Third Thursday Presentation Mark Albertson
Military Historian Mark Albertson gave a talk on the history of the Battleship USS Connecticut. The USS Connecticut was commissioned on September 29,1906 and was considered the most advanced ship in the U.S. Navy. The USS Connecticut was one of 16 ships that made up the Great White Fleet that traveled 46,729 miles around the world. This was considered the greatest peacetime demonstration of naval power in modern maritime history. The USS Connecticut also served as the the flagship for the Jamestown Exposition in mid-1907, which commemorated the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown Colony. During World War I, The USS Connecticut would serve as a vessel to train more than 1,000 sailors. The vessel also transported troops and supplies to the war front.
On October 22, 1952, U.S. Senator William Benton (D-CT) formally presented a model of the USS Connecticut to State Librarian James Brewster. The nine and one half foot model is an exact scale replica of the original vessel, and is currently on display in the Museum of Connecticut History. The State Library has launched a three-year immersive intergenerational and cross-cultural commemoration of the World War One Centenary. The History of the Battleship USS Connecticut discussion commemorates an often overlooked aspect of the war years and is part of the State Library and Museum of Connecticut History’s Third Thursday Brown Bag Lunchtime Speaker series.
About the Speaker: Mark Albertson is the historical research editor for Army Aviation magazine in Monroe; and, is a long-time member of the United States Naval Institute, He has authored several books: USS Connecticut: Constitution State Battleship; They’ll Have to Follow You! The Triumph of the Great White Fleet and On History: A Treatise. He is currently at work on a two-volume history of Army Aviation titled, Sky Soldiers: The Saga of Army Aviation. In addition, Mark teaches history as an adjunct at Norwalk Community College: The Extended Studies Program, World War I; The Great Patriotic War: The Titanic Clash between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union; Vietnam: The Long War. In May 2005, Mark was presented with a General Assembly citation by both houses of Congress in Hartford for his efforts in commemorating the centennial of the USS Connecticut.