The first American-built rigid airship, USS Shenandoah

Published 2018-09-04
The first American-built rigid airship was a modern marvel, and unique in its time. The History Guy remembers the U.S.S. Shenandoah.

The History Guy uses media that are in the public domain. As photographs of actual events are sometimes not available, photographs of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

The episode includes historical photos involving a periods of warfare. Those photos are provided in context of the historical events.

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All Comments (21)
  • @machia0705
    I spoke with retired US Navy Admiral Charles Rosendahl at his Toms River , New Jersey home in 1973 . We talked about the structural engineering of airships . Something I will never forget .
  • @rpbajb
    I gave a speech about this airship in 9th grade, and bored everyone out of their minds. The History Guy did much better. Good job.
  • @brady5915
    Great video. I was born in the hospital at NAS Lakehurst. My father flew the Navy Blimps (non ridgid airships) all throughout the cold war. They were used as air borne early warning and for tracking submarines with great success. He was the flight chief of the last Navy Blimp to fly in 1964 out of NAS Lakehurst.
  • Dang. That is best short story about airships there is. Man that History Guy is good.
  • @DanGoodShotHD
    The fact that the crew was able to wrestle that ship down safely to the ground during a storm that ripped off the nose cone and twisted the tail is a testament to their skills. Beyond impressive.
  • @timnitz2654
    Thanks for all you do, History Guy! Dinner making every night would not be the same without history that deserves to be remembered.
  • @gscapinelli9214
    It is quite a happy surprise when a new video from the History Guy shows up.
  • @regmason2329
    My grandparents lived their entire lives in Eclectic Ala. Years ago, my grandmother mentioned casually, that she and her husband were returning from Church way back in the 1920's (in a horse and buggy). They then saw a huge object in the sky. She laughed and said they thought the world was ending! I researched the airships and found a map showing the trip across the country, referred to in this presentation.
  • @hoosierhiver
    Interesting side notes: Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but here on earth, it's rather rare. Most people guess that we extract helium from the air, but actually we dig it out of the ground. Helium can be found in certain parts of the world, notably in Texas, as a minor component in some sources of natural gas.
  • @peterldelong
    I worked at Goodyear Aerospace in the 80’s and a piece of the Shenandoah’s airframe was hanging in the Goodyear Airdock in Akron, Ohio. Unknown if it’s still there.
  • @Jay1369
    “If you want to get there quickly, take an airplane; if you want to get there comfortably, take an airship.” - Captain of the Hindenburg Max Pruss . I'd love to take a transatlantic journey in an airship. It seems like such a majestic way to travel.
  • Anyone who loves airships should take a trip to Friedrichshafen where they are still frequently seen in the sky during the summer. I took a ride on a Zeppelin NT a few months back and it was amazing. The Zeppelin museum is great too, they have a mock up of The Hindenburg that you can walk around in.
  • @Kedrezac
    I still would want one if I was a supervillain.
  • Another fascinating Story from the History Guy!I have read articles about this incident but never knew the whole story.Thanks to the History Guy,I now know the complete story.I love this channel!
  • @iamrichrocker
    History Guy should be consulted and utilized on every movie that is based on true events...or better yet..History channel needs to recognize this guy and give him a show..and a just reward!
  • @joeboswell8203
    My Great Uncle Henry L. Boswell survived this crash on the U.S.S. Shenandoah to lose his life on the wreck of the U.S.S. Akron
  • @pilotboy3328
    This is, without a doubt, one of the 5 best channels on youtube.
  • Back in the mid 60s, when I was in grade school, my grandfather gave me some photos from 1925 when he was in the U.S. Navy. They were stamped "Top-Secret" on the back of each photo. In those photos, there's about four of them of the USS Shenandoah. One of them is an aerial picture showing the Shenandoah over two cruisers. Probably that same picture at 10:20 here in this video taken from an airplane looking down at those cruisers. Interestingly enough... both the ships my grandfather served on prior to World War II, the U.S.S. Medusa and the U.S.S. Tern were in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. There's an interesting article/ pictures out there someplace on the U.S.S. Tern... as it was used to rescue sailors in the water after the attack on December 7. Thank you very much Mr. History Guy! Your videos are very informative and I like them a lot.
  • @kathyware9856
    Thanks for mentioning the beautiful Shenandoah Valley I am blessed to call home.