U-Boat Archives

During World War II, the controversial destroyers-for-bases deal helped save the British from Nazi domination.

U-Boat

Trade of 50 American Destroyers for British Bases in World War II

by William H. Langenberg

In early September 1940, the world was in turmoil. The battle of Britain was nearing its climax, and elsewhere global tensions ran high. Read more

Sculpin and Squalus, two American submarines shared triumph and tragedy during the Pacific War.

U-Boat

Sculpin and Squalus: Fated Sister Subs During The Pacific War

by Eric Niderost

On September 14, 1938, fleet submarine USS Squalus (SS-192) was launched at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Read more

The assassination of Admiral Jean Darlan during Operation Torch in North Africa unraveled a web of intrigue and deception.

U-Boat

Operation Torch and The Assassination of Admiral Jean Darlan

by Peter Kross

Less than a year after the sudden and devastating Japanese attack against the United States at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the American military was about to embark on a large-scale offensive operation against German and Italian forces in North Africa. Read more

The destroyer escort USS England and the Hedgehog weapons system sank six Japanese submarines in 12 days.

U-Boat

Ordnance: The USS England’s Hedgehog Weapons System

By A.B. Feuer

In the Spring of 1944, Japanese Admiral Soemu Toyoda assembled a large fleet of warships at Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippine Islands. Read more

U-Boat

The Depth Charge: Thwarting the German U-Boat

by Brad Reynolds

At the beginning of World War I, British naval strategists did not believe German submarines would play a significant role in the Atlantic or North Sea. Read more

U-Boat

Cracking the Enigma Codes at Bletchley Park

By William F. Floyd Jr.

The small craft from the British destroyer HMS Bulldog launched into the choppy, frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Read more

Thanks to Ralph C. Brown's K-pistol, the North Sea Mine Barrage was by far the most technologically advanced mine field the world had seen to date.

U-Boat

Ralph C. Brown & The North Sea Mine Barrage

by Brad Reynolds

The wide scale use of U-boats by the Imperial German Navy in World War I led to many improvements in defensive naval capabilities. Read more

The World War 1 battleship destroyers employed by the U.S. Navy set the foundation for anti-submarine designs and American dominance in the 20th century's most decisive naval engagements.

U-Boat

World War 1 Battleships: The American Destroyer

by Brad Reynolds

The dawn of the 20th Century was a liminal period for American foreign policy, and subsequently, naval tactics and technology. Read more

Taking part in the Battle of Manila Bay, the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I, the USS Olympia is one of America's most celebrated and famous Navy ships.

U-Boat

Famous Navy Ships: USS Olympia, Flagship of Unexpected Imperialism

by Brad Reynolds

The later half of the 19th Century was a defining time for the American Navy as it began to modernize its ship design and tactical thinking. Read more