Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Museum, National Archives & Records Administration.
Hellcats of the Navy Photograph
Artifact ID1981.04161.01
Object Type
Photograph, Sepia
Gifter
William "Bill" Fink
Date
after 1957
Medium
Paper, Ink , Wood, Metal
Dimensions5 x 7 x 3/4 in. (12.7 x 17.8 x 1.9 cm)
Physical DescriptionA sepia-toned photograph of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan from the movie “Hellcats of the Navy.” The photograph is mounted on a block of wood. Attached to the top of the block of wood is a decorative metal hook.Historical NoteWhile Hellcats of the Navy is best known as the only film starring both Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis Reagan, it was based on the memoirs of Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood of the secret mission known as Operation Barney. On June 9, 1945 nine submarines— the USS Sea Dog, USS Crevasse, USS Spadefish, USS Tunny, USS Skate, USS Bonefish, USS Flying Fish, USS Bowfin, and USS Tinosa set out. The group was known as the Hellcats. They were equipped with a new type of sonar: frequency-modulated (FM) sonar. Rather than “ping”-ing when it reflected on an object, this type of sonar was silent, and it could be used to detect mines. The Hellcats then navigated the minefields in the Sea of Japan and the Tsushima Strait. Over fifteen days, they sunk twenty-eight Japanese ships, but lost one of their own, the USS Bonefish (SS-223). The Hellcats did not undertake any follow-up missions, as the war would soon be over.
In the 1957 film, Commander Casey Abbott (Ronald Reagan) commands the submarine USS Starfish on a mission to map Japanese mines in the Pacific. Nancy Davis also starred as Nurse Lt. Helen Blair. The Department of Defense and the US Navy cooperated on the production. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz personally introduced the film, and described how he had approved the real-life operation twelve years earlier. The film was dedicated to “the officers and the men who served aboard the Hellcat submarines during World War II.”
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteThe item was a gift from a member of the general public to President Ronald Reagan during the Reagan administration. It was received through the Executive Office of the President Office of Correspondence and maintained there until its transfer to the National Archives in January, 1989 for deposit with the Reagan Presidential Library.
National Archives Catalog CollectionRecords of the White House Gift Unit (Reagan Administration) (National Archives Identifier 6816362) and
National Archives Catalog SeriesGifts from the General Public (National Archives Identifier 6816363)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - Possibly
Use Restriction NoteCopyright or other proprietary rights may be held by individuals or entities other than the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum does not warrant that the use of materials will not infringe on the rights of third parties holding the rights to these works, or make any representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement, treaty, or protections that may apply. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy any copyright or other use restrictions. Pertinent regulations can be found at 36 C.F.R 1254.62.
Person Depicted
Ronald Wilson Reagan
(President of the United States of America (1981-1989))
Person Depicted
Nancy Reagan
(First Lady of the United States of America (1981-1989))
In Collection(s)