Jack of Harts

Naval Station Norfolk suffered from the same budget cuts as all other major American bases during the Second Great Depression. Many servicemen left to go home after they stopped getting paid, spare parts orders were cancelled, and much of their equipment simply began to break down. The remaining maintenance staff of the largest military naval port in the world literally cannibalized some machines to keep others working. That is why the forces under Norfolk’s command were greatly reduced when they declared they would not follow Federal orders to attack Lexington and Fort Lee. Washington D.C. could not let that stand of course. They had to make an example of Norfolk’s commanders, and so they sent their best special forces to reclaim the base. The long and bloody fight for Norfolk is another reason that Virginians call that whole period the Second Civil War.