• More good stuff to (almost) wrap up October, including presentations on several ships and one senior officer that were heavily involved with the opening phases of the Guadalcanal campaign. The officer is Vice Admiral Robert A. Ghormley, under whose command the first three months of the campaign took place. Ships are the U.S. Navy heavy cruiser Chicago (CA-29) and submarine S-44 (SS-155), plus the Japanese cruisers Kako and Tenryu.
  Subjects posted from earlier eras include the World War I cargo ships War Castle and War Shell, both of which had Navy service under the names Lake Ontario and Lake Shore. The Civil War is represented by the monitor Camanche and the Confederate gunboat Chattahoochee.
  29 October 2001
  
  
  
  

  

• The week just past has witnessed the continuation of previous efforts to add subjects stretching from the Civil War to modern times. The most recent item is a page of selected views of the aircraft carrier Ranger (CVA/CV-61), which is still a Navy asset, though laid up for the past eight years.
  Also added were three more World War II era heavy cruisers lost off Guadalcanal in August 1942: HMAS Canberra, USS Vincennes (CA-44) and USS Quincy (CA-39). The last-named is a major reworking of a page originally posted three years ago, as is an upgraded presentation on the Spanish-American War gunboat Governor Russell.
  Our new World War I offerings are a pair of cargo ships: Lake Dymer and War Beaver (later renamed Lake Erie).
  Civil War additions include the monitor Montauk, the gunboat Owasco and the steamship Totten, which as Chesapeake was briefly seized by Confederates in December 1863.
  22 October 2001
  
  
  

  

• Several ships of the two World Wars and the Civil War were added during the past week. The Second World War is represented by the heavy cruiser Astoria (CA-34) and destroyer Blue (DD-387), both lost in the first month of the Guadalcanal campaign, and the small seaplane tender Onslow (AVP-48). Two cargo ships are present from the First World War: Lake Catherine and War Chant (later renamed Lake Champlain.
  Civil War vessels include the monitor Lehigh (a considerable expansion of one of the Online Library's early presentations) and the gunboats Harriet Lane and Westfield. Both of the latter were lost at Galveston, Texas, on New Year's Day 1863, in a daring attack by local Southern forces. Presentations were also added on two of the Confederate ships used in that action, Bayou City and Neptune, though their images are all ones shared with the Harriet Lane and Westfield.
  15 October 2001
  
  
  

  

• Online Library progress continues into October across a broad front, with the addition of presentations on a "baker's dozen" new ships, plus considerable more material on the "Main Navy" and "Munitions" Buildings. Though there are many more World War I era office scenes yet to be added, the basic content of our coverage on these structures is now in place.
  Leading off the new ship presentations is the big aircraft carrier Saratoga (CVA/CV-60). Also joining the ranks is her contemporary, the guided missile frigate (and later destroyer) Coontz (DLG-9, later DDG-40). World War II ships added are the transport George F. Elliott (AP-13) and destroyer Jarvis (DD-393). Both lost in the opening phase of the 1942-43 fight for Guadalcanal, they are the leading edge of a major project on that pivotal campaign, to be posted gradually over the next several months.
  World War I and the Civil War were not neglected. The former received new postings on the cargo ship and mine carrier Lake Bridge (ID # 2990) and harbor tug Knickerbocker. The Civil War is represented by a comprehensive presentation on the Confederate ironclad Stonewall, which later had long service in the Japanese Navy as Azuma; the U.S. Navy monitors Nantucket and Nahant (the latter being a major reworking of one of our very early pages); the tug Dandelion; and the mortar schooners C.P. Williams, Norfolk Packet and Para. The last four share several images among them.
  7 October 2001
  
  
  

  

• Taking us deeper into the "Pre-Dreadnought" battleship era, is a new presentation on USS Virginia (Battleship # 13). We also added comprehensive coverage on a big World War I troop transport, USS Von Steuben (which had been the German passenger liner Kronprinz Wilhelm before the war), and Civil War monitor USS Catskill. Other new ships include the Confederate ironclad Louisiana, World War I patrol craft Kiowa and Myrtle and Civil War gunboats Dawn and Daylight.
  A new topic was opened, though it is presently pretty small: Panoramic Photographs. These "long and skinny" images were quite popular during the first several decades of the century just past. We have a significant number in our collections and hope to offer more of them to "Online Library" patrons as the future unfolds.
  30 September 2001
  
  
  

  

• Our aircraft carrier presentations now move out of the World War II shipbuilding programs and into the Cold War era with the posting of a new page of selected views of the Navy's pioneer "Super Carrier", USS Forrestal (CVA-59). A contemporary experimental submarine, USS Albacore (AGSS-569), whose streamlined hull design set the pattern for most subsequent U.S. Navy subs, was also added, as was another Civil War monitor, USS Weehawken. Other new ships include the Confederate ironclad ram Savannah, and the World War I minesweepers McKeever Brothers and G.H. McNeal.
  Finally, after a long lapse, we have done a new presentation on a place. Prompted by a request for a suitable momento for a gentleman grown old in the service of the Navy, we hereby inflict on an unsuspecting public the beginnings of fairly extensive coverage on those "splendid" edifices, the "Main Navy" and "Munitions" Buildings, which long decorated Washington's Constitution Avenue. Gone some thirty-one years now, but not (completely) forgotten!
  24 September 2001
  
  
  

  

• The week just past, dominated by the tragic events in New York City, Washington, D.C, and Pennsylvania, has also been marked by remarkable demonstrations of patriotic energy. We hope our September and (somewhat tardy) August Picture of the Month selections will make a small contribution to that spirit.
  The "Online Library" added several new subjects during the week. Perhaps most notable is a selection of views on Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, one of World War II's most important figures. Another battleship, USS Nebraska, joined the ranks, as did two Civil War monitors, USS Passaic and USS Patapsco. Completing the additions are the never-completed Confederate ironclad ram Texas, the U.S. Army Transport McClellan and two civilian vessels that were considered for World War I service but not taken over: the harbor tug Jack Scully and motor boat Mary.
  17 September 2001
  
  
  

  

• The chilly (or, at least, less torrid) season begins with postings on an aborted aircraft carrier, two major Civil War ships, and another World War I small patrol craft. Our carrier is the United States (CVA-58), whose construction was cancelled five days after she was laid down in April 1949, an incident that provoked a considerable political battle in the Defense Department. The Civil War ships are the short-lived ironclad USS Keokuk, and the Confederate ironclad ram Manassas. Finally, there is the very small patrol craft Marjorie M. (SP-1080), which served in the Great Lakes area during the First World War.
  10 September 2001
  
  
  

  

• As our last report hinted, the compiler did, indeed, find the north woods so enchanting that he surrendered to the charms of vacationing and quite neglected to do any "Online Library" work. However, with his return to Washington's delightful climes, new postings have resumed.
  We begin the 2001 post-holiday era with three fairly major presentations and two minor ones. The former include the aircraft carrier Coral Sea (CVB-43, later CVA-43 and CV-43), battleship Georgia (Battleship # 15), and Civil War ironclad New Ironsides. Our minor offerings are the World War I patrol craft Margin (SP-2119) and Marguerite (SP-193).
  31 August 2001
  
  
  

  

• July's final "What's New" report covers nearly two weeks' inputs. It may be the last until late August, or may not, depending on what the compiler finds in the way of connectivity while on his annual visit to the north woods.
  New postings include a fair number of ships of the U.S., Confederate and British navies. The USN contributions include the battleship Rhode Island (Battleship # 17), destroyer Soley (DD-707), small seaplane tender Greenwich Bay (AVP-41), World War I cargo ship Manta (ID # 2036), and three small WWI vessels originally named Margaret: SP-328, SP-524 and SP-531.
  The Confederate warships are both ironclads that served in the James River Squadron: Fredericksburg and Virginia II.
  The Royal Navy ships include the early aircraft carrier Furious, an 1890s cruiser, also named Furious, and the 1860s ironclads Black Prince, Scorpion and Wivern. The last two were turret ships originally ordered for the Confederate Navy.
  Finally, coverage was posted on the man for whom USS Soley was named, Assistant Secretary of the Navy James R. Soley, who also had been the head of the Navy's War Records Office.
  27 July 2001
  
  
  

  

• Herewith another two-week report, as our involvement in other activities pushed last week's "What's New" submission right out of the schedule.
  Leading the list of new postings are the aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB/CVA/CV-42) and the battleship Connecticut (Battleship # 18). There is also a fresh "battleships" page, covering the six ships of the Connecticut class.
  Other new U.S. Navy ships include the destroyer Smalley (DD-565); small seaplane tenders Duxbury Bay (AVP-38) and Floyds Bay (AVP-40); World War I vessels Mandeville (ID # 2563), Malvern (ID # 3055), Charles Mann (SP-522) and Manito II (SP-262); and the Civil War era warships Galena, Tallapoosa, Keystone State and Mercedita.
  The Civil War also brings one Naval Officer, Rear Admiral William Rogers Taylor and three new Confederate ships, all ironclads: Chicora, Palmetto State and Richmond.
  Finally, after a few months' break, we return to the posting of ships of foreign navies with the pioneer French ironclad Gloire, her British contemporary HMS Warrior and the early British aircraft carrier Argus.
  15 July 2001
  
  
  

This page features July, August, September and October 2001 entries from the Online Library's "What's New?" section.

For the more recent entries, and links to previous years' entries, see:

What's New in the Online Library of Selected Images;

For earlier entries from the year 2001, see:

What's New in the Online Library of Selected Images? -- Entries posted in May & June 2001;

What's New in the Online Library of Selected Images? -- Entries posted in March & April 2001; and

What's New in the Online Library of Selected Images? -- Entries posted in January & February 2001.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

Return to Online Library listing.

Page made 4 November 2001