Latest news with #UnitedStatesNavalAcademy
Epoch Times
4 days ago
- Science
- Epoch Times
George Bass: Father of Underwater Archaeology
Bass was born in Columbia, South Carolina, to literature-l oving parents. His father, Robert, was a professor of English literature at the University of South Carolina, and would later become a professor of the same at the United States Naval Academy, Furman University, Limestone College, and Erskine College, and a renowned scholar of the American Revolution. His mother, Virginia, was a published author of poetry and fiction. Indeed, George Bass's career in literature seemed inevitable. But several other familial influences may have left a lasting impression on him that resulted in his pursuit of underwater archaeology.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vance tells Naval Academy graduates they are facing 'new' and 'very dangerous era' for US
Vice President JD Vance told graduates at the United States Naval Academy on Friday that they are embarking on a mission in a "new and very dangerous era for our country" as adversaries such as China and Russia are "determined to beat us in every single domain." Speaking in Annapolis, Vance said the Trump administration has "reversed course" in U.S. foreign policy as there will be "no more undefined missions" and "no more open-ended conflicts." "We're turning to a strategy grounded in realism and protecting our core national interests. Now, this doesn't mean that we ignore threats. But it means that we approach them with discipline and that when we send you to war, we do it with a very specific set of goals in mind," Vance said. "In the wake of the Cold War, America enjoyed a mostly unchallenged command of the commons -- airspace, sea, space, and cyberspace. But the era of uncontested U.S. dominance is over. Today we face serious threats in China, Russia, and other nations determined to beat us in every single domain," he added. Will Vance Remark About Us Bailing On Ukraine Encourage Putin To Sink Nascent Peace Talks "You will be leaders of men and women in our armed forces," Vance said. "So while President Trump and I congratulate you on this incredible achievement, I also thought it would be appropriate to tell you a bit about how the president and I think of your mission in this new and very dangerous era for our country." Read On The Fox News App The vice president said past U.S. administrations carried out a "long experiment in our foreign policy that traded national defense and the maintenance of our alliances for nation-building and meddling in foreign countries' affairs, even when those foreign countries have very little to do with core American interests." "Following the collapse of the Soviet Union... for a brief time, we were a superpower without any fear. Nor did we believe any foreign nation could possibly rise to compete with the United States of America," he continued. Trump Reverses Course On Middle East Tech Policy, But Will It Be Enough To Counter China? "And so our leaders traded hard power for soft power. We stopped making things, everything from cars to computers to the weapons of war, like the ships that guard our waters and the weapons that you will use in the future. Why did we do that? Well too many of us believed that economic integration would naturally lead to peace by making countries like the People's Republic of China more like the United States," Vance said. "Over time, we were told that the world would converge toward a uniform set of bland, secular universal ideals regardless of culture or country. And those that didn't want to converge, our policymakers would it make it their goal to force them by any means necessary." "So instead of devoting our energies to the rise of... competitors like China, our leaders pursued what they assumed would be easy jobs for the world's preeminent superpower. How hard could it be to build new democracies in the Middle East? Well almost impossibly hard, it turns out, and unbelievably costly," Vance told the graduates. Vance said, "We must be, all of us, not just smarter," but now "we got to make sure that [when] we send our troops to war, we do it with the right tools." "We can no longer assume our engagements will come without cost. That's why the Trump administration is investing in innovation, rewarding risk-takers at the Department of Defense and streamlining weapons acquisitions for the new century," he said during his article source: Vance tells Naval Academy graduates they are facing 'new' and 'very dangerous era' for US
Washington Post
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Our military prepares for war. It can handle a library.
One evening 25 years ago, in the wardroom of our guided-missile destroyer, some fellow officers and I joked before dinner about who took the weakest classes in college. Once we'd had our fun, the conversation turned political. 'What I want to know,' one officer began, 'is why some schools offer women's studies as a major! I mean, why isn't there a men's studies?' Before I could bite my tongue, my flippant response rolled out: 'There is. It's called history.' After some jostling, the group took the point: The prevailing stories are not the only ones that matter. The Pentagon's assault on diversity initiatives brought this memory back to mind. The latest casualty is the library at the United States Naval Academy. Officials at the college confirmed that nearly 1,000 books were flagged for potentially violating President Donald Trump's executive order that requires schools to promote 'patriotic education' and avoid those deemed to champion diversity, equity and inclusion. Ultimately, 381 titles were removed, charged with sowing division and pushing 'anti-American, subversive' ideologies. Multiple books by Hitler survived the purge; a midshipman's honors paper on police violence did not. The rationale for banning these books and articles is as flimsy as the process by which they were chosen. As with other efforts to scrub federal websites by searching for specific keywords — ranging from 'Black' and 'women' to 'equality' and 'cultural differences' — the academy undertook a similar practice to identify books for removal from the library. Books by authors whose titles contained words such as 'racial inequality' were taken off the shelves, while other books on the same subject — by the same authors but with less explicit titles — remain in circulation. The point of these executive actions isn't to deny students information that can be easily accessed elsewhere, but to communicate whose history is notable and an example to us all — and whose is not. The White House and Pentagon appear to believe that students — even midshipmen who swear an oath to the nation — will love the nation less if presented with its checkered history, discriminatory political interests and constitutional shortcomings. A close read of some of the banned books would show those concerns are unfounded. They contain histories of men and women who answered the call for service even though they could not vote, serve in combat under the American flag, seek equal justice in the courts, or access veterans' benefits. People who volunteer for military service don't do so because the nation is perfect, they do so even though it is not — that sacrifice is what makes patriotism resilient. Instead, the Pentagon is exercising a thin-skinned nationalism that bans books, fires senior military leaders who are disproportionately Black or female, and believes diversity introduces weakness. In doing so, it mistakes colorblindness for the removal of unflattering histories and the refusal to acknowledge racial inequality. And it acts as though avoiding discussions of gender or race or injustice is a precondition for meritocracy. Not only is this wrong, but it also undermines military strength, readiness and cohesion. Most of all, it messages a lack of faith in the men and women who wear the uniform, suggesting that they are capable of facing the ugliness of war but not the quietude of the university library. And that while they can put guided missiles on targets many miles away, they are helpless against the prose of an author with whom they might disagree. Again, a trip to the Naval Academy's library stacks will put those attitudes to rest: Writing about the importance of an educated military, British general William Francis Butler observed that 'the nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards.' The wardroom conversation turned to stories from our day at sea just as one of the ship's two female officers walked in and joined us for dinner. This was the ship's first deployment with women on board and integrated by race and gender at every level of leadership and operations. It was a historic deployment, filled with unit awards and commendations. And perhaps small evidence of two things the country should remember: Diversity offers strategic advantages to smart nations, and the histories of the people who constitute it matter, too.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Book Publishers Mount Legal Defense Of Libraries
Using the law to protect books It's National Library Week. This year's theme is 'Drawn to the Library,' and the American Library Association's website declares, "Stories and art draw us together, inspiring all of us to discover our own unique talents. Libraries are essential to that process—now more than ever!" Now more than ever, libraries are also drawing attack. The front page of the ALA newly-released report for 2024 headlines the top ten most challenged books of 2024, and 'Censorship by the Numbers.' Inside, the report notes that 72% of book challenges come either from pressure groups and officials who have been swayed by them. ALA also reports that 38% of challenges are made to school libraries and 55% in public libraries. The United States Naval Academy has just removed 381 books from its library, most either about race, diversity, or gender identity. In Idaho, HB 710 was passed last year, exposing libraries to legal action if they failed to keep children away from 'adult access only' book areas. The law forced at least one library to become 'adults only' because they lacked the space and facilities to create a separate children's area. The trend of reading restrictions is being met by another trend--lawsuits to push back, and in many cases the plaintiffs include major book publishers. In Florida, parents, authors and six major book publishers have sued state and school district officials over the state's restriction of any material with 'sexual content" without consideration for the work's literary value; plaintiffs argue this has led to the removal of classic works by Maya Angelou, Leo Tolstoy, Aldous Huxley, and Toni Morrison, among others. The suit argues the restrictions are a violation of the First Amendment, saying, 'The right to speak and the right to read are inextricably intertwined. Authors have the right to communicate their ideas to students without undue interference from the government. Students have a corresponding right to receive those ideas.' Challenges have also been mounted by coalitions of parents, authors and publishers in Iowa and in Idaho, where Donnelly Public Library, the 'adults only' library, is part of the suit. One of the publishers involved in these suits is MacMillan Publishers, whose CEO Jon Yaged spoke to me about the company's involvement. Yaged says, 'We think we're fighting for Democracy as well as our business,' and argues that as a society, we get the best results from conversation, which requires the open flow of ideas that books provide. Yaged sees a problem with laws and local rules that are 'very arbitrary,' broad, and vague. 'We've seen books banned because of a single sentence, or a detail such as two people holding hands.' Details like 'a simple kiss on the cheek' do not strike him as 'sexual content.' He argues that 'you might think differently, but you've got to read the book.' The vagueness, he argues, also leads to an awful lot of self-editing, because one doesn't know what the rules actually prohibit. While some commenters (like Shirin Ali at The Hill) have argued that banning books actually increases sales, Yaged says that is 'absolutely not' the case. 'Once in a while a book might get a bump, but by and large it is hurting the sales, especially as these laws start to have a criminal component.' Yaged noted that many libraries across the country's many school districts are operating under policies that aren't even public knowledge. To respond to them is 'incredibly time consuming, labor-intensive work, but we have no choice but to do it.' Why should these publishers get involved in book ban battles across the country? 'I think you have no choice,' says Yaged. 'It's part of being a citizen. Reading is a fundamental skill. It's a foundational skill for being able to function in democracy. You need to have information; you need to be able to analyze that information.' MacMillan is among the many members of the American Association of Publishers involved in other similar lawsuits to push back on book banning. National Library Week will include a variety of celebrations 'highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities,' but the work defending that work in a court of law will continue well beyond these seven days.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal escalated into an all-out slugfest
The American landing on Guadalcanal on Aug. 7, 1942 and subsequent seizure of the airbase they would name Henderson Field marked the first American offensive in the wake of the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. What followed was six months of savage fighting on land and a succession of naval engagements that cost 48 total warships between U.S. and Japanese forces. Among numerous naval heroes who emerged from both sides, Rear Adm. Norman Scott stood out for his role in two of the campaign's most critical naval duels. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Aug. 10, 1889, Scott chose to leave his landlocked home for the sea and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1911. That same year saw the graduation of Daniel Judson Callaghan, born in San Francisco on July 26, 1890, whose destiny would converge with Scott's some 31 years later. Scott first found action during World War I as the executive officer of USS Jacob Jones, which, on the night of Dec. 6, 1916, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-53. The Jacob Jones holds the distinction of becoming the first American destroyer loss in history. Of 110 crewmen, 64 lost their lives. Scott was among just five officers who survived. After a succession of sea and land assignments during the 1920s-30s, Scott took command of the heavy cruiser Pensacola until just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when he served at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He was promoted to rear admiral in May 1942, and ordered to the Pacific in June. By that August he commanded San Juan, a specialized anti-aircraft light cruiser with 16 five-inch guns in twin turrets and the latest SG (screen grid) radar, designed to accompany and defend aircraft carriers such as Hornet and Enterprise. On the night of Aug. 9, a Japanese force of cruisers and destroyers under Vice Adm. Gunichi Mikawa surprised an Allied cruiser squadron off Savo Island, sinking USS Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes and His Majesty's Australian Ship Canberra. It left the Allies demoralized. Fortunately for them, Mikawa departed rather than take full advantage of his success. In September, Scott was placed in command of Task Force 64, or 'Task Force Sugar,' charged with patrolling the southern approaches between Rennell Island and Lunga Point. On Oct. 7, he took position and, keen to get revenge for Savo, trained his men hard for the next several days. Finally, on Oct. 11, aircraft reported Japanese reinforcements coming down the island chain the Allies called 'The Slot,' as well as an escort of cruisers and destroyers. Flying his pennant from heavy cruiser San Francisco, Scott led heavy cruiser Salt Lake City, light cruisers Boise and Helena and five destroyers around the western end of Cape Esperance to cover entry into Savo Sound. At 2325 hours Helena made contact with the enemy, but that was 15 minutes later than it should have — although (or perhaps because) it had the latest SG radar, it was stationed at the rear of Scott's column. One of San Francisco's floatplanes confirmed that enemy warships were coming directly toward the Americans, putting Scott in the enviable position of 'crossing the T,' bringing more guns to bear. Approaching was one of the victors at Savo Island, Rear Adm. Aritomo Goto's Sentai (cruiser division) 6, comprising heavy cruisers Aoba, Furutaka and Kinugasa, plus two destroyers. As he closed in, Scott ordered 'Left to course, 230 degrees,' but while most of his ships performed the right turn perfectly, three of his destroyers made wider turns that placed them behind Scott's column and within range of the Japanese. Amid the uncertainty, at 2346 Helena reported its radar contact and asked to open fire. Scott replied 'Roger,' meaning he'd received the message, but Helena's skipper interpreted it as 'open fire.' And fire he did — joined by guns on both sides. Four American destroyers were caught between the opposing columns and one, Duncan, was demolished by heavy cruiser Kinugasa and destroyer Hatsuyuki as well as some American shells. It sank the next day with 50 of its 195 crewmen, though destroyer McCalla rescued the rest. Damaged were Salt Lake City, Boise and destroyer Farenholt. The Japanese suffered worse, with heavy cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki sunk, flagship Aoba badly damaged and Adm. Goto mortally wounded. Goto's sacrifice accomplished his primary mission, however. Unnoticed by the Allies, the troop transport ships he was protecting reached Guadalcanal unmolested, but Scott's tactical success over Goto directly avenged Savo and, as the first major American cruiser victory in the Pacific, did much to restore Allied confidence. There were, however, more sea battles to come. On the night of Oct. 13, the Japanese battleships Kongo and Haruna pummeled Henderson Field, followed by a night bombardment by Chokai and Kinugasa on the 14th and another by heavy cruisers Myoko and Maya the following day. This was followed by a carrier confrontation off the Santa Cruz Islands on Oct. 26, in which the Americans lost the USS Hornet, but the Japanese again failed to follow through. While Japan repaired or re-equipped their four carriers and the Americans hastily fixed up Enterprise, the Japanese gathered what they had left for the next bombardment: battleships Hiei and Kirishima, light cruiser Nagara and 14 destroyers, commanded by Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe. As this formidable fleet approached on the night of Nov. 12, three American cargo ships were en route to Guadalcanal, escorted by Scott aboard the anti-aircraft cruiser Atlanta alongside five destroyers. Upon reaching their objective, Scott and his warships were ordered to join Task Group 67, led by Rear Adm. Daniel J. Callaghan from aboard his 'hometown' flagship, San Francisco, with heavy cruiser Portland, light cruiser Helena and anti-aircraft cruiser Juneau, along with another three destroyers. As they entered the combat zone the Americans took up a column like the one used so successfully at Cape Esperance, but also — once again — holding their three cruisers and two destroyers with SG radar at the rear. The Japanese battleships, on the other hand, had no radar at all. Add a rain squall to obscure both sides' vision and their vanguards passed one another just after midnight on the ominous date of Friday the 13. At 0124 Helena made first contact, but defective radar resulted in excessive reliance on talk between ships (TBS) until 0141, when destroyer Cushing made out enemy destroyers Yudachi and Harusame silhouetted in the starlight 3,000 yards away and turned left to bring its torpedoes into play. Atlanta, next in line, also turned hard left. As his formation began falling apart, Adm. Callaghan signaled on the TBS, 'What are you doing?' 'Avoiding our own destroyers,' Atlanta's Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins reportedly responded. With mounting confusion on both sides, at 0145 Callaghan signaled 'Stand by to open fire!' At 0150, however, a searchlight from Hiei pierced the darkness and fell on Atlanta, 5,000 meters away. Scott, true to form, ordered a full broadside, but all 12 of his shells fell 2,000 meters short. Thirty seconds later Hiei's eight 14-inch guns, devastated Atlanta in one of the war's most accurate salvos, killing Scott and all senior officers on the bridge save for a wounded Capt. Jenkins. Although Atlanta was out of the fight, Hiei paid for its searchlight as destroyers Cushing, Laffey, Sterett and O'Bannon, finding themselves anywhere from 2,000 to a few hundred meters away, engaged the battleship in a desperate point blank duel to the death. The Japanese destroyers were also embroiled in the fight, including Amatsukaze, which scored two torpedo hits on destroyer Barton that sank it with 90 percent of its crew. Noticing Yudachi under fire from Juneau, Amatsukaze fired more torpedoes that drove the cruiser off with a broken back. Cushing attacked Hiei but was sunk by a broadside from destroyer Terutsuki. Destroyer Laffey almost collided with Hiei, then raked its mast and bridge, killing Abe's chief of staff, Capt. Masakane Suzuki, and wounding several officers, including Hiei's Capt. Masao Nishida and Abe himself. Laffey was in turn hit by Hiei's guns and sunk by a torpedo from Terutsuki. Sterett was badly damaged but managed to fight its way clear, while the 'Lucky O' O'Bannon escaped serious destruction from the battleship. At 0200 hours Abe called for a retirement, but Hiei was dead in the water after some 50 hits on its superstructure and having its internal communications knocked out. In contrast, Kirishima was grazed by a single eight-inch shell. 'We want the big ones,' Callaghan ordered, but some of San Francisco's shells fell on Atlanta and Callaghan. Adding to the confusion was the general order: 'Cease firing own ships.' Destroyer Akatsuki also scored torpedo hits on Atlanta, but was then caught between San Francisco, Portland and a destroyer whose combined fire sank it; the Americans later rescued 18 of its survivors. Portland also fired at Inazuma and Ikazachi, but a torpedo from Yudachi jammed its rudder. Yudachi was in turn hit in the stern, probably by Aaron Ward, and ground to a halt. Amatsukaze's luck ran out when it was hit by Helena, retiring with 43 of its crew dead. Destroyer Monssen was sunk by Asagumo. San Francisco was also struck by Hiei and Kirishima, including a bridge hit that killed Callaghan, Capt. Cassin Young and other officers. The next day revealed a grim tableau, but the carnage wasn't over. San Francisco was still afloat and retiring with Juneau when a spread of torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-26 came at them, missing San Francisco but blowing up Juneau, leaving only 10 survivors of its 700-man crew, which included the five Sullivan brothers. Portland, still circling, came within range of the abandoned Yudachi and finished it off with a broadside. To demonstrate the strategic outcome of the battle, however, Marine aircraft from a still-operational Henderson Field swarmed over Hiei, compelling Abe and surviving crewmen to relocate to the destroyer Yukikaze, leaving behind the first Japanese battleship loss since 1904. Ahead lay a second naval battle of Guadalcanal, which would seal the island's ultimate fate and place the initiative in the Pacific in American hands for the duration. Vice Adm. Abe and Captain Nishida were both subsequently 'retired' from the navy for their lack of aggressiveness. Norman Scott and Daniel Callaghan were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
