2023 WNHA Symposium




The details
Date: Friday, 17 February – Saturday, 18 February 2023
Location: Live and Virtual Event - Broadcast from the historic USS Midway Museum 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA
Cost: Live attendance: $60 (included with WNHA membership)
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Event Summary
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The Expanding Naval History V Symposium took place over two days, offering a mix of live and virtual access to historical presentations, engaging workshops, and roundtable discussions. Attendees heard from leading experts in naval history, covering a wide range of topics from naval warfare and technological innovations to historical naval operations. The event was streamed from the USS Midway and attracted both professionals and enthusiasts alike.
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Event Highlights
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Keynote Address by Dr. Norman Friedman on U.S. Naval transformation during the interwar period.
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Roundtable Discussion on Corbett’s anniversary, featuring top maritime historians.
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Workshops and Presentations on naval history content creation, oral history interviews, and the evolution of the modern attack submarine.
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Demonstrations including a live Age of Sail war game.
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Distinguished Speakers
Dr. Norman Friedman
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Friedman is a renowned defense analyst and author of over forty books on naval history, including works on U.S. and British warships.
Terry McKearney
Presentation Speaker
Terry leads an operations research firm and has written extensively on naval strategies and technologies, including topics on the Solomons Campaign.
Kathleen Broome Williams
Presentation Speaker
A respected naval historian, Kathleen has authored numerous works, including "Grace Hopper: Admiral of the Cyber Sea," highlighting the legacy of Admiral Grace Hopper.
Eric MillsVirtual Speaker
Editor of Naval History magazine, Eric is an accomplished author and a recognized voice in the field of naval history publishing.
Stephen McLaughlin
Presentation Speaker
Stephen is an expert in Russian naval history and has written extensively on Soviet and Russian battleships.
Drachinifel
Workshop Speaker
Drachinifel is a prominent YouTube historian known for his engaging content on naval history, focusing on the battleship era.
John Burtt
Presentation Speaker
John is a publisher and wargame designer with an interest in World War II naval campaigns, including the planned invasion of Malta.
Paul Kennedy
Virtual Presentation Speaker
Author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Paul is a renowned scholar on naval power and global history.
David Kohnen
Roundtable Panelist
A maritime historian and Kittredge Scholar at the U.S. Naval War College, David specializes in the strategic role of navies in global conflicts.
Geoffrey Till
Roundtable Panelist
Emeritus Professor of Maritime Studies at King's College London, Geoffrey is a leading authority on maritime strategy and policy.
Carlos Rivera
Roundtable Panelist
A retired U.S. Navy officer and historian, Carlos has taught at Ohio State and Columbus State, specializing in naval history.
Karl Zingheim
Presentation Speaker
Historian for the USS Midway Museum and adjunct professor at San Diego State University, Karl is an expert in naval aviation history.
CAPT Jim Bryant, USN (Ret.)
Presentation Speaker
A retired submarine commander, Captain Bryant has extensive experience with modern attack submarines and their evolution.
Jeremy Mazur
Workshop Speaker
A Marine Corps veteran and graduate student, Jeremy works with the MCRD San Diego Command Museum and is a board member of WNHA.
CAPT Tom Bernitt, USN (Ret.)
Presentation Speaker
A retired EOD officer, Captain Bernitt was integral to naval EOD operations during Desert Storm and has written on his experiences.
Lonnie Gill
Demonstration Leader
Lonnie is a charter member of the WNHA and a designer of the popular naval wargame General Quarters.