Virginia. His father was a coal miner and died when Withers was 13 years old. In 1956, at age 17, Withers enlisted in the Navy. After boot camp, Withers went to Pensacola, Florida, for training as an aviation mechanic. During his time in the Navy, Withers overcame an issue with stuttering, and during liberty with his fellow Sailors he becam ..read more

By Nick Wieman HRNM Educator To read part 1 of this blog, click here. Stephen Decatur’s swift and efficient burning of USS Philadelphia, without a single casualty, made an impression on his superiors. Commodore Edward Preble, the commander of the American blockade of Tripoli and collaborator with Stephen Decatur in planning the destruction of the Philadelphia, successfully lobbied Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert to have Decatur promoted to captain at the age of 25. Decatur remains the youngest person promoted to captain in the U.S. Navy. Even with the burning of Philadelphia making h ..read more

By Nick Wieman HRNM Educator On February 16, 1804, saboteurs sailing a stolen vessel under a false flag boarded an American warship in Tripoli Harbor and put it to the torch before sailing off into the night under cannon fire. This act of daring sabotage was reportedly called “the most daring act of the age” by Horatio Nelson. The perpetrator was none other than Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, one of America’s first post-Revolution naval heroes. Commodore Stephen Decatur (NHHC) Since the early 16th century, the three largest so-called “Barbary states” of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli co ..read more

By Zach Smyers HRNM Educator With his distinctive hooked nose, piercing eyes, and powerful baritone voice, Lee Van Cleef became one of the most recognizable villains on both television and the silver screen. However, before his fame in Hollywood, Van Cleef served in the United States Navy. Clarence Leroy Van Cleef was born on January 9, 1925, in Somerville, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, Van Cleef enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17. He completed basic training and then attended Sonarman School. Upon graduating, he received a promotion to Sonarman Third Class. Van Cleef the ..read more

By Bennett White HRNM Volunteer Thomas Paige likely served aboard USS Minnesota during the Battle of Hampton Roads. In this painting, USS Minnesota is protected by USS Monitor on March 9, 1862. (Tom Freeman Art) African Americans have participated in armed conflicts since the American Revolution; however, the Civil War was the first time the Federal Army and Navy officially incorporated free Black men and previously enslaved individuals into their ranks. In his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln instituted a policy allowing Union military commanders to ..read more

By Mark Freeman HRNM Ceremonies/Special Events Coordinator Enlisted Naval Aviators (NAPs) have played a crucial yet often overlooked role in shaping the history of naval aviation. To learn more about the Naval Aviation Pilot, please see our previous blog. This article seeks to shed light on several of the most famous NAPs, spanning the period from 1911 to 1981. The journey begins with the humble origins of enlisted aviation training, exploring the challenges and triumphs that these men faced in their quest to take to the skies. In the nascent days of naval aviation, the distinction of being ..read more

By Zac Cunningham HRNM School Programs Educator “Command Performance–formerly shortwaved to American armed forces overseas–is presented to the domestic audience for the first time tonight in Christmas Eve broadcasts heard all over Pittsburgh stations,” reported Vincent Johnson on the radio page of the December 24, 1942, edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.[1] Command Performance, a variety show, was the flagship program of the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS), a unique military unit established by the War Department on May 26, 1942. Based in Hollywood, AFRS existed, as Matthew Seelinger ..read more

By Mark Freeman HRNM Ceremonies/Special Events Coordinator Naval Aviation Pilot insignia (NHHC) Enlisted naval aviators have played a crucial role in the history of military aviation. Enlisted as non-commissioned officers, these aviators have undergone rigorous training, operated diverse aircraft, and actively participated in major battles. The roots of enlisted pilots can be traced back to 1916. The first class of enlisted pilots were trained in Pensacola, Florida. Once these men received designation as Navy Air Pilots (Enlisted), many were transferred to the Navy Reserve Flying ..read more

By Zac Cunningham School Programs Educator In the late 1940s, Germany was the front line in the new global Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. The U.S., Great Britain, and France occupied the country’s west while the Soviet Union occupied its east. One hundred miles inside the Soviet-controlled east, the city of Berlin was similarly split. Divided Germany and Berlin became battlegrounds where military power was used first to deny and then to provide civilians the necessities of life. Aerial view of World War II destruction in Berlin around the Brandenburg Gate (Wi ..read more

By CAPT Alexander Monroe, USN (Ret.)HRNM Volunteer World War Two brought innovations in the ways in which offensive maritime operations were carried out. Amphibious operations was a way of projecting great combat power to a hostile foreign shore to ensure ultimate victory. Tank Landing ships, designated LSTs, were built in non-traditional locations known as “corn belt shipyards,” such as Jefferson Boat and Machine Company, and steamed down inland rivers to the open ocean.[i] They were designed to embark vehicles and troops and put them ashore through large bow doors. Once offloaded in an oppo ..read more