Black Submariners in the United States Navy, 1940-1975

Black Submariners in the United States Navy, 1940-1975 PDF Author: Glenn A. Knoblock
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786483008
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 495

Get Book

Book Description
For as long as an American naval force has existed, black sailors have served it with bravery, distinction, and little or no recognition. They have since earned praise for service in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, and more recently, they were integral to the development of the U.S. Submarine Service. Their roles limited by segregation, black submariners nonetheless were a key element of the "Silent Service" throughout World War II. With desegregation came expanded opportunities, and black submariners witnessed the birth and evolution of the nuclear-powered submarine, and some of the tensest moments of the Cold War. These men paved the way for those who followed--their contributions deserve recognition, and their stories deserve to be told. This exploration of the role of African American submariners chronicles their service from World War II through the Cold War era. An historical overview of black sailors and the evolution of the Steward's Branch, to which black sailors were eventually restricted, precede descriptions of becoming a steward and a submariner, and of life as a submariner during World War II. An account of black submariners in post-war service during desegregation, the development of the nuclear submarine, and throughout the Cold War follows. Oral histories of more than fifty black submariners who served in World War II and post-war form the heart of the book. Photographs of the men profiled, including wartime photographs, complement the text. Appendices outline the naval steward rating system, list all black submarine stewards serving in World War II, top stewards by number of war patrols, and those lost or killed during wartime service. Rear Admiral Melvin G. Williams, Jr., submarine fleet commander and son of one of the men profiled, provides a foreword.

Black Submariners in the United States Navy, 1940-1975

Black Submariners in the United States Navy, 1940-1975 PDF Author: Glenn A. Knoblock
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786483008
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 495

Get Book

Book Description
For as long as an American naval force has existed, black sailors have served it with bravery, distinction, and little or no recognition. They have since earned praise for service in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, and more recently, they were integral to the development of the U.S. Submarine Service. Their roles limited by segregation, black submariners nonetheless were a key element of the "Silent Service" throughout World War II. With desegregation came expanded opportunities, and black submariners witnessed the birth and evolution of the nuclear-powered submarine, and some of the tensest moments of the Cold War. These men paved the way for those who followed--their contributions deserve recognition, and their stories deserve to be told. This exploration of the role of African American submariners chronicles their service from World War II through the Cold War era. An historical overview of black sailors and the evolution of the Steward's Branch, to which black sailors were eventually restricted, precede descriptions of becoming a steward and a submariner, and of life as a submariner during World War II. An account of black submariners in post-war service during desegregation, the development of the nuclear submarine, and throughout the Cold War follows. Oral histories of more than fifty black submariners who served in World War II and post-war form the heart of the book. Photographs of the men profiled, including wartime photographs, complement the text. Appendices outline the naval steward rating system, list all black submarine stewards serving in World War II, top stewards by number of war patrols, and those lost or killed during wartime service. Rear Admiral Melvin G. Williams, Jr., submarine fleet commander and son of one of the men profiled, provides a foreword.

Life Under the Microscope as an African-American

Life Under the Microscope as an African-American PDF Author: James M. Mosley
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1465351086
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 316

Get Book

Book Description


Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em

Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em PDF Author: Mike Ostlund
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 076278430X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 541

Get Book

Book Description
Now in paperback, revised and updated, the stirring and authoritative account of one of World War II's most highly decorated submarines Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em is the first book to recount the tragic and mysterious loss of the World War II submarine USS Gudgeon. In April 1944, the highly decorated submarine USS Gudgeon slipped beneath the waves in one of the most treacherous patrol areas in the most dangerous military service during World War II. Neither the Gudgeon nor the crew was ever seen again. Author Mike Ostlund's “Uncle Bill,” the operator of a farm implements business, was aboard that ship as a lieutenant junior grade. Through extensive research of patrol reports in U.S. and Japanese naval archives, interviews with veterans who had served aboard the Gudgeon before its final patrol, and the personal effects of the lost men's relatives, Ostlund has assembled the most accurate account yet of this remarkably successful submarine's exploits, of the men aboard from steward to captain, and of what we now know about her demise. Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em details the memories and life lessons of the young men who went to sea aboard Gudgeon before its last patrol knowing hardly anything, and came home having seen too much.

Fremantle's Submarines

Fremantle's Submarines PDF Author: Michael Sturma
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
ISBN: 1612518613
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 249

Get Book

Book Description
From unpromising beginnings in March 1942, the Allied submarine base at Fremantle on the west coast of Australia became a vital part of the Allied offensive against Japan. Pushed back from the Philippines and the Netherlands’ East Indies, American submariners, accompanied by a small group of Dutch forces, retreated to Fremantle as a last resort. The location was chosen for its good harbor and the fact that it was outside the range of land-based Japanese aircraft. Unfortunately the base was also far from their patrol areas and supply lines, and it was difficult to reinforce should the enemy attack. Thanks largely to a welcoming civilian population, morale quickly improved. The hospitality and sense of belonging fostered by Western Australians became legendary among Allied submariners and remains central to their wartime memories. Perhaps as a result of such a positive experience, the Allied forces became much more successful in combat. Intertwining social and military history, Fremantle’s Submarines relates how courage, cooperation, and community made Fremantle arguably the most successful military outpost of World War II from the standpoint of troop morale.

The United States Navy

The United States Navy PDF Author: John C. Fredriksen
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1598844326
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 388

Get Book

Book Description
Covering more than two centuries of naval history, this chronology highlights the individuals and events that shaped one of the world's greatest fighting forces—the United States Navy. The United States Navy: A Chronology, 1775 to the Present showcases the dramatic role of the nation's warships throughout America's long history and documents the Navy's vital contributions to establishing the United States as a superpower. Beginning with the American Revolutionary War, this comprehensive work details major and minor events in the history of the U.S. Navy through Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The topics included in this book describe not only battles at sea, but also important political and administrative changes, as well as notable events in the careers of admirals and other naval leaders. Significant battles in all major wars are covered, along with actions in smaller conflicts. This chronology also includes the founding of noted schools of instruction; the introduction of new classes of warships and aircraft; and significant naval texts, such as Alfred Thayer Mahan's seminal The Influence of Naval Power upon History.

Building American Submarines, 1914-1940

Building American Submarines, 1914-1940 PDF Author: Gary E. Weir
Publisher: The Minerva Group, Inc.
ISBN: 0898750660
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 184

Get Book

Book Description
In this volume, Gary E. Weir assesses the Navy's efforts between 1914 and 1940 to develop effective submarines. In particular, the author describes the work of the Navy and private industry that allowed the relatively primitive submersible of the First World War period to be replaced by the fleet submarine that fought in the Second World War.Building American Submarines argues that there was a fundamental shift in the relationship between the Navy and its submarine suppliers during this period. After being completely dependent upon private industry in 1914, the Navy - not industry - controlled the design and construction process by the eve of the Second World War.. As a result, the Navy was able to acquire high-quality submarines to fulfill the nation's strategic requirements. When we entered the Second World War, these new submarines were ready to undertake prolonged and effective antishipping operations in distant waters. That capability was of enormous importance in the ensuing triumph of American sea power over Imperial Japan.In tracing these developments, the author provides insights into the goals of the naval submarine submarine leaders, the evolution of the American submarine industry, the influence of German underseas technology, and strategic requirements foreseen by naval planners. The Navy's historians hope that this case study of the problems and successes involved in a major weapons acquisition program will be of particular interest to naval personnel involved in that process today, as well as to representatives of the industrial firms that supply the needs of the modern Navy.

The Depths of Courage

The Depths of Courage PDF Author: Flint Whitlock
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1440636796
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 449

Get Book

Book Description
Chosen by WWII History magazine as one of the Best Books of the Year. In the dark days after Pearl Harbor, the small, illequipped arm of the Navy known as Submarine Force would stand between the shattered U.S. Pacific Fleet and the might of the Japanese Navy. Unfortunately, the spirit and courage of the Submarine Force is being forgotten as the veterans of that force pass into history. To preserve their heroic tales of war beneath the sea, critically acclaimed author and military historian Flint Whitlock, in collaboration with decorated World War II submarine veteran Ron Smith, set out on a journey of more than two years to interview submariners and to record their accounts before the memories of their endeavors are lost forever. These are their stories.

Building American Submarines, 1914-1940

Building American Submarines, 1914-1940 PDF Author: Gary E. Weir
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 186

Get Book

Book Description


African American World War II Casualties and Decorations in the Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine

African American World War II Casualties and Decorations in the Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine PDF Author: Glenn A. Knoblock
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 598

Get Book

Book Description
"This book is an account of the 2,445 African American men who were killed, wounded or decorated during World War II in the Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. In addition to detailing the circumstances and location of each loss, information of a more personal nature is often included. The book includes many pictures of the men profiled"--Provided by publisher.

The Men

The Men PDF Author: Stephen Leal Jackson
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN: 1608444872
Category : Submariners
Languages : en
Pages : 198

Get Book

Book Description
Submarine duty during World War II was one of the most statistically deadly, physically demanding, and emotionally challenging assignments in the U. S. Navy. The boats had few crew comforts, and war patrols, typically thirty to sixty days in length, were so exhausting that the submarine sailors often got a month of rest after each patrol. What would motivate men to volunteer for this unmistakably difficult and dangerous job? This is the question that The Men will answer using the oral histories of enlisted submarine veterans, a collection of letters of one sailor who did not return, and other primary sources. These volunteers, from diverse locales and backgrounds, ignored the danger, accepted the privations, and exalted in the camaraderie. Their excitement, fear, and humble heroism is captured in their own words; the real story of the undersea war in the Pacific told by the men who fought it. A veteran of the United States Navy, Stephen Leal Jackson spent eight years in the submarine force serving on the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) and the USS Florida(SSBN 728). Jackson's service included several Western Pacific cruises to the oceans, lands, and ports described in The Men. A lifelong student of American history, Jackson's ongoing research concentrates specifically on World Wars I and II. Jackson received his Master of Arts in American History from Providence College and is currently in the Ph.D. program at Salve Regina University. Jackson has served as the primary spokesperson for a major electrical utility on nuclear and environmental issues. His unique perspective as a onetime navy enlisted submariner, trained historian, and skilled communicator allows Jackson to provide clear and easy access to the fascinating experiences of the men who fought the undersea battles during World War II.