Due to public wish, I have
decided to bring back the Updates Page that went out of use mid-1998. I
will start anew to fill this page with a list of updates effected. Unless
otherwise note, the author of the articles is me.
11/10/2003: Well, I'll face up to it: this site's not getting updated anything like regularly, and we'll call it "unupdated" of the last two years or so. Work's taking time, and interests have shifted slightly. Anyway, from a contributor, Irwin J. Kappes, comes a different, and "New Look at the Battle of Leyte Gulf". Thanks to him!
20/03/2003: Happy New Year! Ugh...anyway, after a five-month hiatus, here's a new upload: Gene Mazza contributes survivors accounts of the sinking of Shinyo Maru by USS Paddle -- Sinking American POWS in the process.
01/10/2002: I'm slowly getting ready to turn this whole site over to Jack McKillop, who is about the only contributor (myself included) who's still doing his work. Today, he contributes another excellent article on the "Bell XFL-1 Airabonita". Three cheers for Jack, and I'll be damned if this year closes without me putting another article up written by myself!!
02/08/2002: March brought nothing but further hiatus, but at least Jack McKillop is reliable: he brings a description of the "Naval Aircraft Factory N3N "Yellow Peril". With luck, Guadalcanal Campaign may be upcoming in time!
26/02/2002: Sorry, many times sorry, for the delays here! No Guadalcanal is not finished yet, but hopes are high that March will bring betterment. Other work kept me busy. On the good news side, we have a new contributor, CMDR John Kuehn, USN, who will hopefully bring a full annotated bibliography to this site, starting with The Imperial Army. More to come, I hope.
25/11/2001: Added yet another new plane description by Jack McKillop, on the "Vought TBY Seawolf". Still upcoming, but with delays: Guadalcanal campaign.
22/10/2001: Added a new plane description by Jack McKillop, on the "Lockheed PV Ventura / Harpoon", which I must say is an outstanding piece of work, and weighs in at 75kb of information, plus a photograph, so beware of loading times. In preparation: a description of the Guadalcanal campaign at sea.
30/9/2001: Added a new book review of "The Bode Testament, by Sandy Shanks" to the library section. Also uploaded a new contribution to the Personal History section, "Memories of a Mindanao Guerrilla" by Nick Minecci.
20/9/2001: Added the destroyer escorts and a new front page to the "Destroyers Section".
6/9/2001: Uploaded the completely rewritten "Destroyers Section", although right now only the fleet destroyers are described -- in detail, however! Also re-uploaded the "Battle of Savo Island". Forthcoming: two book reports, destroyer escorts, PV-1 Ventura, updated links.
1/7/2001: Uploaded a new essay on "The Route South: The Japanese Occupation of Southern Indo-China and the American Oil Embargo".
4/6/2001: Uploaded a "Special on the Pearl Harbor Attack", including articles by myself and Frank Pierce Young and many pictures. Also uploaded a raw version of the long-delayed "Links Page".
20/5/2001: From Craig Swain (and sorry again for the delay, Craig!) comes a description of "Gliders for the Navy Department". From a new contributor, Fred Taylor, comes a very interesting article opening a new section, "Warship Histories", dealing with the "Change of Command: U.S.S. Amberjack at War".
11/5/2001: Uploaded a collection of reminiscences of the "Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse", courtesy Alan Matthews, to the Personal History section. Also did an update on the Sangamon class, thanks to Keith Allen.
29/4/2001: Uploaded five new escort carrier descriptions to the "Carriers Section", completing it. Also uploaded a new picture essay on the "Kamikaze Damage to Suwanee, October 25th 1944".
21/4/2001: Uploaded an illustration of the "OS2U Kingfisher" to the Aviation Section, courtesy of Craig Swain. Also uploaded to new carrier class descriptions, on the "Essex class" and the "Independence class".
16/4/2001: Uploaded a new article from Craig Swain, on "The Navy's Jets" to the Aviation Section.
1/4/2001: Uploaded a new description of "CV-7 Wasp" to the Ships Section.
10/3/2001: From a new contributor, Craig Swain, comes a description of the "OS2U Kingfisher" to the Aviation Section.
10/2/2001: Uploaded a new description of the "North American PBJ Mitchell" to the Aviation Section. In addition to that, a number of original documents has been uploaded to the "Road to War Section". And I took care that there is no confusion on the new discussion board by splitting it into a Guestbook and a Discussion Board, both accesible from the "Home Page".
2/2/2001: Uploaded an updated description of the "CV-5 Yorktown class" to the Ships Section. Also uploaded several new Destroyer Orders of Battle to the "Statistics Page".
6/1/2001: Happy New Year to all of you! I did only a few cosmetic changes to the site, but wanted to say that! Also, there's a new Contributors Wanted page up, for I'm still looking for anyone willing to submit articles.
17/11/2000: Going swiftly this time: from Jack McKillop comes the description of the "North American SNJ Texan". I have corrected several things in the Philippine Sea piece, including two errors pointed out by Mr. John O'Keefe. Thanks, John -- couldn't reach you by Email, your address was not accepted!
12/11/2000: Another update, once more delayed. Hopefully, it will be worthwhile nonetheless. I have finally written a description of CV-4 Ranger. Long delayed, I know, but here we are finally. Also, I have uploaded a description of the "Battle of the Philippine Sea", and of the "Final Strikes on Japan". Enjoy all of it.
10/7/2000: Once again, it took me some time to update this site, but here we finally go again. Next update won't take as long, I promise! Today, I have for you two new planes from Jack McKillop, the "North American NJ" and the "Vultee SNV Valiant". In addition, the detailed recollections of Bill Paull, a U.S. Marine, are now available in five chapters in the "Personal Memories" section.
18/5/2000: Now, there's some reason to say "sorry" now! To atone for my taking so embarrassingly long to update this site, I can at least present you with six new items: four come from Jack McKillop and add to his already magnificent aircraft display. They are the "Cessna JRC Bobcat", the "Ryan NR Recruit", the "Beech JRB Expedition/SNB Kansan and Navigator" and the "Beech GB/JB Traveler". From myself comes a review of Stephen D. Regan's "In Bitter Tempest: The Biography of Frank Jack Fletcher". And I give an updated description of the "CV-2 Lexington" class carriers. Finally, the "CV-1 Langley" description has been standardized with the Lexington description.
26/1/2000: Sorry for taking so long for the new installment. However, I was rather busy and could barely spare the time for the things to be done on the site. Thanks go to Vince O'Hara for helping out here: he has made available two more excellent battle histories: "The Battle of Empress Augusta Bay" and "The Battle of Cape St. George". With that, he concludes his contributions to this site, but he will remain available for your questions and comments. Also, we will try to begin to illustrate his series.
3/1/2000: Happy New Year, everyone! Now, I know it's not a real new millenium, but we'll pretend it is for the time being! We do have an excellent new contribution for you today: I am happy to have uploaded, to the Personal History section, the recollections "Pearl Harbor and World War II: Recollections of Hall Hancock, aboard Nevada and Hancock". In addition, I remedied some errors in the Armaments section pointed out by Brooks Rowlett.
25/12/99: Well, presumptions! It wasn't the last update, for I forgot to upload another one of Jack McKillop's brillant posts, this one on the "Piper NE/LNP" trainer and glider, respectively. Plus, Jack adds another photo to our collection, of the R4D, courtesy of William Larkin. And once more, A Happy New Year 2000 to you!
19/12/99: Presumably this will be the last installment for this millenium, so we wish you Merry Christmas *and* a most Happy New Year 2000! Beyond this intro, what we have
for you today is quite remarkable: we are proud to be able to give you
the first four chapters of Father Francis X. Murphy's "Fighting
Admiral: A Biography of Dan Callaghan", which was OCRed by Richard
Connors. 16/10/99: Has it really
been THAT long since the last update? Oh well...still no news from myself,
but the indomitable Jack McKillop has brought us pictures for most of his
articles, already added there, and a new article: the "Lockheed
R5O Lodestar".
25/7/99: Jack McKillop contributes
some fine articles on airplanes: the "Curtiss
R5C Commando", "Douglas
R4D 'Gooneybird'" and "Lockheed
PBO Hudson / R4O Super Electra". Furthermore, Jim O'Neill provides
some interesting insight into U.S. Navy fighting proceedures by adding
scans of the United States Navy's Immunity Zone Slide Rules to all guns
with armor-piercing ammunition. A short introduction on how to read them
can be found here.
From Keith E. Allen come five articles on the "Anti-Air
Armament Development of U.S. Warships", to be found within the
respective Ships under-section. Finally, a small update comes from perfectionist
Philip Jacobsen, who still continues editing his Intelligence articles.
12/6/99: I uploaded a major
new contribution by Jack McKillop: a whole bunch of transport aircraft..."Budd
RB Conestoga", "Douglas
RD", "R2D",
"R3D",
and "R5D
Skymaster", as well as a Lockheed aircraft: the "Lockheed
Electra". Whatsmore, Vincent P. O'Hara provides us with insight
into the final Japanese surface victory of World War II, the "Battle
of Vella Lavella".
22/5/99: Uploaded an entire
new section: Philip H. Jacobsen's "Intelligence".
He has done some magnificent work there! Oh, and I forgot to mention that
I added a couple of graphics instead of the earlier textual links in the
frame, courtesy Christoph Weigel.
16/5/99: Uploaded my own
biography of "Admiral
Thomas Charles Hart". Also fixed some bugs with this page.
9/5/99: Uploaded Vince O'Hara's
addition "Battle
of Vella Gulf". Also added an initial item to the Personal History
section: Bill Farrell's "Recollections
of Okinawa".
17/4/99: At this date I hope
I have completed another change of looks. Sorry...I'm a bit sloppy in carrying
through with thought-out schemes, especially if they're faulty. Hold your
breath for the changes done with this update: The most important change
is in philosophy and title. Though it is bad to change one's name just
when people know who you are, I choose to shorten the title of my site
to "The Pacific War: The U.S. Navy". I removed the Allied forces links
from the site, and reinstituted the website motto that is very vital in
understanding my motivation and has accidentally been lost with the last
change of looks.
8/4/99: Uploaded Vince O'Hara's
"The
Battle off Horaniu", a description of one of the most indecisive
and short engagements fought during the Pacific War. From Jack McKillop
comes "Chance-Vought
SB2U Vindicator", his second addition. It *does* seem he is addicted
to the cripples. And I add my own "The
Doolittle Raid".
1/4/99: Uploaded my own "The
Battle of Leyte Gulf", finished with appreciated assistance from
Keith E. Allen, who checked my facts! Also, the menu bar has received two
additions, "Intelligence" and "Personal History", sections which will,
hopefully, be filled in due course. "Intelligence" will be the domain of
the resident intelligence expert Philip H. Jacobsen.
6/3/99: Uploaded the last
part of Frank Pierce Young's Pearl Harbor history: "Building
the Way to a Date of Infamy", covering the time from 1919 to Pearl
Harbor. Also uploaded the first page from a new contributor, Jack McKillop,
who will go at reworking the Aviation Section and starts by putting "Brewster's
F2A Buffalo" online. And from Vince O'Hara come "First
Battle of Kula Gulf", "Second
Battle of Kula Gulf" and "Battle
of Kolombangara" along with a "Short
Introduction to 'Cartwheel'".
20/2/99: Did some smoothing
at the edges by putting a "Sorry, under construction" sign behind every
link that has no content behind it.
6/2/99: I have uploaded the
completely rebuilt site, now featuring frames, an easy-to-use, always accessible
direct connection to every page on the site, more eye-friendly link layout,
and a nice gold-on-blue sidebar.
25/1/99: Uploaded the final
addition of ABDA battles: "Other
Engagements", dealing with forces fleeing Java. Also, uploaded
"In
the Wake of the Prophet", Frank Pierce Young's fine essay on Hector
C. Bywater and his influence on Pacific War planning.
21/1/99: Loaded to the site
Vincent P. O'Hara's "Action
South of Borneo" and "Battle
of the Java Sea" and my own "The
Early Carrier Raids": all three to the Battles Section. Also, partially
this update contains information integrated in a larger update to come
in mid February or early March. At any rate, the links are being completely
overhauled and will be much larger in number later on...now, they are unavailable.
From Jack McKillop comes a new plane: "Piper AE-1/HE-1". In addition to that, I am putting up the first chapter of my own
Road to War addition on the American colonial development, up to 1898,
but not including the Spanish-American War: "Pacific Rivals: The United States' Pacific Expansion to 1898". And to the Ships Section, I
have added a better description of "CV-1
Langley".
Plus: A new menu system
involving color-coded icons. For their meaning, see "Tips & Tricks for the Site"
From a new contributor,
Richard Connors, comes a biography of "Rear-Admiral
Daniel J. Callaghan". Richard's wife is one of the Admiral's relatives.
To give a little insight
into what is coming up, time permitting: I am working on redoing the carrier
and battleship class descriptions in the Ships section, as well as a complete
overview over the political developments between 1853 and 1941 for the
Road to War section. Keith E. Allen has been tasked with describing the
Small Combattants etc. for the Ships section. Philip Jacobsen will contribute
a bit on the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Jack McKillop has more airplanes
in store; and finally, Vince O'Hara has the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
forthcoming!
- Other changes are organizational:
the old Armaments & Equipments section got ripped in two; for easier
access and in hopes of improvement in the listing of Equipment, I now have
the two sections divided.
- The Aviation section has
become a prospect of fulfilling its name as it has been pointed out by
a visitor: Aviation must include pilots and squadrons. This will likely
be a hard task. Some related items will be posted there as well.
- Admiral's Biographies
are now Officer's Biographies to include some Captains and other lower
ranks, in the future.
- Website navigation is
less difficult for the eye now, as I have removed the complex framework
and just left one basic navigation bar.
- The short-lived Forthcoming
page has been removed from the main links and rest within a new section
devoted to some organizational pages on this site.
- As for looks changes.
Most links now lack the underline commonly associated with links, and are
denoted in flowing text and elsewhere by being bold 10-point arial in Navy
Blue. That should be pretty obvious. Elsewhere, it should be clear what
links are. Page headers are now in regular Variable type.
- On the top of each Admiral's
biography, an Admiral's flag with the appropriate rank has been added.
And the content updates:
from Jack McKillop comes a description of "U.S.N.
Aircraft Designation Schemes", which do well explain you what the
hell all those letters meant. From Ben Schapiro comes a very valuable addition,
a "1944
edition of the Scouting Manual" as used by carrier air groups.
He also contributes the "1944
edition of the Attack Manual". Both come with some fine drawings.
From myself comes a renewed description of the "BB-61
Iowa class" battleships.
Also uploaded the first
non-ABDA history by Vincent O'Hara: "Battle
of Komandorski Island", the only Pacific War naval battle in which
aircraft, mines and coastal batteries played no role at all. I updated
the Bibliography section, and had to remove the short reviews to save space,
since the Histories were already over 50KB large. Finally, a redone description
of the "Wyoming
class" of battleships has been uploaded.