Scuttlebutt: Official Podcast of the National Museum of the Surface Navy

She never dreamed of becoming a pilot. Her plan when she joined the Navy was to go Supply Corps. A sharp recruiter and a chance encounter with helicopters changed everything.

She went on to earn her wings as the Navy's FIRST female African-American helicopter pilot, but a successful Navy career was just the beginning of her extraordinary life.  

2026 Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Leadership Award recipient, KAMIN SAMUEL joins us for a brilliant conversation about service, leadership, reinvention, and what can happen when you refuse to quit.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
00:39 The Gravely Leadership Award
01:29 Why she joined the Navy
03:47 The helicopters that changed everything
05:03 Surviving Aviation Officer Candidate School
05:53 Breaking barriers in naval aviation
07:16 “I was number one. I got Norfolk.”
08:04 Learning to fly
09:36 Why she chose helicopters
11:22 Service, risk, and the military mindset
14:22 Meeting Vice Admiral Gravely
19:00 Leaving the Navy
20:13 Rock bottom and choosing to survive
21:27 Rebuilding her career
22:18 From business coach to filmmaker
24:48 The gear beyond resilience
30:09 Receiving the Gravely Leadership Award
34:43 Why museum ships matter
35:17 Life at sea
41:30 What Kamin is reading now
42:14 Final thoughts

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Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

This one really doesn't need much intro. Kjell Urban and Ashton Dulfer have done a magnificent job creating a NINETEEN-FOOT Lego IOWA. Get to know them and learn how they did it in this episode of Scuttlebutt!

PS You can follow them on Instagram: @kuad_lego_shipyard

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:14 Meet Kjell & Ashton
04:24 Designing IOWA From Navy Plans
05:34 Why Battleship IOWA?
06:18 19 Feet, 350 Pounds, 100,000+ Pieces
07:26 Building a Battleship in Sections
09:23 Engineering the LEGO Hull
11:20 The Guns Actually Move
15:19 Their Favorite Parts of the Build
18:29 Taking the Detail to Extremes
20:22 Transporting a 19-Foot LEGO Ship
21:26 Would They Ever Take It Apart?
23:30 Building IOWA’s Kingfisher Aircraft
24:19 What Are They Building Next?
27:14 A Lifelong WWII Collection
31:51 Why Ships Like IOWA Matter
33:24 What Are You Reading?


Soundtrack by Epidemic Sound and Suno

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Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

In 2019, while researching lost aircraft and ships in the South Pacific, explorer, filmmaker, and National Museum of the Surface Navy advisory board member RUSS MATTHEWS stumbled across an article that would change his life.

Beachcombers in Florida had discovered an old luggage tag from Pan Am's Clipper Endeavor, a passenger airliner that lost power and crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico in 1952, killing 52 of the 69 people aboard.

Though the general area where the aircraft had gone down was known, the wreck itself had never been found. Intrigued, Russ began the search.

What he and his team ultimately found is the subject of an upcoming episode of Discovery Channel's Expedition Unknown. But the discovery is only part of the story.

We sat down with Russ to talk about curiosity, persistence, the friendships that make seemingly impossible expeditions possible, and the decisions that transformed a childhood fascination with history into an extraordinary life of exploration.

👉 Chapter List:

▶️ 00:00 Intro
▶️ 01:22 Where the Obsession Started
▶️ 02:33 The Search for PanAm Clipper Endeavor
▶️ 06:49 Josh Gates & Expedition Unknown
▶️ 09:29 Why the First Search Failed
▶️ 10:54 The Underwater Drone That Changed Everything
▶️ 12:15 "Oh My God... That's a Plane"
▶️ 17:37 Why Russ Likes Autonomous Vehicles
▶️ 21:42 Voracious Reader
▶️ 23:48 Building the Dream Team
▶️ 29:15 The Scan That Changed Everything
▶️ 31:18 Funding the Expedition
▶️ 35:02 We Know More About the Moon Than Our Oceans
▶️ 36:02 What's Next on the Search List
▶️ 38:29 Advice for Future Explorers
▶️ 43:18 Why Battleship IOWA Matters

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

Emmy-winning aerial cinematographer DAVID ALAN ARNOLD shares the wild reality of flying in the Bering Sea, how he built a career from nothing, and why he looks forward to LA Fleet Week year after year.


👇 Follow David
Website: https://davidalanarnold.com/
Instagram: ‪@airbornecamera‬
Facebook: ‪@DavidAlanArnold‬
YouTube: ‪@DavidAlanArnold‬ 

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

"The people we're rescuing are trying to kill us."

Because we're driven by curiosity and we know both an MH-60 S ("God's chariot") pilot and an aviation rescue swimmer, we thought we should get them together to talk shop. 

Kevin Borough and Brian Dickinson share behind-the-scenes insights and hair-raising tales in this fascinating glimpse into the world of Navy search and rescue.


👉 Links to more from Brian:
🎙️ Calm in the Chaos Podcast

Official site
https://www.briandickinson.net/calminthechaospodcast/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheCalmintheChaosPodcast

📚 Brian's Books

Blind Descent
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWT8E10

Calm in the Chaos
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1M62G19

👉 Chapter Index for this podcast:
00:00 Intro & Catching Up
02:41 Empty Nesters and Life Transitions
03:10 Brian’s New Book and Future Projects
04:03 Potential Everest Movie Adaptation
05:16 Kevin’s Background as an MH-60S Pilot
06:42 How Long Does It Take to Become Mission Ready?
08:32 Rescue Swimmer Training and Qualifications
11:43 Staying Physically Ready for Rescue Missions
15:19 Carrier Operations and Daily Flight Life
16:59 How Pilots and Swimmers Coordinate Rescues
22:20 The Unique Trust Inside a Helicopter Crew
25:06 Call Signs and Aviation Culture
27:26 Responding to a Real Rescue Call
32:22 Managing Chaos and Communications During Rescues
35:54 Jumping from the Helicopter: Go / No-Go Decisions
41:51 When Rescues Don’t Go as Planned
43:20 Night Rescues and Operations in Extreme Conditions
48:03 Communicating with Survivors in the Water
52:57 Kevin’s High-Altitude Death Valley Rescue Story
01:00:05 Brian’s Off-Duty Swift Water Rescue
01:05:15 Lessons from Veterans and Untold Stories
01:06:41 Why Historic Ships Like IOWA Matter
01:11:42 What We’re Reading Right Now
01:13:05 Final Thoughts and Farewell

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

We went off-roading for this episode. We're off the ship and on the dock, exploring the space that's about to become the Freedom of the Seas pavilion.

Curious about anything? Drop your questions in the comments and we'll answer them in the next episode!

For visuals check out the YouTube version of this podcast.

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

Command Master Chief Octavia Harris, USN (Ret.) is one of those amazing humans you feel blessed to have a conversation with. A fortuitous meeting with a savvy hull technician recruiter led to her ground-breaking 30+-year career in the Navy.

She sits down with us to talk about what it's like to rise from a 17 year-old recruit to a command master chief. It's a brief masterclass in leadership you'll thoroughly enjoy.

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

You want behind the scenes? Boy do we have it for you in this episode. Buckle up and join Kyle Aube, Mike Nguyen, Hall Roosevelt, and Marann Fengler for a bumpy ride!

Curious about anything? Drop your questions in the comments and we'll answer them in the next episode!

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

Meet PBC's newest board members, Phil Bloom, founder and president of American Scenic Design, and Joshua Wexler, CEO of Fun at Pure Imagination Studios.

These two heavy hitters in the worlds of entertainment and amusement park experience design lead the teams bringing the National Museum of the Surface Navy to life aboard Battleship IOWA.

They graciously took time out of their busy schedules to sit down with us and share who they are and why they're excited to be part of what we're building.

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]

We decided you don't have enough chances to hang out with our team and find out what life aboard the battleship is really like, so we're bringing you behind the scenes.

Curious about anything? Drop your questions in the comments and we'll answer them in the next episode!

* * * *

Want to

❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online
⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit
🙋 Volunteer with us? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/volunteer
🎖️ Get involved in our veterans' programs? https://pacificbattleship.com/get-involved/veteran


You can also

⭐ Contribute to the National Museum of the Surface Navy https://www.surfacenavymuseum.org/donate


Feedback? Questions? Comments?

✉️ [email protected]