Navy: An Illustrated History

by Chester G. Hearn, Kermit Bonner

Read how the Navy's unofficial "Non sibi sed patriae" (not self but country) has been maintained for over 200 years. An Illustrated History profiles the U.S. Navy's growth into a highly sophisticated armed force that is capable of projecting military power to all corners of the world. All the battles, ships, aircraft, and sailors who shaped the Navy into the largest modern seaborne military force are included. Packed with dramatic paintings, evocative photographs, and informative maps, this book provides an up close and personal look into the military branch that has served in every major conflict in US history. This updated edition traces the progress and expansion of naval technology and tactics from its origins during the American Revolution, through the furious combat of World War II, to shielding the nation from the threats of the Cold War. A brand-new chapter from Kermit "Kit" Bonner, a naval historian and expert, covers the navy's response to the current challenges of the twenty-first century. An Illustrated History is a fascinating exploration of the stories of the men and women who fought battles and crafted strategies to create, secure, and protect the United States.

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2007

About the author

A 1954 graduate of Allegheny College, Chester Hearn served in the U.S. Army and worked in industrial management before becoming an author of books on the American Civil War in his retirement.

Reviews

[Natalie Davis]

This book has very interesting images and details about the images but has a lot of issues. The book has multiple errors with dates (1958 instead of 1858 and WWII instead of WWI) and makes a blatant error stating that a ship had one smokestack when there was image on the same page showing that it actually had two. There is another issue which is the author can be a bit biased which isn’t something historical writing should do. On a page talking about the rebellions following the american annexation of the philippines after the spanish american war, the author says “muslim-infested islands”. No matter your political leaning having biases like what i demonstrated severely affect the reputability of the piece of writing.

[Jon]

While the book's photo editor has certainly earned his stripes, this work suffers from two major problems: lack of historical context and use of undefined Naval terminology.

"Navy: A Historical Fact Book" would be a more appropriate title. Lacking historical context, the book's summaries of Naval participation in wars and conflicts leaves the reader with only a bare collection of facts. It is fine and interesting to know when a certain type of aircraft or vessel came into existence and why, but unless it is described in the broader historical context one does not gain very much from this knowledge. The book routinely launches into descriptions of conflicts without explaining why or how they came to be.

Another problem worth pointing out is the liberal peppering of Naval terminology without accompanying definitions. Too many times the author assumes a certain level of Naval knowledge. Footnotes with definitions would have been appreciated.

Following the section on World War II, the book becomes increasingly politicized, frequently making brazen and critical judgments about a given presidential administration's relationship to the Navy. Administrations that fund the Navy liberally get off a little easier, not surprisingly.

Finally, I was put off by the use phrase "Muslim-infested" when describing World War II conflicts in the Philippines.

I will hold on the book as a useful fact book but will look elsewhere for a historical synopsis of the Navy.

[Italy]

I read about half. It was really interesting because my dad was in the Navy.

[Meg]

Nice view of the ups and downs of the US Navy. We owe a big thank you to the US Navy for patrolling our waterways and our coast lines and keeping us safe and protected.