Main Entrance to NOB Hampton Roads, 1937

Main gate to the "U.S. Naval Operating Base Hampton Roads," 1937.  Today this would be Gate 2 of Naval Station Norfolk off Hampton Blvd.

The Navy's Tips for Sailors on Liberty in Norfolk-1952

This is the ship newsletter from USS Damato (DD 871),  a Gearing-class destroyer named for Corporal Anthony P. Damato USMC who was killed in action during the battle of Eniwetok (1944) and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Like many ships she had a mimeographed newsletter, in this case Damato News.  In the September 30, 1952 issue the front page article is a debrief on the next port of call, Norfolk, Virginia.  Among other things:
"Never ride in a taxi alone; find at least five other sailors going in the same direction. Do not molest women wearing wedding veils or wedding rings... All establishments serving the local drink known as beer are considered worth while stops."

See more tips by clicking on the image.

Great White Fleet Silk Mural

Museum staff have recently installed this silk embroidered mural commentating the voyage of the U.S. Battle Fleet's (a.k.a. the "Great White Fleet") world cruise in the museum's Great White Fleet gallery.  Sailors commissioned artists in Japan to make these elaborate and colorful murals while the Fleet was in Yokohama.

Yorktown Mine Depot Images

Torpedo warhead assembly-Each warhead contained 710 pounds of the explosive called
Torpex. The explosive was powerful enough to crack a ship in half with a single torpedo.

A World War II-era yearbook of the Yorktown Mine Depot (now called Yorktown Naval Weapons Station) was recently donated to the museum. The book has several previously unseen images of the Depot's important (and extremely dangerous) work of assembling torpedoes and mines for use by the U.S. Navy. The Depot was also one of the largest employers of African Americans in the region, many of whom (as shown here) worked in the ordnance department.

Workers pour hot, liquefied Torpex into the torpedo warheads.
The vats behind the warheads were used to make
the effective, but very dangerous explosive.

USS Big Chief (IX-101) alongside the Depot's piers offloading empty warhead casings.

Women workers assemble Mk 18 torpedoes at the Depot.

Ongoing Research-The Navy Response to the Nat Turner Uprising

1831 newspaper iillustration of the Nat Turner uprising (Library of Congress)

Here is one of the articles we are working for the next issue of The Daybook.  One of the key events in the antebellum era was the 1831 slave revolt in Southampton County, Virginia.  Led by slave Nat Turner, the uprising killed sixty-one whites without regard to age or gender.  Fearful that the local revolt was just one small part of a larger revolt, state and local authorities called on the Federal government to provide assistance.  Two sloops-of-war, USS Natchez and USS Warren, along with the personnel Gosport Navy Yard answered the request.

Mystery USS Wisconsin (BB-64) Picture

We have this image of USS Wisconsin (BB-64)  in our collection and we could use your help in identifying when and where it could have been taken. Thanks your help!