bjm hero 12-21

Collisions at Sea

Despite the unique challenges that mariners face, there are practices that can significantly mitigate the risk of collision.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
November 2021
projectile

Naval Guns, Inside and Out

A look at the history of naval guns and projectiles.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy
September 2021
Stoddert

Navy Organization through History

In 1798, President Adams signed a bill to establish the Navy as its own discrete departmental entity.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
July 2021
Joint Chiefs c. 1971

The Navy’s Place in the Department of Defense

While the Navy has its own internal organization, it is a component of the much larger Department of Defense.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
May 2021
Construction of a rope often starts when fibers are twisted into yarns, which are then twisted in the opposite direction to form strands, after which they are twisted in the original direction to become a line.

The Art of Marlinespike Seamanship

Marlinespike seamanship is named for a handheld, spike-like tool used in working with wire rope.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
April 2021
U.S. Navy procedures regarding display of the national ensign vary with circumstances.

Flying the National Ensign

When flown on board a Navy ship, the American flag is properly referred to as the national ensign.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
December 2020
Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation, based in Seattle, Washington, built more than 130 ships from 1917 to 1989, including the USS Stark (FFG-31), Fahrion (FFG-22), and Boone (FFG-28). Shipbuilding has its own unique terminology, from decks to stanchions to screw guards.

Speaking the Language: Ship Structural Terms

In some respects, a ship is like a building, having floors (decks), ceilings (overheads), corridors (passageways), and stairs (ladders). But there are ...

Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
October 2020
A crewman on board the USS Fletcher (DD-992) performs maintenance on one of the ship’s gas-turbine engines. Gas turbines—the most prevalent form of propulsion on board Navy ships today—combine the functions of the boiler and the turbine into one element and do not need feedwater.

Moving Ships through the Water

After manpower and wind were replaced by thermodynamic systems for marine propulsion, ships used paddle wheels, then propellers, and today water-jets to harness fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
August 2020
There are multiple paths to joining the U.S. Navy, including enlisting, like these young men in 1948, who were sent to San Diego Naval Training Center after taking their oaths.

Becoming a Sailor

An individual can take several paths to become a sailor—enlisted or commissioned—in the U.S. Navy.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
June 2020