Historian and author Brian L. Wallin will discuss his book, “World War II Rhode Island,” at Seamen’s Church Institute in Newport, Rhode Island on Jan. 4 at noon.
The book lecture will cover the evolution of the Navy’s small warcraft and their impact on World War II naval operations, from the early experiments in torpedo delivery systems in the Civil War through the 20th century when assistant Navy secretary Charles Edison was one of the champions of development of the PT boat.
Included in this visual presentation will be a number of rarely seen images, the story of how Rhode Island came to be the center for training of thousands of PT officers and enlisted men, and some anecdotes about the men and their boats in operational theaters from Alaska to Europe and the Pacific.
Wallin is a former radio-television reporter whose work included major New England stations and several networks. He spent the last half of his career as a health care executive in Rhode Island, retiring as vice president of Kent Hospital in Warwick. A graduate of Stonehilll College with a master’s degree from American International College, Wallin is also a regular contributor to the online journal of Rhode Island history, “smallstatebighistory.com.” He is a frequent lecturer on Rhode Island military history and well known figures from our state’s past.
For more information, call Liz DeLucia, Director of Education, at (401) 841-7276
For more information about The Seamen's Church Institute, visit http://seamensnewport.org/