Naval History and Heritage Command

In November 2016, Director Cox initiated a series of "H-grams." Inspired by the late Admiral Zumwalt’s series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today’s decision-makers. H-grams and associated attachments reflect Director Cox’s personal assessment, aided by NHHC historians, of significant events in U.S. Navy history. Each H-gram draws on archival material, historic imagery, and written and oral history. In addition to the H-grams reproduced here, you’ll find links to Director Cox’s regular contributions to The Sextant, NHHC’s blog. The linked content explores a variety of topics, but consistently emphasizes the importance of honoring the service of Sailors throughout history and understanding the relevance of the past to today’s Navy.

In H-Gram 038, Director Cox reviews events and engagements of the October 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf, with a specific focus on acts of valor and on command decisions. He also covers two related episodes that are not generally mentioned in histories of Leyte Gulf: The loss of the renowned submarine USS Tang (SS-306) near Formosa while attacking a Japanese Leyte-bound convoy on the night of 23–24 October 1944, and the deaths of 1,781 mostly U.S. prisoners of war when the Japanese "hell ship" Arisan Maru was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine on 24 October while en route from the Philippines to Formosa.

Click the links below to access previously issued H-grams and earlier blogs from Director Cox. For biographical information and text of speeches given by Director Cox, please see his biography page.

• H-Grams
• Blogs