June 19th Video Games Revealed!

And here they are!  These games will be available for you to play the night of June 19^th for the next After Hours History event, "You Sunk My Battleship:" Navy Video and Board Games Night. 

High Score Contest – Nintendo Wii

1942 

(Capcom, 1984)

The highlight of the evening will be the High Score Contest for the classic Capcom game, 1942. Launched as an arcade platform in 1984, 1942 put the video game developer on the map.  It was one of the first three games released by the company in the 1980s.  All three games (Ghosts 'NGoblins, 1942, and Commando) sold over 1 million copies.  1942 remains one of the most successful vertical scrolling shooters, following the footsteps of Galaga, Galaxian, and Xevious.  It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, making it the largest success in the 19XX series.  Guests will play the Virtual Console edition of the game made available on the Nintendo Wii in 2010.  Get ready to mash those buttons!

8 Bit Generation – Nintendo Entertainment System:

Top Gun 

(Konami, 1987)

Get ready to take your video game skills to the danger zone in this 1987 classic based off the blockbuster film.  Top Gun became one of the most successful (and first) flight simulator games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.  It also included one of the most iconic and difficult maneuvers in video game history: landing on an aircraft carrier.  If you make it to the second level, you can deal with the second most difficult maneuver in video game history: refueling your plane.  Top Gun sparked a long series of marketable sequels up to the present day.  

Silent Service 

(Microprose, 1989)

Before Sid Meier created the worldwide phenomenon Civilization, he created Silent Service.  It was one of the first two games developed by his company, MicroProse, in the early 1980s.  Silent Service first saw action in the mid-1980s on 8-bit computer systems.  With the help of Ultra, the submarine simulator ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System at the end of the decade.  By then, the realistic simulator made Meier a smashing success and beloved video game icon to this day.  

16 Bit Generation - Super Nintendo Entertainment System:

 Carrier Aces

(Cybersoft, 1995)

Unfortunately, there is not much to say about this Japanese import.  When the 16-bit generation emerged in the early nineties, most flight simulators focused on land-based tactics (think Desert Storm).  Although several games exist that tread the fine line of the U.S. Navy in video games, Carrier Aces delivers.  Guests will be able to play by themselves or with a friend in a series of 5 training missions.  Have you ever wanted to see if you can make a torpedo run like the heroes at Midway?  Play this game on the 19th and find out!     

Super Battleship

(Mindscape Software, 1993)

We couldn't have a video game event without its namesake, Battleship.  So much has happened for the game since it started as a simple pencil and paper activity in the early twentieth century.  Since then, it developed into a video and board game empire capped off by a 2012 Summer blockbuster film.  Unlike other versions, Super Battleship also offers a campaign mode that mixes hex-style tabletop strategy and arcade-style shooters.  Although this version is available in single player only, attending guests will enjoy helping teammates out as they attempt to sink the enemy's fleet before theirs.  Fight for your chance to say, "You Sunk My Battleship!"    

Seventh Generation , X BOX 360:

Battlestations: Midway 

(Eidos Interactive, 2007)

Winner of the "Sweet 16" bracket contest we held a few weeks back, Battlestations: Midway was a huge success when it hit the shelves in 2007.  Praised for its graphics and game play, the game received favorable reviews across the board.  IGN, arguably the toughest of game critics, scored the game an 8.5 out of 10.  Their verdict says it all: "While so many action games are devoid of strategy and so many strategy games are short on action, Battlestations: Midway delivers both."  Guests will be playing the X BOX 360 version. 

1942: Joint Strike 

(Capcom, 2008)

For those of you who play the 1942 High Score contest and want a little more taste of the game, 1942: Joint Strike is just the thing.  Released in 2008 as a remake to the classic game 1942, Joint Strike offers super graphics and controls for the next generation gamer.  It includes different elements of the 19XX series, such as the health meter from 1943: The Battle of Midway, and a level rank system from 19XX: The War Against Destiny.  Since its release, it has sold over 119,000 copies.  Guests will play the version of the game made available in the Capcom Digital Collection.

Don't Forget!  Reservations are required for this event.  Reserve your spot by calling (757) 322-3108 or go on our Facebook Events Page. 

The Siege of Suffolk

On April 1, 1863, Acting Rear Admiral Samuel P. Lee sent his standard monthly status report on the North Atlantic Blockade Squadron to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles.  He provided a list of ships that included two ironclads, one steam sloop, and a few dozen wooden gunboats and armed ferryboats.  He reported on a few blockade runners, some captured and others that slipped through Union lines.  He also lamented the fact that oyster season would soon be over. With the Navy's main focus on Charleston, things were generally quiet in Hampton Roads and the North Carolina sounds.  That all changed on April 11.

Lee received an urgent note from Major General Erasums Keyes requesting the Navy conduct reconnaissance missions on the James and York Rivers to confirm rumors of a large body of Confederate troops heading south towards Suffolk.  Lee balked at the suggestion, as he believed his forces were stretched too thin.  Additionally, the ironclad CSS Richmond positioned herself seven miles below Richmond at Drewry's Bluff.

Fortunately for the U.S. Army, a lieutenant-colonel took the initiative and bypassed the chain of command to personally implore the admiral to help.  He informed him that he already had three ships at the mouth of the Nansemond River (a river that leads directly to Suffolk).  Lee agreed to cooperate.  He ordered USS  Mount Washington, Stepping Stones, and Cohasset out to prevent Confederate ground forces from crossing the Nanesmond.  Reinforcements were ordered with the armed ferryboat USS Commodore Barney.  Famed Lieutenant William Cushing even made it to the scene.

Rosewell Lamson

Seeing Navy gunboats obstruct its attempt to encircle Suffolk, Confederate artillery batteries used an old fort at Hill's Point and set up positions overlooking the river.  Mount Washington (under the command of the very capable Lieutenant Roswell Lamson) and the rest of the squadron came in range while steaming south towards Suffolk.  During the ensuing fight, Mount Washington ran aground and was hit several times, as was Commodore Barney. 

Hearing about the exchange of gunfire, Lee ordered his ships to retreat back to Hampton Roads.  He believed it was too dangerous to stay.  At the moment Lee wrote the order, Lamson and Cushing decided on their own to attack, avoiding any notion of withdrawal.  They organized an assault group with sailors under their command with Union soldiers from the 38th Indiana and 89th New York.  The joint force charged Hill's Point under the cover of fire from the gunboats.

Lee and his Army counterparts continued to argue about the merits of leaving wooden gunboats in such a vulnerable position.  During this exchange of views, Lee's aide, Captain Peirce Crosby,  informed his admiral that Lamson's assault resulted in capturing "five pieces of artillery and 161 rebel prisoners from the 44th Alabama."  The upper Nansemond was now open.

(This article can also be seen at our Civil War Navy 150 blog).

"You Sunk My Battleship:" Navy Video and Board Game Night

Picture yourself when you were younger.  Do you remember wrapping up in a blanket, sitting inches away from your mammoth television screen?  Did you spend sleepovers with friends the same way?  Like moths attracted to the soft glow of a bug zapper, you spent hours in front of that screen, mashing your thumbs against a plastic controller until your mother told you it was time for bed.  If you do, then you remember playing video games as a child. 

I know I do. 

I have always loved two things: Video games and the United States Navy.  Growing up in Hampton Roads, I felt a deep connection to the Navy, and a deeper love for the burgeoning entertainment medium.  It wasn’t until last year that the idea to put the two together stuck.  Why not mix the best of both worlds: naval history and video/board games? 

You can find out about both and their connection on June 19^th during our next After Hours History event, “You Sunk My Battleship:” Navy Video andBoard Game Night. 

As we ended the Cold War in the early nineties, new consoles rolling out of Japan brought us smoother graphics and complex interfaces.  For naval video games, opportunities seemed endless.  Replicating on the success tested in previous decades, game developers took popular concepts of naval aviation, pencil and paper strategy, and vertical shooters to the next level. 

What has changed since then?  Less than you think.  Screens are flatter. Games are now digital.  Many are available via wireless Internet or on digital video discs (DVD).  Controllers got smaller, then larger, and then smaller again.  We are now at a point where humans become the controllers.  

Yet in a way, today’s budding generation of gamers know that same feeling I felt many years ago.  I marveled at the brilliant 8-bit backgrounds and elaborate splash screens.  The way the pixelated ships lagged across the television screen.  The music.  The anticipation of beating a high score.  For a young boy, these were some of the best thrills money could buy, neatly packaged in a plastic cartridge.  It’s hard to think such a tiny piece of technology could bring so much joy and excitement to countless people over the last thirty years. 

Like it or not, video games taught us valuable lessons in coordination, memory, cognition, thrift, and time management.  HRNM staff invite you to relieve old memories and learn a little about the role of the United States Navy in video and board games.  

During the 19 June event, we will have the following for all those who reserve their spot:

• Free Food and Drinks (Family Friendly) courtesy of the Hampton Roads Naval Historical Foundation
• Main Event: High Score contest for the 1984 Arcade Game 1942 in the Nauticus Theater.  Play the game on a giant screen!
• Three other video game stations with playable versions of the most beloved naval video games of all time!
•  Panel exhibit on the history of the United States Navy and video/board games.
• 3 brand new activities created by HRNM Education that take a naval "spin" on classic board games: Stratego, Memory, and Battleship.  

One of the games in BETA Mode.  A Civil War Navy spin to Stratego!

Don’t forget to RSVP for the event.  It will run 6pm to 8pm. You can either call our reservation line at (757) 322-3108. Or go to the Facebook events page: http://on.fb.me/12jXztF

Stay tuned when we announce the list of games in upcoming weeks!  

Ship's Plans-USS Electrican, 1917

Shown here is a building plan from the museum's collection.  It appears to be the Navy's newest battleship, ready to be built at a big shipyard like Newport News Shipbuilding rd.  The plans are indeed for a battleship.  This one, however, would never touch the water. 

When the Navy started Naval Operating Base Hampton Roads in 1917, the Department already began shifting the way sailors trained.  As ships became more complex, there was a need to train sailors first on shore in their respective rates before sending out to the Fleet.  To make new sailors into electricians, the Navy constructed a wooden battleship at NOB Hampton Roads. 

Christened the USS Electrician, the battleship had class rooms inside for basic instruction.   It also had all the bells, whistles, circuits, and wires of a Pennsylvania-class battleship (the newest battleship at the time), to give sailors accurately apply what they learned.   Go here to see what Electrician looked once the Navy finished building it.

U.S. Battleships in Hampton Roads, 1918: A Four Scene Storyboard

Included in the museum's collection are these four postcards shown below.  The postcards show a U.S. battle fleet at anchor in Hampton Roads, seen from the perfectly manicured grass of Fortress Monroe. The artist drew all four postcards from the same vantage point.  The fleet is depicted during four different times of the day: noon, afternoon, midnight, and early morning.  At first glance, the images look the same.  This would imply its publisher, the Asheville Postcard Company, was lazy and simply touched up one image.  There are, however, subtle differences.  Ships move in and out of the harbor, implying four unique drawings. 

Acknowledging the fact that the battleships are painted in a wartime (slate grey) paint scheme, the ships anchored in the harbor suggests the postcard's year is 1918.  During that year, the Navy mobilized and deployed to Hampton Roads.  Context clues give us some indication which specific ships the author was painting.  The battleship in the middle (in front of the lighthouse) is believed to be USS Wyoming (BB-32).  Other ships in the picture appear to be an older type of armored cruiser (a Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser).  Three "pre-dreadnought" battleships, such as USS New Jersey (BB-16) are also included in the images. Several  of these "Great White Fleet"-era warships, like New Jersey,  were utilized for convoy escort, training, and harbor defense duty.  If this is the case, this would not be the "U.S. Battleship Fleet" noted by the cards.  Rather, it would likely be a reserve squadron or one attached to the Naval Overseas Transport Service.

Approaches to Virginia Capes Mined in 1942: What Did the Swiss Know? And When Did They Know It?

Four tugs gently push the tanker Robert S. Tuttle
 after the ship struck a mine off of False Cape. 
The tugs took the tanker to Baltimore for
 repairs. She survived the war.

In June 1942, the Kreigsmarine began to wrap up Operation Paukenschlag,  the U-boat offensive on the American eastern seaboard. As U-boats started to sail east, U-701 left behind a going away present: a minefield near the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. 

A thirteen ship convoy labeled KN-109 (Key West to Norfolk) steamed into the minefield, shortly after U-701 finished laying the mines. Escorted by the Norfolk-based destroyer USS Bainbridge (DD-246) and the armed fishing trawler HMT Kingston Ceylonite, the convoy switched from a double column formation to a single file formation as it sailed off the coast of False Cape.  Shortly after the switch, one of the tankers in the convoy, SS Robert S. Tuttle, struck a mine on the starboard, forward section of the ship.  Thirty minutes later, Esso Augsta also struck a mine.  During the confusion, Kingston Ceylonite turned to help, only to hit three mines in a row, completely obliterating the trawler. The explosions killed seventeen of her thirty-three man crew.

Thinking a U-boat was in the area, Bainbridge turned to counter-attack and dropped eight depth charges. While there was no submarine the area, the depth charges set off nine mines.  Despite sweeping the area by other ships out of Hampton Roads, the minefield continued to cause further damage well into September. 

Fifth Naval District Map of the mine attacks on convoy KN-109 and other ships.

U.S. Navy intelligence suspected that neutral-flagged, but pro-Axis, merchant vessels were laying mines on behalf of the Germans.  Intelligence officers from the Fifth Naval District (headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk) boarded three ships: the Greek-flagged tanker Helena Kulakunds, the Spanish-flagged freighter Monto Mulhacen, and the Swiss-flagged freighter Calanda.  The officers found no evidence of mines or mine laying equipment.  However, they did find the ships' sailing instructions and noticed they were very different than those of Allied-flagged merchant ships.  Specifically, the instructions informed the ships not to sail in the waters off of Virginia Beach and False Cape.  The officers discovered that the instructions came from the Swiss Embassy in Portugal.

Fifth Naval District Intelligence Office map-The solid line is the path followed by west bound
Allied ships, which took them straight into the minefield. The neutral ships, however, followed the
dotted line, which took them north of the minefield.

The Fifth Naval District Intelligence Office concluded that the freighters and the embassy were tipped off by German or Italian officials. It wrote, "It is most unusual, that a neutral nation, supposedly with no first-hand information of the approaches to a belligerent harbor, would undertake to issue routing instructions for the entrance in direct contravention to the instructions issued by nations charged with keeping a channel into such harbor open and free of mines."

USS New Jersey in Vera Cruz Expedition-Evacuating American Civilians, 1914

A museum visitor showed us these images of American civilians on board the Hampton Roads-based battleship USS New Jersey (BB-16) during the early stages of the Vera Cruz expedition. The first American ships arrived in Vera Cruz in early April, 1914.  Fighting between American forces and Mexican Federal troops broke out on April 21.

There are two items of note in these pictures: A) There is a high proportion of women on board and B) many of them are wearing Navy enlisted uniforms. To the first issue, Rear Admiral Charles Badger ordered all Americans to leave Vera Cruz for their own safety on April 26, as more fighting was possible and the American embassy had closed down. Unfortunately, many of the wives' husbands were stuck in the interior of Mexico.  The Canadian consulate promised to look after any American stragglers. To the second note, we do not have a proper explanation.  For now, we believe that the Navy donated clothing to the women who had to leave Vera Cruz in haste.




New Jersey's commanding officer, Captain Joseph Lee Jayne, is at right making pleasant talk
(and cracking a funny joke apparently) with some of the female evacuatees.