American Yachts in Naval Service: A History from the Colonial Era to World War II

by Kenneth Howard Goldman

Overview

Before there was a U.S. Navy, several Colonial navies were all-volunteer--both the crews and the vessels. From its beginnings through World War II, the Navy has relied on civilian sailors and their fast vessels to fill out its ranks of small combatants. Beginning with the birth of the yacht in the Netherlands in the 17th century , this illustrated history traces the development of yacht racing, the advent of combustion-engine power and the contribution privately owned vessels have made to national defense. Vessels conscripted during the Civil War served both the Union and Confederacy--sometimes changing sides after capture. The first USS Wanderer saw the slave trade from both sides of the law. Aboard the USS Sylph, Oscar-winning actor Ernest Borgnine fought the Third Reich's U-boats under sail. USS Sea Cloud made history as the first racially integrated ship in the Navy, three years before President Truman desegregated the military.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476640747
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	11/02/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	226
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Kenneth Howard Goldman has written historical pieces for Navis Magazine and has sold several screen and radio plays. He is also a professional designer and fabricator of scale model kits of Civil War guns, horse-drawn wagons and WWI aircraft. He lives in Southern California.
Kenneth Howard Goldman has written historical pieces for Navis Magazine and has sold several screen and radio plays. He is also a professional designer and fabricator of scale model kits of Civil War guns, horse-drawn wagons and WWI aircraft. He lives in Southern California.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Beginnings
2. Minor Wars, Expeditions and Detours
3. A House Divided
4. War with Spain
5. The War to End War
6. World War Again
Epilogue
Appendix 1: Instructions to Commanders of Privateers
Appendix 2: The Trent Affair
Appendix 3: Yachts Acquired for Service in the War with Spain
Appendix 4: Yachts Over 100 Feet in World War I Naval Service, Including Shorter Vessels Named in Text
Appendix 5: World War II Yachts
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

‘What’s the difference between a ship, a boat, and a yacht?’” That's one of the oldest debates among sailors. As Kenneth Howard Goldman points out in this fascinating new approach to maritime history, each type has a unique history and purpose, and all three team up during naval wars. From the Revolution’s spy sloops to World War II’s coastal patrols, here is an overlooked chapter in American maritime history.”—John Rousmaniere, author of The New York Yacht Club: A History

From the Publisher