The US Navy has a tradition that no submarine is ever considered lost at sea. Subs that don’t return, including 52 lost during WWII, are considered “still on patrol.” Every year at Christmastime sailors manning communications hubs send holiday greetings to those listed as still on patrol.
US Navy
During WWII US Navy seamen…
During WWII US Navy seamen would drain the fuel from torpedos (180-proof grain alcohol) then filter it though bread to make a cocktail called torpedo juice.
A 12 year old lied about his age and…
A 12 year old lied about his age and enlisted in the US Navy during WW2. He became a decorated war hero by 13.
The Navy’s stealth destroyer, the USS…
The Navy’s stealth destroyer, the USS Zumwalt, can’t fire its guns because the ammo is too expensive.
A US submarine placed a wire tap on Russian undersea…
A US submarine placed a wire tap on Russian undersea cables to monitor secret military communications during the Cold War, and only found the cable after a week of searching because of a sign on the shore saying “Cable Here. Do Not Anchor.”
When the US navy banned alcohol on ships in July 1914…
When the US navy banned alcohol on ships in July 1914, they held one last massive party and invited ships from several nations to help drink the last of the booze. Many of the participants in the party would become enemies weeks later when WWI broke out.
To study wind currents, the US Navy sprayed San Francisco….
To study wind currents, the US Navy sprayed San Francisco with S. marcescens, thought to be a non-pathogenic bacterium. Doctors soon noted drastic increases in pneumonia and urinary tract infections.
The navy is now teaching sailors Celestial Navigation…
The navy is now teaching sailors Celestial Navigation as a response to potential cyber attacks to ship navigation systems.
The US Navy diving manual has detailed…
The US Navy diving manual has detailed instructions for escaping a giant clam.
The only active ship in the US Navy that has sunk an…
The only active ship in the US Navy that has sunk an enemy ship is the USS Constitution built in 1797.