Ships | War History

Panamax: How the Panama Canal Has Impacted Naval Ship Design

Elisabeth Edwards
Ship passing through the Panama Canal + Aerial view of the Panama Canal

Roughly 14,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal annually, but more than half can barely squeeze through the over 100-year-old locks, which are only 110…

The Loss of Kaga and Three Other Aircraft Carriers Ultimately Led to Japan’s Defeat in WWII

Aerial view of Kaga at sea

Early on in World War II, it looked like the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy would be an unstoppable force. Their servicemen were brave and…

Veterans Saved the USS Batfish (SS-310) By Moving It to a Soybean Field

USS Batfish (SS-310) in a field

The USS Batfish (SS-310) is a Balao-class submarine that holds the US Navy record for sinking three enemy ships in three days. After serving the military,…

Why Did the German Cruiser Deutschland Change Her Name During WWII?

German cruiser Deutschland at sea

Many ships have had their names changed or passed on to another. For example, the US Navy has had eight different vessels called Enterprise, with…

Russian ‘Doomsday’ Submarine Armed with Nuclear Torpedoes ‘Missing’ from Arctic Base

Tomsk (K-150) surrounded by ice

UPDATE, 10/06/22:  Numerous reports coming out of Europe have warned that Russia’s latest nuclear submarine, Belgorod (K-329), has gone “missing” from her base in the…

Megadrought Reveals Sunken WWII-Era Higgins Boat in Lake Mead

Partially-submerged Higgins boat in Lake Mead

The continuing megadrought impacting the southwestern portion of the United States has caused water levels at Lake Mead to drop to an all-time low. As…

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63): The Decorated Aircraft Carrier That was Sold to Scrap Dealers for One Cent

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) at sea

In May 2022, the decommissioned supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) arrived in Brownsville, Texas for scrapping. The iconic vessel served the US Navy for nearly…

The Titanic’s Sister Ship Took Out a German U-boat in World War I

The RMS Olympic in dazzle camouflage

When the RMS Olympic was launched in October 1910, she was the largest man-made moving object in the world. At 882 feet long, Olympic set…

Why Were Pigeons Onboard America’s First Aircraft Carrier?

USS Langley (CV-1) at sea + Pigeon sitting in someone's hand

The first American aircraft carrier was commissioned 100 years ago and onboard was a crew of small, winged comrades who proved their service was invaluable…

USS Barb (SS-220): The Gato-Class Submarine That ‘Sunk’ a Train In Japan

USS Barb (SS-220) at sea

The USS Barb (SS-220) was a US Navy submarine that became highly decorated after successfully sinking 96,628 tons of enemy shipping during her service in World…

The USS Midway’s Aircraft Were Credited with the First MiG Kills in Vietnam

Vought F4U Cosairs taking off from the USS Midway (CVA-41)

Air battles became very common during World War II. As a result, the leading powers in the world had to build more aircraft carriers. The…

USS New York (BB-34): The Only US Ship to Sink a German U-boat In WWI

Naval guns firing on the deck of the USS New York (BB-34)

The USS New York (BB-34) was a US Navy battleship and the lead vessel of her class. Named after the state of New York, she was…