Ships History Branch

Command Histories

One of the Branch's major collections contains the annual history reports submitted by commissioned Navy ships. In 1952 the Chief of Naval Operations first directed such ships to write an annual history. Earlier histories were often cursory or even lacking. Over the years specific guidance for writing histories has been developed and issued, and their content has generally tended to improve with time. Some command histories are classified.

Deck Logs

The Ships Deck Logs Section has charge over logs from commissioned ships from 1962 to the present. Most logs from 1979 to about 1992 are on microfiche; others are the original paper copy. Most logs are stored in the Washington National Records Center in suburban Suitland, Maryland. Some logs are classified; most of them are unclassified and available for research. For access to these, write to the Naval Historical Center (DL), 901 M Street SE, Washington DC 20374-5060. Deck logs from earliest times through 1961 are located in the Textual Reference Branch, National Archives, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740.

Other Documentary Records

WWII war diaries, action reports, and submarine war patrol reports are currently in the process of being transferred to the Textual Reference Branch, National Archives. The Historical Center's Operational Archives Branch still maintains the war diaries for the Korean War among other post-WWII records.

Information on Ship Types

Resources for ship study are varied. This office has at least some historical information on almost every ship the Navy has had. Technical information, however, is limited. We can usually suggest publications or archival sources that may help answer technical questions. Documentary sources include the records of the General Board of the Navy and the Bureau of Ships, held by the National Archives and Records Administration, Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408. The National Archives also has original or microfilmed ship drawings covering the period from the Navy's beginnings to recent years, including relatively modern ships that have been stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. The Navy Department Library has an extensive collection of works on the development of naval ships.

Photographs

Naval ship photographs may be obtained from the Naval Historical Center's Photographic Section; the Still Pictures Branch, National Archives, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740-6001; and the Ships and Aircraft Photo Collection, U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis MD 21402. Each of these sources can advise on ordering procedures and copying charges.

Reproduction of Documents

The office can photocopy a limited number of pages. Larger orders are filled with microfilm or microfiche. There are fees for these services. The Historical Center's fee schedule is available.

Last Update: 1 October 96