A LIBERTY VERSUS A GERMAN RAIDER

What your are looking at here is the launching of the SS Stephen Hopkins...a Liberty ship...sliding down the ways and ready to serve her country.
Now I don't have to go into great detail here, but most people know that the Liberty ship was not built to be a "warship"....she was built as a transport 'cargo' from point A to point B.
Well.....this is one case where a Liberty ship kicked ass on a German Raider.
I really do think the reader will find this an extremely interesting article.  German ships are involved, as well as British, and US vessels provides excellent facts on just what happened...to the German raider Stier.

Yes it does start off where you wonder...where is this article going....well just hang in there....read it slowly....and I believe you'll find glued to the article.

I hope you find the article interesting...and don't be afraid to let me know what you think

Just click HERE to give it a go.

THE COST.....OF MEN AND SHIPS

For those readers that are young and WW II was before their time, and even those that can remember the war....I'd like to throw some numbers at you that entails the cost of this war.  I don't wish to bring to light the $$$$$$'s  I'm talking the number of men, women, and ships.
So this is the purpose of my banging out some figures for the reader to juggle around and think about.
After you read the article...then indulge in a glass of wine, or whatever....and mull over the question..."Just who was the winner?"  And as that question is bouncing off the inside of your skull...if you're like me I come up with one word...."WHY!"
HERE is some thoughts and examples of my weird thinking on this matter.

FRANCE: FRIEND OR FOE?

The other day I posted an article similar to this subject mater.  Well that article provided a small segment of "Operation Torch" or some will refer to it as the Invasion of North Africa..  

A few individuals have contacted me since that article and wanted to know the complete story of "Operation Torch".  

So I figured I'd give it a go and see if I could present a picture to the reader of just what took place.  Now there was a lot of "first" in this invasion...and yes there are some "dry" areas of reading....but if you hang with the article you'll get the complete picture of just what took place in the vast three point invasion that was super objective ...and certainly got the job done.

HERE is the story of "Operation Torch"

THE HARD LUCK LINERS

You know you don't ever wish bad luck on anyone, but there are times that "bad luck" just seems to follow you around like "sticky honey" on a door knob.
Well that seemed to be the case when King Emmanues III of Italy wanted to name two passenger ships with his daughters names.
Let me tell you...things just did not go well with these two ships.

HERE is the story...and it is almost unbelivable!!

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN THE T2 TANKER

In this day an age just about everyone realizes that just about everything 'runs' on oil.

Well let me tell you when WW II broke out the nations at hand soon realized  there destiny relied on the control of fuel for all their equipment of battle.  Actually the Japanese were one of those....that simpily ran out of fuel for her ships as well as her planes.

Some people looked ahead and seen how the transportation of fuel need to be of the up-most importance.  So...a single ship design was sought after and eventually 520 T2 type tankers became the most widely produced tanker in history to get "product" from point A to point B.

HERE is the story

TOO FEW, TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

If you are at all interested in the "Naval Airborne" side of WW II, this article I'm sure will be somewhat interesting to you.

When the Japanese jumped into the war....they had superbly trained Navy pilots, with plenty of experience.  Actually none of the Japanese pilots that attack Pearl Harbor had less than 650-hrs of flying.....but things went down hill pretty fast from that point on.

This article also provides some idea on what the US Navy pilots had to go through to eventually become well above their Japanese foes.

Now I know Naval aviation is not interesting to all that venture into my articles.....but even if you got "some" interest I don't think this article will disappoint you.

Click HERE

INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA

SO VALIANT THE HEROES

SO FUTILE THE MISSION

------------------

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the title: Invasion of North Africa, but on this 'invasion' are you familiar with the two former US Coast Guard cutters that was sacrificed to make this invasion possible?

There was only one way into the Oran harbor...and this was blocked by a 'gate' and it was up to these to Banff-class ships to get the job done

In doing there job...many men were lost as well as their ships.  Click HERE to give this most interesting article a read.

THE LACONIA ORDER

Here is a case where a huge ship, the RMS Passenger Liner RMS Laconia, was torpedoed by a German U-boat.  Well the U-boat did a number on the ship...and she was going down, but when the U-boat captain found out there were 2,444 crew and passengers, as well as Italian POWs....it raised a big rescue dilemma.

The U-boat Captain attempted to rescue the Italian POWs, whom was an ally of Germany.....well it didn't go well after Allied warships and aircraft became involved. Click HERE for a very interesting read.

KING OF THE SNAGBOATERS

HENRY MILLER SHREVE

Yes, he was "King of the Snagboaters"

Back in the early 1800's many of the southern rivers of the United States were clogged up with fallen trees....and it was generally fairly hard for riverboats to get from point A to point B.  In fact there was the Red River in Arkansas so clogged up they called it "The Raft"

Well "Ole Henry" as a self-educated marine inventor designed and built the famed snagboats that cleared these southern rivers.

This made him so famous that a town was named after him...."Shreveport"

So HERE is how Henry Miller Shreve became the "King of the Snagboaters"

TITANIC II AN UPDATE

Here is a 'short clip' on the construction of RMS Titanic II.

Mr. Clive Palmer, whom is an Australian entrepreneur is shouting from the roof tops that there will be a Titanic II.  Construction to begin before 2014 and a sailing date in late 2016.

HERE is the latest on this project.

TURNAROUND AT CAPE ESPERANCE

At times you read articles of the US and her Allies winning battles....and as your reading about these battles there are times the reader shakes their head....wondering how in the heck did we luck out on this one.

Well her is another one of these battles....and truthfully I really don't know who won this particular fight....

Almost an accidental victory, the night action in Guadalcanal's infamous "SLOT" proved the US Navy was at last learning how to fight at night.

Oh my....just wait till you read this.....it is a grabber of a head shake.  Click HERE to read

TWILIGHT FOR THE BIG GUNS

The "Big Guns" of WW II were giants in there own right.  If were to see one in the open sea in the fore-coming heat of a battle, even from a long distance it would make your legs wobble, but yet according to some they only played an important secondary role.

To see them unleash those mighty guns must have been a sight to behold.

Many of the "high-powered Naval commands" from all nations expected showdowns between these giant beasts, but it never happened.

So HERE is there story...I think you'll find it most interesting.

USS CAIRO: A JAMES EADS DREAM

If you are interested in history, you soon realize bucket loads of it has helped change our present, and this is very true for Naval history.

This is a story about the USS Cairo which really came about as a new concept in river gunboats.  One of these new concepts were known as "Pook's Turtles" or City-class gunboats.  Many at the time also referred to these gunboats as "Jim Eads gunboats."  

So, if you care to give this article a go it will tell you what the Cairo was involved in, also about her concept from James Buchanan Eads shipyards....and the salvage operations to raise the Cairo in the 1960's.

CLICK : HERE

"THE NEW" EMERGENCY TOWING VESSELS

Oh yes...."Tug Boats" we've all heard of and have a picture in our mind of what a tug should look like...at least us "old salts" do.

But, oh yes there is a "but" things has changed....just like the old "land line phone to cell phones."  This is a good thing and the same can be stated about the ole "tug-boats."

You see as the environment changes, our world changes...more cars, means more oil, more oil means bigger tankers to haul the oil....and here comes that word "but" again.....what happens when these big super tankers get into trouble at sea....when that happens our shores are in for a "world of hurt."

Well someone has to find the tanker that is in trouble, fix what ever the problem is...and get it the hell out of there.....this my friends takes a new type of tug....the ETV [EMERGENCY TOWING VESSELS]...here is how that all came to be CLICK: HERE

TITANIC'S 'NIGHT TO REMEMBER'

Like most of you I've indulged myself in reading many Titanic articles/stories, watch countless TV programs with HD pictures of the sunken vessel.

There was one program I watch that explained ever detail of "why" the vessel sunk....but I still don't think the experts are 100% sure.

Here not to long ago a lady stepped up and made an announcement that she knew for a fact what happen.....because her grandmother revealed to her the lie her grandfather never told anyone except on his deathbed.  

Her grandfather being Charles H. Lightoller Second officer of the Titanic.  So here is her story.....you can give it a go and see what you think of this families best kept secret.

Click HERE for the article

SPRATLY ISLAND GROUP TROUBLE WAITING TO HAPPEN

Actually I've never heard of these islands, until I heard about this ...then I done some research and low and behold there they were.

So....is this trouble that is going to bubble to the surface???....you can bet your shorts on it.

Anytime you combine oil and oil turns into huge sums of money.....well it does not take any overly smart individual that this could be a hot spot where nations actually thing about shooting at one another over this "black gold".

Short article that could be extremely interesting in the future.

Click HERE if you'd care to give it a go.

SS EDWARD M. HOUSE

The SS Edward M. House happened to be a true blue Liberty freighter.  Built in 1943, met up with U-984...them two had a rather wild get-together...seems a torpedo came between their friendship.

Anyway even with this unfortunate meeting between them...you will be somewhat surprised by the outcome.

Well if you are inclined to let the eyes roll over this rather short ship history just click: HERE

HISTORY OF SS DELMUNDO

On 13 August 1942, the American Merchant Marine ship SS DELMUNDO was torpedoed by the German U-600 and sank in the Windward Passage, near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Captain Henry Peter "Harry" Smith was the Master. He died two days later from injuries sustained during the attack.

The reason I am posting this very interesting event on this blog is the amount of info that is entailed in the history of this event.  If you are looking into 'info' about a family member that was maybe a Merchant Seaman or US Navy guy...this might be something you would want to take a look at.  After all many times at least I have found, info is buried in other ship histories events.

Click HERE  if you'd care to give this a read.

FLOATING WHITE HOUSE

Many of us recall what was referred to as the "Cold War"....this was somewhere back in the early 60s.  All of this centered around how we were going to survive a nuclear attack.

Dog tags were issued to many school children who also went through the "duck-and-cover" drills.  The government began issuing brochures, films, and radio advertisements to prepare US citizens of such an attack.

Also...many things were put into place to protect officials of our government...this was known as the "Doomsday Fleet."

FLOATING WHITE HOUSE

ABDA FLEET GOT POUNDED

Nobody starts out to lose a fight, or a battle, each side thinks they can gain the upper hand and be the gallant winners, even the countries that are known as 'super powers'.

In WW II the Allies formed up the ABDA [American, British, Dutch, Australian] Fleet to take on the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Well folks they did get into the battle...that was for sure, but the ABDA Fleet got there butt beat....loss of ten ship and 2174 sailors.

HERE is that story

USF CONSTITUTION & HMS GUERRIERE

I do a lot of reading about what I call the "Old Wars" to try and compare those sea battles to present day sea battles....and I'm still not really sure which was the worst.

Well here is a battle that took place in 1812....some call it the "most famous" sea battle of that conflict...I'm not so sure of that...all were bad in my reading of history....but it is a battle with interest.

Also there is some info on the USF Constitution that may interest you as well.  

Hope you find the article interesting

Click HERE to read the article. 

ESCAPE FROM WAKE ISLAND

The term "Wake Island" seems to have nasty memories to a lot of people that has the view that the US Navy let their men down during this event...and that may be so...but I'll let the reader decide that.

Another thing that some individuals may not realize is that the "Pam American Clipper" was involved in getting many people off the island before the Japanese invaded.

This article...which is a "Two Part" article is long...but it is extremely detailed on how all of the above took place and turned out....which I think you'll find that it will be an extremely interesting read.

Hope you enjoy

PART I

PART II

LEND-LEASE [WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW ]

I wish to state early on that this article is probably not going to be interesting to all concerned.  What it does dive into is the amounts of money spent, and some percentages of who gave what to whom.

Now does it provide data and info that the average person was aware that took place...."Yes, it does"

I was taken back by the "numbers of planes, ships, trucks, locomotives, and rail cars that was shipped.....almost unbelievable.

My hat is off the President Roosevelt that was at the head of making this happen.

click: LEND-LEASE PROGRAM [WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW]

ISMAY'S NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Much has been written about the famous Titanic, and I would imagine there will be much more in the future.

But what about the 'guy' behind the Titanic...the guy that was pulling the strings to make it all happen....more or less 'his way'.

I'm talking about J. Bruce Ismay whom was born into wealth...and stepped into his fathers shoes to take over running the White Star Line.

He later was to fall from grace and be called a coward...and many other names that I will not mention here.

The man behind the Titanic and interesting read

To read click on title: ISMAY'S NIGHT TO REMEMBER

MERCY SHIPS WITH STING

I am not so sure many know of the three ships that the Navy acquired to be labeled "Evacuation Transports."  Actually I don't think many know what that 'term' actually meant.

The hulls were 'merchant,'  and they were signed up....on paper as "Tryon Class" and given the hull sign as (APH--1, APH-2, APH-3).  Now APH-1...was actually the brand new C-2 SS Alcoa Courier.  

Now this is a fairly interesting article...something you may not have realized in the many facets of WW II.

Want to give it a read....click on the title: MERCY SHIPS WITH STING

SHE IS AGROUND! SO NOW WHAT?

It could be that many of you have read or heard of a US Navy vessel going aground on January 17, 2013 on Tubbataha Reef.  If you haven't or you really don't know the details behind this unfortunate event this article may offer you some insight of the incident.

The vessel involved was the USS Guardian (MCM-5), which was an Avenger-class mine countermeasures vessel.  She was a fairly 'new' addition to the US Navy fleet....being launched on June 20th 1987.

Well if interested...just click on this title:

SHE IS AGROUND!  SO NOW WHAT?

SS EDITH [OLD SHIP WITH PLENTY OF HEART]...UNTIL

Oh yes, she had some whiskers on her, and she served in both wars, but all in all she done pretty darn good.

In WW I she was commissioned in the US Navy and assigned to the transportation division....and she done well until a break down.

Well then the US Navy kind of gave up on her....but she continued on ....Until!!!

If you care to read about her

Just click on this SS EDITH

CAMOUFLAGE

THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT THE "HOW'S & WHY'S" OF SHIP CAMOUFLAGE.

-------------------------

Now I don't wish to set here and say this is the 'ultimate' of articles to explain this particular subject matter of US Navy History, but it will offer the reader some 'insight' to ship Camouflage.

Some people (readers) believe that they read one article on a subject and it is suppose to be the 'ultimate' tell all....well that my good friends is not how it works in reading historical events and historical articles of interest.

I've published other articles on this same subject, and I find it interesting in the 'bits and pieces' that is explained in each.....so this one is no different.  

If you have an interest in this sort of naval history on how camouflage came about...this may offer you 'some' answers.....then again it may not...but I think you'll find it a darn good read.

So...if you are prepared to give it a go...just click on the title: CAMOUFLAGE

SS EDGAR ALLEN POE

Actually the ship your viewing is of the USS E. A. Poe (IX-103)....it is the "EX" SS Edgar Allen Poe.  

After connecting with a torpedo from the Japanese Submarine I-21 she lost her engines and boilers but she didn't sink.....so the Navy seen another opportunity for this ole girl to serve....and serve she did.

If you'd care to have a look at her history....just click: HERE

THE ATLANTIC BRIDGE

President Roosevelt described the Liberty ships as forming a "Bridge across the Atlantic", and when you  really get to thinking of what these vessels performed I would say that description pretty much hit the "nail on the head."
This article has several Liberties, [as well as their 'half-sisters' Oceans and Fort stories embedded in this article....as well as describing who actually captured the first 'Enigma Machine.'...[well it certainly was not the Americans].
I have included the battle between the Sambo ex Edwin Joseph O'Hare and the I-27....which was not a good turn out for Sambo....but the I-27 met up with the HMS Petard and Paladin  where as she met her end, but not before she put up one damn good fight.

So....if you are 'into' Liberty ships, convoys, and good British info as well....you may wish to take a look at this one....

If you wish to indulge...click HERE to get to the article.

SS YAMHILL AND THE U-851

This actually is a mystery....and who doesn't like a good mystery?  This particular mystery takes place in WW II in the Indian Ocean.
It's about a German U-boat hauling a very expensive cargo to Japan and she meets up with a T-2 tanker carrying airplane fuel...well the story unfolds from there.....but the mystery is:  the U-boat is never heard from again...and nobody believes the tanker scored a hit on the U-boat....
If you'd care to give this one a read...just click HERE.

SHIPYARDS AND THEIR WORKERS

This two part article is rather long in relation to some of my other articles on Liberty ship info....and it took me a great deal of time to pound it out...but it offers a great deal of info to the individual that has an interest in "Liberty Ships."
In this piling up of words you'll read abut the "Unions", the cost variance of the Liberty ships between shipyards, how women came to be involved in "just becoming another 'shipyard welder' and how one shipyard manager wired his entire shipyard for sound.
Then there is mention of how Henry Kaiser built more Liberties than anyone....but was caught red-handed profiteering the money the government was handing out for the Liberties.
These companies were making so much money that they made this statement, "if it hadn't been for taxes, we couldn't have handled our profit with out a steam shove."
There is much, much more in this two part article...I hope you find it interesting and informative.

PART I

PART II

THE GIANT KILLERS

This particular article is just the first in a series on how the small coastal military craft came into being what it is today.

Not so very long ago the safe and secure world of the big warship, the battleship and the cruiser, was threatened by the small torpedo boat.

Today navies feel equally threatened by  small missile boats and the wheel has turned full circle.

So to understand it all we have to start back in 1864.

HERE is the first article of how it all began.

SS E. G. SEUBERT [A TANKER OF MANY NAMES]

The SS E.G. Seubert was the name the tanker finally went by when she met her fate of 22 February 1944.  She actually started her life in 1918 as the SS L.C Doheny named after a grandson of the oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny.

Well she was transferred to the US Navy, commissioned and worked under them for about a year...hauling oil and doubling as a transport to bring home the troops.....and the story goes on ...that is until she met up with the German U-boat U-510...of which had a 'field day' with convoy PA-69.

HERE is the article

SCUTTLE-BUTT NEWS 'APRIL-2013'

I put out a bi-monthly flyer to some of the watering holes that I visit.  These establishments normally have a gathering of old salts of sailors and merchant seamen.  So to have something to chat, discuss, argue, and lie about....I provide a bi-monthly flyer to "encourage" the conversation....and to get the guy next to me to buy me a beer.

So this article has a variety of subject matter...some of it is "fairly recent" some of is not, some you may already know....but one thing for sure...it is not "century old news."

I get a lot of this from individuals that send me material....I stow it away and then when the guy next to me doesn't offer to buy me any more beer....I bang out one of my "Scuttle-Butt News" fliers and then we continue on with lying, arguing, yelling and having a great time....and more beer flows.  So...from time to time I do will be putting one of these out for y'all can print one off...take it to your local pub.....and have a grand ole time.

The "Scuttle-Butt News" article is HERE

USAT DORCHESTER SUNK...100'S LOST

The Dorchester started her sea journey actually as a steam passenger ship.  Well one thing led to another and the WW II came along, she was snatched up by the USAT [United States Army Transport].

Then in one of her journey's she had a boat load full of individuals...being transport to Greenland....and then all hell broke lose when she met up with U-223.

If you so wish to read about this event you can click: HERE

COAL SHIPS

When you start reading this article...you may get somewhat turned off due to all the technical info on "coal"....but hang with it...because I believe the reader will be very informed on how the "Coal Ships" came about, as well as their history.

Yes, this is a long article...actually a "Two Part Article" but in my opinion it offers the reader a great deal of information, and if you are looking for family info on someone that worked the ships, barges, coal car ferries.....you may just run across something you can use in your research.

Lots of collier ships included in this article, as well as pics of them...

PART ONE

PART TWO

US NAVY HOLDS ALL THE "ACE'S"

Whom your looking at is Edward 'Butch' O'Hare, a US Navy Pilot that downed five Japanese bombers in one dogfight.  In doing this he not only saved a carrier, but became the Navy' first Pacific Ace.
Now something you may know and then again you may not. Eddie was a Chicago native, and his father went by the name of 'Easy Eddie'.....whom was an attorney.....and was a business partner of the famous gangster Al Capone......  There is more about this in the article...so I'll let you hang on this tidbit of info.

Butch O'Hare didn't seek fame in what he accomplished as a Navy Pilot.....but was presented the "Medal of Honor" by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his deed.
This is an extremely interesting story [actually a two part article] about this young man...so if your interested in Naval Aviation hero's I think this well be informative to you.

PART 1 

PART 2

PRIVATEERS IN THE WAR OF 1812

This particular article is simply a "History Lesson" on what took place on the "high seas" during the War of 1812.
Yes, it is written from the perspective of the Americans....who done what to who, and according to them who came out the clear winner.  Well I don't wish to take "any" side with this article....my purpose was to describe a time in 1812 when two nations went to war, and to understand, which ever side the reader is on, just what took place.
War is never "Good"...but most generally the powers to be do learn from them, and this is called "Educational History".......so please bear this in mind while indulging in letting your eyes dance over this article.

Click: HERE

SPY SHIP: HIGHJACKED

The 2456-ton steamship SS La Rin became HMS Fidelity (D-57) and was fitted out as a combination decoy "Q" ship and spy vessel used to transport SOE operatives into Nazi-occupied countries.  Her last mission saw her revamped into a commando carrier bound for the Far East.  Armed with 4-in guns, she went down without any survivors in December 1942.

You can read about this extremely interesting ship and her crew HERE

HISTORY OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP

It is a good thing when you've never been on a Hospital Ship....but if you ever have to be on one of these floating hospitals....you'll be in 'awe' at this modern medical center.
They can do just about any medical procedure you can have done on a land based medical facility.  Twelve operating rooms, CT Scanner, and two oxygen-producing plants.
Oh yes...they have it all...but I'd like to walk you through how we got to this point....

Hope you enjoy the article....click HERE to indulge

THE SECRETS OF THE IJN FLEET

A miniature rain squall drops a temporary mantle over several dark hulls moving swiftly along a line of South Pacific islands, wrapping what are warships in even tighter darkness than the moonless night has accomplished.  Momentarily flitting in and out of a low deck of clouds spilling across the 1942-era Solomon Sea, the indistinct forms emerge long enough to take a faint bearing on one another before plunging back into blindness again.  As rivulets of rain showers course off their armored turrets, the five heavy cruisers - Aoba, Cholai, Kako, Kinugasw, and Furataka are on their way to keep a date with destiny, one that the Emperor will be pleased to toast.

Click HERE to give this a read.

LIBERTY'S: WHO PROVIDES THE PARTS

I wish to point out, this article is a real "meat & potato's" type of subject matter.  If you're really into Liberty ships and what went on "behind the scenes" of the countless meetings to get this massive ship building project  under way...[before the war] then this article is for you.

Others I'm sure will find it 'dry' reading, but along toward the end of the article a company gets "let go" and you find out the amount of money the big wigs as well as the firm was gathering ...."per ship."  

For the era....it was one heck of a lot of money.....but I'll say again....."If your into British & American shipbuilding in building this vast amount of ships in a short time span"....this might interest you.

Click HERE

LOSS OF THE SS EASTERN SWORD

The SS Eastern Sword an 1920 old steam merchant.  She was on her way to Trinidad from New York, but met up with U-162.

Things did not go well after there meeting.....16 died.

Her story is: HERE

SINKING OF THE KOOLAMA

A few days ago I posted an article the deadly Japanese air attack on Broome, Australia.  Which some refer to it as Australia's Pearl Harbor.  If you look at my blogs face page you'll see it listed [it is the one before this].

Well this article is what I call a "tag along" article, because it involves survivors from the Koolama's sinking.  These very same survivors...which there were many....were picked up by flying boats and transport to Broome.....and low and behold they arrived just as the Japanese attack was in full attack mode.

So folks here is that article that I promised y'all that I would post....just click HERE to open the link.

ATTACK ON BROOME

With the fall of Java land-based Japanese aircraft not only were now within 400 miles of a dozen Australian coastal cities, but able to support the long anticipated invasion of the land "Down Under."

The United States had its Pearl Harbor in Dec. 1941, Australia's Pearl Harbor was to occur just three-months later - at Broome on Australia's remote northwest coast.  The similarities between the two attacks are remarkable: Both were surprise raids carried out by Japanese Navy aircraft, both resulted in minimal losses to the attacking force, both inflicted heavy casualties in life and Allied aircraft losses.  By further coincidence, pearling was the main industry in Broome, which was situated on the shores of Roebuck Bay - a southern hemisphere "Pearl Harbor."

Click: HERE

SOUTH ST. SEAPORT MUSEUM

I'm sure you are wondering why I would be writing about a "Museum"....well first of all I think it is extremely interesting of what it offers....and also the amount of 'ship data' that accompanies and encircles  these sailing vessels.  Hopefully it will be informative as well as interesting to you.

The Seaport Museum founded 1967 by Peter and Norma Sanford, originally opened as a museum with the intent to conserve the historic ships and buildings reflecting the seaport's heyday from 1820 to 1880.  Today, the museum section includes a twelve-square-block historic district with a cobblestone street and the Schermerhom Row of historic buildings.  The South Street Seaport Museum is home to a large collection of historic vessels dating back to 1885.  The smaller vessels at the port are: Pioneer, a 1885 schooner; the Ambrose Light ship, 1908; the Helen McAllister, a 1900 tugboat; the W.O. Decker, a 1930 tugboat, and the 1932 Chandler Lighter Marion M.  All of these boats have been designated National Historic Landmarks by the National Park Service.

If you care to give this a go...just click HERE

CONVOY SC-118 [WORST CONVOY BATTLE OF WW II]

The days of easy uncontested victories for the U-boats drew to a close in the Spring of 1943 as increasing numbers of convoy escorts, new anti-submarine weapons and long range air patrols began to take a toll of the undersea raiders.  In April 1943 U-boats sank 245,000 tons of Allied shipping for the loss of 15 submarines.  In May, 40 U-boats were sunk for a loss of only 165,000 tons, a remarkable turn around in one month that foreshadowed the collapse of the U-boat campaign.

Acting Commander F. B. Proudfoot, Royal Navy, had every reason to be pleased as darkness fell on the evening of 6 February 1943.  As he stood on the bridge of HMS Vanessa and looked at the 61 ships of Convoy SC-118 stretching over a front of seven miles, the screening ships of British escort Group B2 had things under firm control.  But for one of the finest escort performances yet seen in the Battle of the Atlantic, disaster could have over-taken them, for SC-118 had encountered one bad break after another.

If you wish to read about the WORST CONVOY BATTLE OF WW II
Click: PART I
PART II

WW ONE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN

If you and your buddies ever gather at the local watering hole [Pub] to swap sea stories I'll bet my billfold, and drinks all-around, that nobody will mention the "Poole Gun."
Well here is your chance to enlighten your group with WW I being the introduction of the first purpose-designed anti-aircraft gun.
Actually there is not a whole lot of memory about this lightweight Naval A/A gun, and the only ones to view in today's world are in a few museums.

So if you wish to be "in the know" just click on this: POOLE GUN to let your eyes dance over the history.

THOSE OLE WATER HAULERS

The picture to the left happens to be the USS Pasig (AW-3)....what generally is referred to in the US Navy as a "WATERSHIP"....or some old salts will refer to them as "jug haulers."

Well did you know that this type of vessel was dreamed up with a screw steamer named "Iris" that was built back in 1885.....  Now these ole girls got around.  

So here is a short thumbnail article on how all this got started...and I've included a few "Water Haulers" history to give you some idea just how much these ladies got around to hauling water for the troops and equipment.

Click: HERE