AFTER ACTION BLOG

Sailors in a motor launch rescue a survivor from the water alongside the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) during or shortly after the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor. USS Tennessee (BB-43) is inboard of the sunken battleship. Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Catalog #: USA C-5904

Pearl Harbor Oral Histories of Medical Personnel

July 23, 2025
Bottom Line Up Front: The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States...
Medical Personnel / Oral Histories / Pearl Harbor
USS Franklin listing after being attacked on March 19k 1945

Courage Under Fire: Dr. Samuel Sherman’s Heroism Aboard the USS Franklin

July 10, 2025
Several days ago, I read an oral history that filled in some missing...
19 march / Air Group 5 / USS Franklin
Photo taken 4 May 1944 at Newport News Shipyard

Amelia Earhart And John Wooden—Connected To A Carrier

July 2, 2025
Amelia Earhart standing under the nose of her aircraft, a Lockheed Electra, March...
Amelia Earhart / Stephen Jurika
Citizen's Medal of Honor Awardee Molly Hudgens shown wearing the award around her neck.

Attributes That Prevented A School Shooting

June 20, 2025
(After again listening to the podcast mentioned below, I have revised this blog...
Communication / Decision-Making / Leadership / Medal of Honor
Crewmen on USS Hancock (CV-19) move 3.5-inch rockets (with 5-inch diameter warheads) to planes, while preparing for strikes on Formosa, 12 October 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Catalog #: 80-G-281338

XX Bomber Command Shoutout

June 9, 2025
This B-29 was delivered to the 504th Bombardment Group on 1 November 1944....
Air-Sea Battle of Formosa / XX Bomber Command
USS Franklin In New York Harbor April 1945 80-G-K-4760

May 1944 and May 1945 Were Notable Months For USS Franklin CV-13

May 20, 2025
Caption: USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) arrives at New York Navy Yard for repair of...
Anniversaries / Essex-class aircraft carriers / US Navy / USS Franklin
The cruiser, USS Birmingham, is shown with damage to her starboard hull caused when USS Princeton's magazine exploded while Birmingham was 50 feet away.

US Cruiser Captains Courageous

May 4, 2025
The USS Franklin is shown with a heavy list after being attacked on...
Battle of Leyte Gulf / Kamikaze attack / Leadership / October 1944 / US Navy / USS Birmingham / USS Franklin / USS Santa Fe / USS Wilkes-Barre
Placque on display at Museum of the Pacific War showing a picture of Franklin and listing her accomplishments.

When Not To Be Harsh On Historians or Authors

April 23, 2025
Some of the many books I am using for my research. None of...
Research
US Navy Carrier USS Franklin on fire 19 March 1945. Dense smoke rises from fires aft of the ship's island.

Officers’ Clothing Complicates Communication On USS Franklin

March 31, 2025
Father O'Callahan tends to a wounded man on the Franklin's flight deck. Note...
19 march / US Navy / USS Franklin
Aft-5 inch gun mount on fire. Picture taken from USS Santa Fe Credit: Naval History and Heritage Command

National Medal of Honor Day March 25, 2025

March 25, 2025
President Truman awards Lt. (j.g.) Donald Gary the Medal of Honor. January 1946...
Leadership / Lt. (j.g.) Donald Gary / Lt. Cmdr Joseph T. O'Callahan / Medal of Honor / US Navy / USS Franklin

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