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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC

East Carolina University 
Joyner Library
Greenville, NC 27858-4353

 

Ainsworth, Walden L.
Papers, 1942-1948

The collection primarily concerns the operations of the task forces commanded by Vice Admiral Ainsworth during the Solomon Islands campaign. Included are a narrative of the naval operations, campaign statistics, dispatches, press releases, campaign plans, and naval reports on the operation. The remainder of the collection consists of pictures, pamphlets, an annual, and miscellaneous documents.

100 items

 

Armstrong, David M.
Papers, 1929-1961

U.S. Navy officer, member of U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941, including personal correspondence, photographs, citations, reports, action report and war diaries for USS Zane and Trever, accounts of battles at Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal, and personal materials.

510 items

 

Ashford Jr., William H.
Papers, 1924-1978

Naval officer, including correspondence, reports, orders, citations, flight logs, photographs, and miscellaneous.

850 items

 

Atkeson, John C.
Oral History, 1923-1957

This interview covers his entire naval career and includes commentaries on life at the Naval Academy, duties in the South Atlantic and stateside, life on Guantanamo Naval Base in the late 1920s, the sale of the U.S. submarine Otwala to Sir Hubert Wilkes (who renamed it Nautilus) and its later rescue by Wyoming (1931), duty escorting Icelandic convoys, the Aleutians campaign, service aboard destroyers in the South Pacific, and kamikaze attacks. Admiral Atkeson also describes his post-war service.

3.5 hours, 71 pages

 

Bacon, Charles D.
Papers, 1862-1865

Sergeant Bacon of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry was stationed at Hilton Head, South Carolina, 1862-1864. In one journal entry, Bacon comments on the sinking of the Federal gunboat Washington (1863).

2 volumes

 

Baker, John W.
Papers, 1882-1925

U.S. Navy surgeon.

175 items

 

Baker, Robert W.
Papers, 1943-1946

Commander Baker was the last Commanding Officer of the attack cargo ship USS Waukesha. This volume is an illustrated history of Waukesha's service at Okinawa and during the operations leading to the surrender of Japan.

1 volume

 

Ball Jr., George C.
Papers, 1937-1973

George C. Ball, Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1941, and was assigned to the battleship USS North Carolina.  Ball entered submarine training school in New London, Connecticut, and spent the next eighteen months on board the submarine USS S-14.  Ball became the youngest submarine commanding officer in the Navy when he took command (January 1944) of the submarine USS O-6.  Ball then served as executive officer in the submarines USS Sand LanceGuavina, and Conger; commanding officer of USS Entemedor and Tench; coordinator for training reserves (1954-1956) on board the submarine tender USS Howard W. Gilmore; and as commander of the attack transport USS Monrovia.  Ball's administrative duties included serving as Naval Aide to the Commander in Chief of the Caribbean; working in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations; as Commander, Submarine Division 42; member of the joint staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Commanding Officer, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Assistant Director and later Director of the Naval War College; Commander, Submarine Squadron 12; and Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Southern Command in the Canal Zone, Panama.  Ball retired as a captain on June 30, 1971.

The collection includes correspondence, reports, briefings, speeches, orders, photographs, and miscellaneous materials.

1,100 items

 

Bartimo, Frank R.
Papers, 1942-1947

Judge Advocate officer.

184 items

 

Bartlett, James V.
Oral History, 1935-1971

Rear Admiral Bartlett, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses his background and experiences at the Naval Academy, his discharge due to an eye deficiency, employment as a prep school and naval officers training instructor, his acceptance into Naval Engineering School, and duty in Vietnam.

1.5 hours, 27 pages

 

Baughan Jr., Robert L.
Oral History, 1937-1988

Rear Admiral Baughan, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on duty on board USS LexingtonChamplinWyomingSheltonPorterfieldSalem. He also describes trips in Korean waters and assignments to the staff of Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Forces Pacific, command of USS Leahy, duty at the Pentagon, command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 9, and service as Vice-Chief of Naval Material.

2 hours, 35 pages

 

Beall, Paul R.
Papers, 1952

Research and Development Board member on USS Coral Sea.

11 items

 

Beardall Jr., John R.
Oral History, 1941-1962

Captain Beardall, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his presence on the light cruiser Raleigh during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, service on USS Cleveland during the invasion of North Africa and the Solomon Islands campaign, and duty on USS John W. Weeks at Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Post-war assignments discussed include graduate studies at the Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, cruises on USS Worcester to the Mediterranean and Korea, assignment as Naval Aide to the Undersecretary of the Navy during the transition from the Eisenhower to the Kennedy administrations, and command of USS Norfolk in the interception of a Soviet ship during the removal of missiles from Cuba.

1 hour, 26 pages

 

Benedict, Andrew B.
Papers, 1821-1908

Andrew Bell Benedict (1839-1911) was a native of New York who served in the Civil War and later lived in Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee. Benedict married Phebe Barrett (1846-1913), daughter of Hiram Barrett; and they were the parents of George W. Benedict and the grandparents of Ruth Benedict, who married Van S. Watson of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The collection is largely concerned with the period 1863-1877 in the life of Andrew B. Benedict.

Correspondence, will and estate papers (1850-1899) of Andrew B. Benedict family.

22 items

 

Bennett, John E.
Oral History, 1935-1980

Captain Bennett describes his wartime service on board San Francisco during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, with the carriers engaged in South Pacific raids early in the war, and during the Guadalcanal campaign. He places particular emphasis on the Battles of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal, during which San Francisco was heavily damaged. He also details his wartime experiences in submarines, including patrols and the rescue of Australian and British prisoners-of-war from the South China Sea, his post-war naval service, and his civilian career.

2.5 hours, 80 pages

 

Bienvenu, Roland G.
Papers, 1937-1962

Orders, photographs, and certificates form the core of the material which illustrates Captain Bienvenu’s career, concentrating mainly on his post-war service, especially in Canada. Also included are photographs of Bienvenu and Jouett.

In his oral history interview, Captain Bienvenu compares his experiences at the U.S. Naval Academy and at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and for the World War II period he mentions convoy duty in the South Atlantic, bombardment of the Kurile Islands, and involvement in the Philippines campaign, including the second Leyte landing and engagements at Mindoro and Lingayen Gulf. Post-war commentary pertains mainly to his duty as Naval Attaché in Greece, Lebanon, and Canada, but he also discusses his command of the high-speed transports Laning and Burdo, the rigors of Naval Intelligence School, his command of a squadron during a Pacific typhoon (1958) and travel through Canada in 1962.

54 items

 

Billingsley, Edward B.
Papers

2 feet

 

Black, Robert G.
Oral History

 

Bridgers Jr., Henry C.
Papers, 1870-1981

Captain Bridgers graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1935) and joined the U.S. Navy, graduating from flight school in 1936. During World War II he served in the South Pacific as Operations Officer for Fleet Air Wing One and commanded Fighter Squadron 42 and, subsequently, Carrier Air Wing 42 on USS Sicily. After World War II he attended the Naval War College, served as navigator on board USS Midway beginning in 1952, and commanded the Naval Air Station and the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Correspondence, reports, speeches, photographs, and published materials reflect this phase of Captain Bridgers' naval career.

1,250 items and 9 volumes

 

Broadfoot, Mary B.
Papers, 1941-1945

This collection contains letters written by several men serving in the armed forces during World War II. The letters were written to Mary Bason, a young woman from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who worked as a civilian on an Army base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, during 1944. Near the end of the war in 1945 she married Major William G. Broadfoot, Jr.

171 items

 

Brown, H.V.
Papers, 1942-1943

52 items

 

Brown, James H.
Papers, 1929-1963

Papers (1931-1962) of naval officer James H. Brown, U. S. Naval Academy class of 1935, containing correspondence, reports, citations, photographs, memorandums, orders, etc., reflecting every aspect of a thirty-year naval career, including service on board USS Reuben JamesAugustaShawAbner ReadAmmen, Douglas H. Fox, and Montrose.

3,560 items

 

Buell, Thomas C.
Papers, 1941-1945

Captain Buell, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS Helm during World War II. His written reminiscences comment on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and patrol and escort duty in the South Pacific. Of special interest are comments on the rescue of personnel under fire from Howland and Baker Islands, the Battle of Savo Island, the recapture of the Marianas, the bombardment of Iwo Jima, and Helm's collision with USS Conner.

46 items

 

Burnham, John M.
Papers, 1941-1945

Captain Burnham was a career naval officer and a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941. Included is a letter from Rear Admiral Hyman G. Rickover concerning initial trials of the nuclear submarine USS Skate, photographs, and Burnham's obituary.

5 items

 

Burrowes, Thomas
Papers, 1925-1974

Papers of U.S. Navy officer, including diaries; correspondence; files on USS WisconsinAbner ReedO'Brien, Destroyer Squadron Seven, and Destroyer Flotilla Three; speeches, reports, clippings, photographs, citations, and miscellaneous.

450 items

 

Butcher, Paul D.
Papers, 1968-1992 

2 feet and 9 items

 

Byrd, David L.
Papers, 1937-1950

57 items

 

Capps, Arlie G.
Papers, 1941-1987

Commander Capps, a native of Jefferson City, Missouri and a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS CushingHutchins, and Newcomb during World War II, seeing action in the Philippines and at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Military papers, including travel orders, leave of absence requests, a personnel file from Newcomb, reports on the use of liquid fuels, and promotion and resignation documents, reflect his naval career. Of special interest are excerpts from the diary of a captured Japanese medical orderly which describe the U.S. landing operations, bombings, and gas attacks near Attu Island. These excerpts also describe Japanese soldiers escaping through minefields, their rations, suicide cases, and the killing of wounded soldiers by doctors to prevent their capture by American troops.

307 items

 

Celustka, Robert J.
Oral History

 

Chapman, Paul W.
Papers, 1969-1974

Major Chapman, a pilot with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, saw active duty in Vietnam from 1969 to 1972. This collection reflects his duty in Vietnam and includes a diary, correspondence, reports, a photograph album, and other miscellaneous material.

2 volumes and 12 items

 

Clark, George L.
Papers

History of USS Alvin C. Cockrell.

1 volume

 

Colbert, Bryan R.
Papers, 1963-1975

Captain Colbert served 24 years in the Navy as a Supply Corps officer, principally with aviation units. Citations and covering letters, discharge papers, and a presentation made by Colbert illustrate his post-World War II career.

7 items

 

Costagliola, Francesco
Papers, 1917-1988

A typed manuscript describes USS Phoenix in Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack. A copy of the ship's monthly newsletter, the Phoenix Flame, and a second typed manuscript reflect the Phoenix's role in World War II, including the transport of Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Teheran in 1943. A third manuscript and copies of articles by Captain Costagliola reveal his views on the use of nuclear energy.

9 items

 

Cox, Zach D.
Papers, 1943-1946

The papers of Major Cox, USMC, contain correspondence, orders, photographs, maps, and miscellaneous items. A group of orders, memorabilia, and a map pertain to Cox's command of the Marine guard of honor and security detachment for the launching ceremony for the aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La on 24 February 1944. Also included are maps, photographs, and correspondence pertaining to Cox's service as executive officer and adjutant of the Headquarters Battalion of the 1st Marine Division, stationed at Tientsin, China during 1946.

50 items

 

Coxe Jr., Alexander B.
Papers, 1928-1945

Personal correspondence covers his years at the Naval Academy, duty on the West Coast, and service on the Asiatic Station. Items included for World War II are combat action reports from the destroyer-minelayer USS Breese and a cruise history of the destroyer Van Valkenburgh. The reports consist of an eyewitness account of the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor, a description of the shore bombardment of Iwo Jima, and a report on the capture and occupation of Okinawa. The cruise history traces the destroyer during 1944 and 1945 and contains accounts of action at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and describes conditions in Nagasaki, Japan, shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped.

431 items

 

Creighton, Johnston B.
Papers, 1829-1976

331 items

 

Crisp, Lucy C.
Papers, 1942-1951

U.S.O. correspondence consists of letters from U.S. Marines she met while managing the U.S.O. Club in Greenville, North Carolina. A series of letters from Tinian (August 1944-June 1945) describes the difficulties in taking the island, animals and insects encountered there, Christmas festivities and recreations, and base facilities. Another series of letters (July-November 1945) describes in detail the facilities on Saipan, the favored treatment of the Army, and the tedious process by which the soldiers left the island. Other letters touch on activities at Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, and on Okinawa.

6,500 items

 

Crommelin, Quentin C.
Oral History, 1935-1971

Captain Crommelin, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, relates his experiences and those of his four brothers as naval officers during World War II. Among the topics discussed are the torpedoing of USS Saratoga, duty in the South Pacific, flight training, combat experiences, and the aviation deaths of two brothers. Post-war commentary concerns duty as a squadron commander, association with Admiral James L. Holloway, Jr., and their opinion of Admiral Hyman J. Rickover.

1.5 hours, 22 pages

 

Cuccias, Frank P.
Oral History, 1935-1988

Captain Cuccias, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses his service on board USS Brooklyn for convoy duty in the North Atlantic before and after the U.S. entry into World War II. He comments on the invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch) in 1942 and subsequent assignment as a naval aviation instructor until 1945. Post-war commentary concerns the Surface Squadron in Bermuda, anti-submarine warfare, the Naval War College, and duty on board USS Wasp. He also describes his participation in Operation Mariner in the North Atlantic and his command of a squadron in Japan.

1.5 hours, 23 pages

 

Dansereau, Raymond J.
Papers, 1942-1945

The collection consists of three handwritten diaries, an edited re-write of the second diary, a published version of the diaries titled Tomorrow's Mission, and reminiscences. Early diary entries concern Dansereau's training in radar, radio and gunnery schools in Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. Further training and operations in the Caribbean Sea are noted and specific entries pertain to the maintenance and repair of planes; a description of glide bombing; and turret problems while on a practice bombing run.

5 volumes and 3 items

 

Davis, Glenn B.
Papers, 1909-1953

Vice Admiral Davis, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1913, served on board USS Kansas during the Vera Cruz incident, the tanker USS Maumee during World War I, and the battleshipWashington during World War II.

Citations, commendations, and official orders reflect his naval career. Also included in his papers are copies of Cougar Scream, the newsletter of USS Washington, and Washington's fourth anniversary booklet. Other items include correspondence, clippings, and photographs containing scenes of the bombardment of Nauru and Kwajalein and of the officers of MaumeeTennessee, and Washington.

The oral history interview emphasizes the Vera Cruz affair and duty on board USS Philadelphia while President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a passenger. World War II assignments as commander of bothWashington and Battleship Division 8 are also discussed, with special emphasis on the Solomons campaign and engagements at Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Truk.

136 items

 

Davis, James W.
Papers, 1906-1978

Rear Admiral James W. Davis, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Davis, was born at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in 1910. He attended public school in North Carolina and Washington, D.C., before entering the United States Naval Academy in 1926. Commissioned ensign upon his graduation in 1930, Davis began his long military career on board USS Wyoming and Pennsylvania before attending submarine school. After additional training in mechanical engineering, Davis was assigned to submarine duty and subsequently commanded two submarines in the Pacific during World War II. As commanding officer of USS S-47 and later USS Raton, Davis led his crew in a number of dangerous but successful war patrols. Davis was made commanding officer of USS Polana at the close of World War II. This was the first of seven command positions he held during the next twenty years. He also held administrative positions, including Deputy Director, Joint Staff for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Naval Deputy for the NATO Defense College. The collection consists of correspondence, memorandums, documents, military records, reports, poems, photographs, yearbooks, news articles, maps, regulations, and miscellaneous.

3,050 items

 

Davis Sr., Louis P.
Papers, 1905-1947

Captain Davis, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1905, had a naval career which spanned forty-one years. Davis took part in the round-the-world cruise of the Great White Fleet in 1907, served in the Philippines, China, and Panama, and saw action in both World War I, commanding USS Jarvis and Cushing, and World War II.

970 items and 5 volumes

 

Davis Jr., Louis P.
Papers, 1930-1988

Early correspondence is from Davis to his parents, written aboard USS Henderson and Reid after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Subsequent correspondence, both personal and official, includes a citation for bravery given while on board USS Salmon. The majority of the collection pertains to Davis's loss of command of USS S-18 and his attempts to have an inquiry made into the incident. Failure to receive a hearing resulted in Davis's resignation on November 29, 1945. Filed with official correspondence are letters acknowledging transcripts sent to Rutgers and Princeton from the Naval Academy, a fitness report, a Board of Inspection and Survey Report on S-18, orders, a service record, and resignation papers. In addition to personal and official correspondence, the collection contains a diary written on board USSReid, describing the attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent anti-submarine patrols off the Hawaiian Islands; an ammunition log for USS Salmon; and three torpedo logs for Salmon. Several newspaper clippings concern Davis's citation and business career after the war.

128 items

 

Delano, Victor
Papers, 1941-1965

Captain Delano, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941 served on board USS West Virginia prior to the Japanese air raid at Pearl Harbor. After the sinking of West Virginia, he served on board USS PennsylvaniaSan Juan, and Wedderburn. His post-war sea duty included ShovelerEversoleNewport News, and Taconic, and command of Amphibious Squadron Eight.

A typescript of his reminiscences and a report to the Gunnery Officer describe the attack on West Virginia and its resulting damage; his efforts to help the fatally wounded captain; and actions in the plotting room. He also notes and suggests improvements in emergency procedures. A shipboard diary reflects fleet movements, enemy sightings and torpedo attacks, campaigns, and a sweep of Leyte Gulf that was delayed by a typhoon.

10 items

 

Destroyer Escort Commanding Officers
Collection, 1939-1945

This umbrella collection contains the papers of U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve officers who commanded destroyer escorts during and shortly after World War II. The collection includes:

  • T. Nash Broaddus, 1940-1990, 185 items
  • Alvin P. Chester, 1936-1982, 2 items
  • John E. Greenbacker, 1937-1969, 1,400 items
  • Hillyer, Richard B., 1943-1945, 7 items
  • Norman C. Hoffman, 1944-1988, 15 items
  • Stuart T. Hotchkiss, 1925-1978, 4 items
  • Benjamin D. Hyde, 1943-1944, 24 pages
  • Louis F. Loutrel, 1944-1945, 5 items
  • Walter F. Martin, 1911-1981, 511 items
  • James M. Mertz, 1941-1945, oral history
  • Jack R. Schweizer, 1943-1945, 8 items
  • Donald D. Snyder, 1941-1945, oral history
  • Carroll F. Sweet, 1939-1945, 1 volume
  • USS Hopping, 1943-1945, 5 items
  • USS Major, 1943-1945, 3 items
  • Richard E. Warner, 1938-1953, 80 items

 

DeVenter, Willard W.
Oral History

 

Dibble, Robert E.
Papers, 1943-1946

The collection consists of correspondence and post cards from Robert E. Dibble (Bob) to his mother while stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, 12th Regiment, Great Lakes, Illinois, and while at the Naval Air Technical Training Centers in Tennessee, Virginia, and Oklahoma. These letters include references to security measures enforced in classrooms due to the sensitive nature of code and semaphore practices. Dibble trained in gunnery and radio aviation, including the actual construction of a radio while attending one of the schools. Dibble graduated from the Naval Air Station in DeLand, Florida, and was stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. Letters from this phase of his career elaborate on training schedules, classroom procedures, liberty, descriptions of training facilities, vaccinations, war bonds and pay, materials shortages, difficulties between Northerners and Southerners, and personal relationships. Also included in this collection are letters and post cards from Dibble's brother James, who was stationed at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, California. These letters pertain to liberty, duty, pay, change of boot training camp location, and his trip to California.

39 items

 

Dickson, Joe A.
Collection, 1944

The diary of an anonymous seaman aboard USS Half Moon describes action during the Battle of Surigao Strait and the seaplane tender's subsequent war history during operations in the Philippines.

4 pages

 

Donaldson, Martha E.
Papers, 1942-1962

Commander Donaldson, USNR (Ret.) was one of the first WAVES inducted into the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served as a naval officer on active duty from 1942 until 1946 and thereafter joined the Naval Reserve until her retirement in 1962. Included are correspondence, memos, reports, orders, financial papers, and other materials reflecting her naval career.

198 items 

Downing, Richard L.
Papers, 1943-1955

Recollections and photograph copies of submarine duty during World War II by U.S. Naval officer Richard L. Downing, U.S. Naval Academy class of 1939.

6 items

 

Dyer, George L.
Papers, 1862-1930

The George Leland Dyer Papers constitute an unusually rich primary source reflecting varied aspects of the U.S. Navy during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In addition, the papers chronicle in great detail the personal affairs and relationships of members of the Dyer and Palmer families. The bulk of the collection consists of the voluminous correspondence of George Dyer to his wife during his frequent absences from home, although letters of Susan Dyer, George Washington Dyer, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Hazzard Palmer, and other members of the family comprise a significant portion of the papers. Such additional material as diaries, photographs, and literary manuscripts complement the correspondence pertaining to the Navy and to the activities of family members.

2,400 items and 9 volumes

 

Edwards, Frank G.
Oral History, 1925-1988

Captain Edwards, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his childhood, experiences at the Naval Academy, duty on board USS Mahan, and the absences of Mahan from Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japanese attack. Other details concern shipboard experiences on board USS Foote, flight training, post-war aviation with piston and jet-engined airplanes, aviation innovations, and the testing of new aircraft.

1.5 hours, 25 pages

 

Eller, Ernest McN.
Papers, 1925-1991

Rear Admiral Eller was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1925. He served as a naval officer for forty-three years, including assignments as Assistant Naval Attaché in London and duty on board USS SaratogaUtahTexas, submarine USS S-33, attack transport Clay and heavy cruiser Albany, before retiring in 1970. He subsequently served as Director of Naval History and authored ten books and numerous articles on naval subjects. Included are correspondence, notes, published articles and reviews, speeches, oral history transcripts, clippings, an account of duty in the Asiatic Squadron, dedication programs, and miscellany.

4.5 feet

 

Elliot, A. William
Oral History

 

Engle, Audrey D.
Oral History

 

Fahrner, Alvin A.
Papers, 1939-1952

Captain Fahrner, a U.S. Naval Reserve officer, survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on board USS California and served as an aide and tactical officer for naval operations in the Pacific during World War II. He participated in operations for the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Marianas, Caroline Islands, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Included are an eyewitness account of the attack on Pearl Harbor, official military personnel files, reports of naval operations in the Pacific, transfer reports for classified publications, a report on civilian housing at Pearl Harbor after the war, reports on routine operations of the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, and published crew newsletters for USS South Dakota and other ships.

200 items

 

Farrior, Norman P.
Papers, 1912-1965

Norman P. Farrior, born on December 6, 1890, was a Presbyterian minister and missionary. A native of Duplin County, North Carolina, and a graduate of Davidson College, he served in the Navy during World War I, was a missionary to Mexico, worked in home missions in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Florida, and served as pastor of several churches in Duplin County, North Carolina, from 1943 until his death in 1970. Throughout his life Farrior maintained a lively interest in ecclesiastical matters, submitting many articles to religious publications and corresponding with missionaries in Mexico, China, and the Congo along with ministers in home missions in the United States. Farrior also actively corresponded with numerous Congressmen and newspaper editors concerning public issues of his day.

The collection consists of correspondence, diaries, clippings, plays, articles, and miscellaneous material.

330 items and 10 volumes

 

Faser, Karl E.
Oral History, 1942-1960

Colonel Faser, a graduate of Louisiana State University and the University of Oklahoma, received a battlefield commission in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Included is a description of his career as a Marine Corps officer, especially of activities in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Commentaries concern New Zealand, Guadalcanal, New Gloucester, Russell Island, Peleliu, and training in Australia. Also included are Colonel Faser's comments on the early stages of the Korean War in the Pusan perimeter, the march to the Yalu River, the subsequent withdrawal to Wonsan Harbor, and a comparison of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He also discusses duty in Japan and stateside duty at Camp Lejeune and Quantico.

1.5 hours, 29 pages

 

Ferebee, Nelson M.
Papers, 1822-1898

In October 1867, Nelson Ferebee entered the University of Maryland medical school. After graduating in 1871, and finding the practice of a country doctor intolerable, he enlisted in the Navy in September 1872, as an assistant surgeon. His first assignment of note was on board USS Portsmouth in 1872 and 1873. Of significance during the Portsmouth cruise are Ferebee's accounts of the Neptune ceremony performed while crossing the equator. Ferebee also describes the social life and customs of Hawaiians encountered during an 1875 cruise on board Portsmouth.

After duty on USS Pensacola in 1873, Ferebee was transferred to Jamestown at Sitka, Alaska. Topics of interest include Ferebee's descriptions of the native villages, the customs and social life of the Alaskan Indians, and his impressions of the Alaskan countryside. Ferebee also includes an amusing poem concerning Thanksgiving, "The Jamestown's Proclamation." From Jamestown, Ferebee was ordered to USS Trenton and was stationed in the Asiatic Squadron at Chemulpo, Korea. Ferebee relates his impressions of the Korean natives and their reaction to U.S. Naval personnel. Ferebee's last major duty was on USS Indiana during the Spanish-American War. Comments concerning this period give an excellent day-to-day account of the war, including the destruction of Maine in Havana Harbor. Also of interest are Ferebee's impressions of the performance of the Army, the Navy, and the Marines. Also worthy of mention is his brief statement concerning the rescue of the Rough Riders by the African American troops of the 10th Cavalry. Of particular significance are the accounts of the U.S. blockade, the ships captured by American vessels, and captured communiqués of the Spanish fleet. Important battles discussed include the Battle of Santiago Bay in which the Spanish fleet was destroyed and the fall of the town of Santiago. At the end of the Spanish-American War, Ferebee was transferred to Washington Navy Yard where he remained until his retirement in 1904.

This collection also includes copies of letters from several members of the MacPherson, Gregory, and Ferebee families. Of particular interest is Nelson Ferebee's letter describing the clothing and poor housing of Koreans at Chemulpo. Also included are a sketch of Ferebee's room aboard Jamestown; his grade reports from Oxford Classical, Mathematical, and Scientific School; the grade report of Miss Mary Ferebee at Oxford Female Seminary; and Bible records for the Ferebee and MacPherson families.

18 items and 1 volume

 

Fields, Milton P.
Papers

The main component of this collection is that of the photographs. Most of the photographs were taken on board USS Saratoga during World War II and contain a wide variety of subjects.

251 items

 

Fontana, Paul J.
Papers, 1933-1973

Major General Fontana was born in Italy to American parents and grew up in Sparks, Nevada. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1934, but transferred to the Marine Corps in 1936. During a thirty-seven year career as a Marine aviator, he saw combat in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In World War II he served at Guadalcanal, Okinawa, and Ryukyu Island. During the Korean War, he was Deputy Commander Marine Aircraft Group 33. He served briefly in the Vietnam War as Commander of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Japan. Prior to his retirement in 1973, Fontana served as Commander Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Major General Fontaina's files contain war diaries, which record on a day-to-day basis his activities with Marine Aircraft Group 11 in the Pacific Island campaigns. Other materials include correspondence, orders, photographs, citations, and memoranda reflecting various aspects of his career.

43 items

 

Fort, George H.
Papers, 1917-1956

Vice Admiral Fort, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1912, served as a naval officer for 45 years. He was action at Vera Cruz, Mexico; served as executive officer aboard the destroyerFanning during World War I; commanded submarines; was head of the Mathematics Department at the Naval Academy; commanded USS North Carolina in the South Pacific during World War II; and was a task force commander during several Pacific campaigns.

Correspondence, memos, reports, photographs, ships' newspapers, and other materials document action of the destroyer Fanning in the sinking of a German submarine and the capture of its crew, a 1942 Japanese air attack on North Carolina, and USS Enterprise, the invasion of the Palau Islands, and Fort’s peacetime service.

392 items

 

Foster, Richard E.
Oral History, 1942

Captain Foster, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, who was captain of the Academy’s football team in 1940, comments on his wartime assignments to the battleships Pennsylvania andIndiana, his post-war service on board USS Wright and his years as a naval engineer involved in ship design, planning, and production.

Of particular interest are his commentaries on the flag raising at Iwo Jima, witnessed from the deck of USS Nashville, the surrender of Japanese forces in Tokyo Bay, and his career-ending injuries sustained in a mid-air collision between airliners over New York City.

1 hour, 16 pages

 

French, William J.
Papers, 1942

This World War II diary of Seaman 3rd Class French is an account of experiences en route to Guadalcanal and his tour of duty on the island. Entries reflect life on board USS Alcyone, air and naval action during the initial assault on Guadalcanal with specific identification of ships involved including USS North Carolina, experiences on Guadalcanal, and military action by both American and Japanese forces in the area.

1 volume

 

Gamet, Wayne N.
Papers, 1921-1941

Captain Gamet's album contains photographs taken while on duty with the U.S. Navy in various parts of the world. The earliest photographs were made during a midshipmen’s cruise to Norway in 1921. Later photographs primarily reflect the vicinity of Lisbon, Portugal, and the Ascension Island area of the South Atlantic. Among the ships featured in the album are USS UtahSouth CarolinaConnecticut,Omaha, and Somers.

1/6 microfilm reel

 

Grabowsky, Leon
Oral History

Captain Grabowski, a native of France and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses his family background in Europe and his immigration to the U.S. as a small child. He comments on his youth in Paterson, New Jersey, his enlistment in the Navy, and his subsequent admission to the U.S. Naval Academy. He describes service on board USS Arizona before and during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, assignment to USS Maryland, appointment to intelligence duty on the island of Midway in preparation for a Japanese attack, the Battle of Midway, and duty on board USS Gillespie. Other commentary concerns World War II action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa; post-war duty; and supply service duty in Vietnam.

2 hours, 38 pages

 

Graham, John W.
Papers, 1941-1943

This notebook (c. 1941-1943) covers John W. Graham's operational training as a naval intelligence officer stationed on the Eastern Sea Frontier, 5th Naval District (Virginia and North Carolina) during World War II. In note form are instructions on navigation, types of ships, chains of command, anti-submarine warfare techniques, mines and mine sweeping, convoys, the coast watch system, and responsibilities of staff and line officers. Graham also includes excellent notes on details of the jurisdictions of the various armed force branches, the role and morale of civilian coast watchers, submarine spotting, and types of mines. Sketches of mines are also found in the notebook.

Graham describes implementation of the Coastal Convoy System and the resulting decrease in shipping losses, distribution of naval districts worldwide, and the number designation system for patrol groups and task forces. Ship tonnage, use of commercial fishing vessels, chart usage, and course adjustments are also discussed. There are numerous and explicit notes on procedures and techniques along with frequent references to "Chapman." (See Charles Frederic Chapman, Piloting, Seamanship, and Small Boat Handling, New York, 1922.)

1 volume

 

Green, Barney O.
Papers, 1933-1972

Lieutenant Commander Green enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937, was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps in 1950, retired from the Navy in 1961, and subsequently was a hospital administrator in Virginia. He served on board USS Brown in the Pacific during World War II, and had post-war assignments to NATO in France and Turkey. Photographs, clippings, service records, correspondence, and memorabilia reflect Green's career as a medical professional in the Navy and as a civilian.

400 items

 

Greene, William M.
Oral History

Griffin, Elizabeth G.
Papers, 1809-1968

Miss Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gordan Griffin was born January 23, 1890, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. An Episcopalian, she was appointed treasurer of the Missionary District (Diocese) of the Philippine Islands on February 10, 1931, and was working in Manila in 1942 when she was interned as an "enemy alien" by the invading Japanese army. Although the majority of the collection focuses upon Griffin's internment in Los Banos, much information pertaining to life and conditions in Camp Santo Tomas is included as well. Correspondence concerns Miss Griffin's capture and treatment in the internment camp and efforts of the U.S. Department of the State and the National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church to exchange the internees. Letters written by Miss Griffin upon her release reveal details of her rescue by American forces, her reflections on life in Los Banos, and her return to New Bern.

123 items and 2 volumes

 

Hadler, Jacques B.
Oral History

 

Hagerman, George
Papers, 1937-1970

Captain Hagerman, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS Lea and Wadsworth during World War II. Subsequently, he served on board USS O'HareBoston,HambletonWren, and Hyades, as well as various stateside tours. Included is an informal log reflecting duty at sea, in port, on liberty and on leave. Notes document convoy duty and anti-submarine operations in the Atlantic; participation in the invasions of Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa; kamikaze attacks; and post-war naval exercises and operations.

Correspondence and other documents reflect the evacuation of military dependents from Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis, political and public relations activities in Korea, and military life on duty in Korea.

743 items

 

Hailey, Robert
Papers, 1935-1965

Captain Hailey, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was appointed to USS Indianapolis after graduation, seeing action in the South Pacific and in the Aleutian Islands. After completing submarine school he served on board the training submarines R-16 and R-5. Post-war, he was executive officer of USS Sarda and Brill before commanding USS Piper from 1950 to 1952. He subsequently commanded the destroyer escort Waller, was commanding officer of the intelligence office in the Canal Zone, and finally commanded the attack transport USS Sandoval until his retirement in 1965.  Orders, certificates, logbooks, diaries, and memorabilia document Hailey’s career, particularly his Naval Academy years, service in the Aleutians, and his commands.

700 items

 

Hargan, Daniel K.
Papers

21 items

 

Harrison, Richard F.
Papers, 1937-1945

Major Harrison, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, became a U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot in 1943. He was stationed at Zamboanga, Philippine Islands, and was shot down by Japanese forces over enemy-controlled territory in 1945. Included are several photographs of civilian and military life at Zamboanga. Also included is a brief biographical sketch of Major Harrison by his widow.

8 items

 

Hayler, Robert W.
Papers, 1942-1946

Vice Admiral Robert W. Hayler was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1914. During World War II he commanded USS Honolulu from 1942 to 1944 and Cruiser Division 12. Entries from one diary reflect the activities of the Honolulu operating in the North and South Pacific and include accounts of the engagements at Kiska, Tassafaronga, Vila-Stanmore, New Georgia, Kula Gulf, Kolombangara, and Bougainville. A second diary deals with the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Surigao Strait, and engagements at Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Anguar, Ngesebus, and Ulithi islands.

27 items

 

Hayler Jr., Robert W.
Oral History, 1920-1970

Captain Hayler, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, is the son of Vice Admiral Hayler, During a 29 year career, Captain Hayler served on board USS FanningGearingHarmon,HuntingtonGoodrich, and John Paul Jones. Other assignments included the Bureau of Naval Personnel, aide to the Chief of Naval Operations, staff of the U.S. Commander in Chief Europe, command of Destroyer Division 132, Chief of Staff to Commander Carrier Division 17, command of Destroyer Squadron 32, Chief of Staff for the South Atlantic Force, and the office of Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Director for Pan American Affairs.

These interviews reflect his life as a Navy junior, experiences at the Naval Academy, and tours of duty during World War II. Hayler also describes his post-war service on board GearingHarmon,Huntington, and with the Sixth Fleet.

4 hours, 71 pages

 

Heavey Jr., William F.
Oral History

  

Helmick, Charles G.
Oral History, 1892-1933

Major General Helmick, the son of Major General Eli A. Helmick, was a 1913 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He subsequently received an Army commission and served in the Philippines. In this interview, Helmick discusses his early life as the son of an Army officer and his experiences at the Naval Academy.

1.5 hours, 22 pages

 

Henneberger, Josiah B.
Papers, 1930-1963

Commander Henneberger, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was assigned to various commands with the Naval Supply Corps. His diaries, correspondence, clippings, photographs, notes, ships' newspapers, and other materials reflect life at the Naval Academy; duty aboard USS Louisville between 1941 and 1943, Houston between 1943 and 1945, and Tucson from 1945 to 1946; and service on board USS Sicily during the Korean War. Specific accounts include engagements in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns; kamikaze attacks; action in the Aleutian Islands; the bombardment of the islands of Guam and Rota; and the end of World War II in the Pacific Ocean. Diary entries on the Korean War pertain to transportation of supplies, support for Marine ground operations at Pohang and Inchon, and ship food shortages.

194 items and 8 volumes

 

Henning, William J.
Papers, 1941-1961

Commander Henning, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served aboard the destroyer-minesweeper USS Long and fast transport USS Waters, and received two medals for his involvement in the operations at Iwo Jima and Okinawa during World War II. Included are a summary list of official orders and a list of citations and awards received. Naval correspondence, reports, orders, and promotion and retirement papers reflect Henning's naval career, which included meeting Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, and serving on the staff of the Superintendent of the Naval Academy.

In his oral interview Commander Henning comments on his experiences at the Naval Academy, assignment to Long, duty in the Aleutian Islands, and kamikaze attacks on USS Belleau Wood. Post-war reminiscences concern supervision of Japanese minesweeping activities, duty on USS Rogers, and Hanson off Korea, command of a minesweeping squadron, service at Malta, and assignment to the Naval Academy staff.

100 items and 1.5 hours

 

Hewes, William L.
Papers, 1943-1945

The collection consists of a narrative detailing activities of USS Miller and its crew, as well as other ships, in the Pacific Theatre. Described are battles and operations in the Caroline Islands; Marianas Islands; Iwo Jima; and Leyte Gulf. Specific events are also detailed including the rescue of Japanese and Korean survivors of a sunken supply ship in the Marianas Islands; a typhoon that sank three destroyers; and the crippling of aircraft carrier USS Franklin near Honshu, Japan, and subsequent rescue and fire-control efforts. At the end of the narrative, statistics for Miller are listed including specifics concerning its operation in battle, fueling, maintenance, repair, and fleet assignments.

21 pages

 

Hicks, Steacy D.
Papers, 1944-1946

The collection consists of a typescript diary, with additional observations, that detail activities on board USS Conway. Throughout the diary, lists of American and British ships in the vicinity of Conway are listed. Specific shore bombardments, aerial operations, and battles in and around the Philippines Islands are described including Leyte, Lingayen, Luzon, Corregidor, Parang, and Mindanao; Japanese kamikaze attacks on American ships; military actions in Borneo; and damage suffered by the light cruisers USS Birmingham and USS St. Louis are detailed. Other topics mentioned include a description of a radio broadcast by Tokyo Rose and propaganda pertaining to American casualties; use of peacetime honor rendering procedures by British ships in Hong Kong; and etiquette to be followed while on liberty in Hong Kong. At the end of the typescript, Hicks includes a narrative concerning his feelings toward Conway and life in the Navy during World War II.

25 pages

 

Hill, Gerald L.
Papers, 1943-1945

This World War II collection traces the activities of the destroyer USS Uhlmann in the Pacific near the end of the war. Included are a cruise history, newsletters, commissioning papers, and a Japanese naval map of Korean waters. Events discussed included the invasion of the Philippines, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima, and the bombardment of the Japanese coast.

6 items

 

Hines, Edward C.
Oral History

 

Hinkley, Eugene B.
Papers, 1862-1863

The collection consists of correspondence (1862-1863) from Hinkley to his sisters in which he details his activities while traveling as secretary to Commodore Henry Thatcher, on board the U.S. Sloop-of-War Constellation bound for the Mediterranean to protect Union shipping. The tour also served a diplomatic function as Thatcher and Hinkley met with American and foreign diplomats at each port.

29 items

 

Hoker, Joseph E.
Papers, 1936-1992

Captain Hoker enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1935 and was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1937, graduating as a member of the class of 1941. He was appointed to USS Tennessee, attended submarine school, and served in the submarines BlackfishGatoCeroPetoThreadfishSea Dog, and Queenfish into the post-war period. After shore duty Hoker returned to sea on board USS Harderand Conger, and again in 1961 in command of USS Mauna Kea. He was chief staff officer at the Mare Island Navy Yard from 1962 until his retirement in 1965.

Orders, citations, certificates, photographs, and limited correspondence illustrate Hoker's 24-year naval career. Also included are items pertaining to the class of 1941, biographical information, and an article on the submarine Cero.

188 items

 

Holderness, George A.
Papers, 1923-1986

A large part of the collection consists of correspondence and orders spanning the Rear Admiral George Holderness' career.  An early series of letters detail Holderness' post-graduate courses and problems associated with them.  Later correspondence includes a letter from Holderness describing work conditions and productivity at the Port Newark, New Jersey, shipyard during World War II, as well as a series of letters describing construction and operation activity at the Manicani Island Ship Repair Base, situation reports, post-war plans for the base, and its history from its inception.  Of particular interest is a letter describing the homeward voyage of one of the base's officers with stops at Manila, Okinawa, Shanghai, and Yokosuka, and the officer's opinions on each place. The remaining correspondence concerns post-war activities of Holderness, including a description of life in the Navy, promotion board recommendations, and details of retirement status and benefits for a rear admiral. Further correspondence contains congratulatory letters Holderness received upon his promotion to rear admiral.  Of particular interest are letters from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Clifton B. Cates (July 23, 1951), and future admiral Ernest M. Eller (July 12, 1951).

Miscellaneous material, newspaper clippings, and printed material deal with Holderness's promotion to rear admiral, and include launching and commissioning programs for USS North Carolina in 1940,Atlanta in 1941, and Worden in 1934. Two albums, a number of photographs, and an oversize folder complete the collection.

1,100 items

 

Hooker, William H.
Collection

This umbrella collection contains two groups of papers acquired for the East Carolina Manuscript Collection by William Howard Hooker.

HMS Desperate logbook, reflecting the tour of duty of the British steam screw-sloop Desperate at Bermuda during the Civil War and includes entries relating to cruises to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Virginia, South Carolina, Jamaica, and Honduras.

The George H.S. Driver Papers include correspondence by Driver, a commissary sergeant in Company F, 23rd Massachusetts Regiment on board the Union schooner Highlander, to his family and friends.

 

Hooper, Gordon W.
Papers, 1941-1944

The collection contains a U.S. Navy Flight School Handbook that deals primarily with recruitment and training of Naval officers and Naval Reserve personnel in the fields of aeronautics, aviation, selected service, lifesaving, graduate work, and the Supply Corps. The handbook also contains information pertaining to numerous U.S. Navy ships and submarines including their naming, commissioning, sponsorship, and dedication; legislation regarding Navy finances; and the transfer of retired and reserve personnel. Materials concerning specific ships include an account of the sinking of a Japanese trawler and destroyer by destroyer USS Roe near Iwo Jima; the fifth anniversary history of the destroyer USS Lang; a list of operations Lang participated in during World War II; a Thanksgiving 1944 menu for Lang that includes a list of officers and crew; an invitation and menu for the commissioning of the USS Swearer; and miscellaneous photocopied items. Photographs of the destroyer USS J. Fred Talbott and battleship USSTexas are included.

14 items

 

Howard Jr., William S.
Papers, 1930-1949

Personal correspondence consists of letters from Howard to his wife written from the Central Pacific Theatre. The letters reflect day-to-day ship activities and the responsibilities of Howard as commander of an escort task group which numbered at times as many as sixty vessels.  Letters comment on local military engagements and incidents, atrocities, Japanese prisoners-of-war, souvenir hunting, recreation problems for his men, and the sinking of submarines.  Other letters comment on a Marine invasion of January 31, 1944, and sailing past Japanese islands to draw fire. A letter outlines Howard's activities in the South Pacific; and another comments on Roosevelt and Truman, the fear of socialism as an outgrowth of racial changes, and the effectiveness of African American combat soldiers. General correspondence pertains to ships on which Howard served, including exercise performance of USS Trever, commanded by Howard, which won a "red E." A report concerns a depth charge attack by USS Sturtevant on a submarine. Pacific Area Escort Division 28 records concern Howard's command of Task Groups 57.7 and 96.3.  A typescript "Wartime History of Commander Marshalls-Gilberts Patrol and Escort Group (CTG 96.3)" outlines Howard's role in the conflict. The bulk of the records pertain to Task Group 57.7 commanded by Howard.

The log book of USS Sturtevant, a destroyer in Destroyer Division 62, Squadron 31, reflects convoy duty in the submarine infested waters of the North Atlantic just prior to the outbreak of World War II and shortly afterward.  Log entries provide details of the rigors of convoy duty and delineate numbers, names, and positions of convoy ships, and records ships torpedoed.  Entries concern attack on Pear Harbor and subsequent news bulletins regarding war news.  Information concerning the sinking of USS Reuben James is also recorded. Entries record daily reports of submarine positions, and an entry describes an encounter of Sturtevant with a submarine.

A journal (1930-1943) records Howard's activities while serving on USS Niagara and Mayflower and other duties. Entries reflect his on and off duty activities and professional and social activities.  Entries for 1931 concern the fire and sinking of Mayflower.  An entry for 1934 logs war maneuvers of a fleet cruise, and entries for 1940 pertain to the outbreak of war.

189 items and 2 volumes

 

Howe, Hamilton W.
Papers, 1941-1945

Rear Admiral Howe, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1926, retired in 1956 after thirty years of service. During World War II, he commanded the destroyers USS Roper and Earle off the Atlantic coast in anti-submarine operations and subsequently commanded the U.S. Naval Training Center Miami, Florida. Included are training center publications, one of which reflects the training of Chinese naval personnel at the base.

In his oral interview, Rear Admiral Howe describes anti-submarine activities aboard Roper and Earle off the coast of North Carolina, the sinking of the German submarine U-85 of the 7th U-boat Flotilla, the rescue of survivors from the torpedoed MS City of New York off the Virginia Capes, and recommendations aimed at assisting new destroyer commanders.

2 volumes and 1 hour

 

Hoyt, Michael
Oral History, 1987-1988

Captain Hoyt, a career Supply Corps officer, describes his experiences in administering supply operations for American ships in the Persian Gulf during 1987 and 1988. Particular attention is given to discussion of establishing procedures and locations for effective logistical support within the region.

1 hour and 25 pages

 

Huey, Enders P.
Papers, 1941-1971

The collection contains a small amount of correspondence and other materials that are primarily concerned with efforts to reconstruct the career of submarine USS Skate from war patrol reports.  Miscellaneous items include printed materials relating to the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida, and its commissioning; the specifications for the Japanese submarine Oyashio; and a privately published history of the submarine USS Sea Fox. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs of submarines, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and an oil tanker.  Particularly interesting are photographs of the submarine USS Skate after the first atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll.  The collection's remaining photographs contain images of ballistic missile launches from land and sea, officers conducting ship inspections, meetings with foreign Navy personnel, ceremonies, and portraits.

144 items

 

Huffman, Orville
Papers, 1944-1945

Included are a beach diagram of southeastern beaches at Iwo Jima, an intelligence map of Okinawa, and a photocopy of air distances to Nanpo Shoto.

3 items

 

Hunt, Wilson E.
Oral History, 1937-1945

Colonel Hunt, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, relates his background in Seattle, Washington; his enlistment in the Navy; and his appointment from USS Pennsylvania to the U.S. Naval Academy. He comments on Marine Corps training at Parris Island, South Carolina; his assignment to Samoa; and landing at Abemama from USS Nautilus as it was hit by friendly fire. Hunt also discusses landing in Yokosuka, training at Guadalcanal, and other Marine posts.

1.5 hours and 40 pages

 

Hurd, Kenneth C.
Papers, 1921-1966

Rear Admiral Hurd, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1925, served on submarines in the Asiatic Fleet and in the Panama Canal Zone. He also commanded USS Seal, in the Philippines and commanded Submarine Squadron 32 in the Pacific at the end of World War II. During the Korean War, he commanded Transport Division 13 and post-war he headed the Policy and Planning Branch of Naval Intelligence, retiring in 1955.

Personal correspondence reflects Hurd's experiences as a midshipman at the Naval Academy, life in the Navy during the Depression, service in Panama and Asia, and his extended hospital stay as a result of a machinery accident. Official memoranda, correspondence, and citations reflect his later naval career.

484 items

 

Hustvedt, Erling H.
Oral History, 1937-1945

Vice Admiral Hustvedt graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1909. During his thirty-six year career, he distinguished himself in naval ordnance and as a battleship commander. He served in World War I and World War II; headed the experimental section in the Bureau of Ordnance; served as production chief of the Naval Gun Factory; commanded USS Detroit and North Carolina; and was commander of Battleships Atlantic Fleet and Battleship Division 7.

297 pages

 

Hustvedt, Irene C.
Oral History, 1900-1945

Mrs. Hustvedt comments on her background in Hawaii, her marriage to Vice Admiral Olaf M. Hustvedt, and her subsequent experiences as the wife of a naval officer.

1 hour

 

Jackson, David H.
Oral History, 1925-1943

Rear Admiral Jackson, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, provides an in-depth account of his childhood in rural Arkansas, his life at the Naval Academy, and his service as a naval officer during World War II. Included are details of his experiences on board the destroyer minelayer USS Preble operating out of Pearl Harbor during the summer and fall of 1941, the anticipation of war, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Other comments concern the Battle of Midway landings in search of Japanese on islands nearby. Jackson also discusses patrol duty in the Aleutians and participation in campaigns around Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, and the Russell Islands.

2 hours, 44 pages

 

James, Eleanor G.
Oral History, 1920-1946

Mrs. James is the widow of Vice Admiral Jules James and the niece of former Secretary of State Henry Stimson. In this interview, she describes in detail her life as the favorite niece of Stimson and as the wife of a naval officer. Included are reminiscences of visits and travels with Stimson in New York, the Philippines, and post-World War I Europe. Mrs. James also relates experiences pertaining to her life as Admiral James's wife in Bermuda and Charleston, South Carolina during World War II; in post-war Italy; and in peacetime at Annapolis, Maryland and Washington, DC.

2.5 hours, 46 pages

 

James, Jules
Papers, 1904-1968

Vice Admiral James, a native of Virginia, was educated at Virginia Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and Columbia University. During his 42-year naval career, James served in the U.S., European, and Asiatic Fleets. He was naval attaché in Paris, Lisbon, and Madrid, Commandant of the Naval Operating Base Bermuda, Commandant Sixth Naval District and Charleston Navy Yard, and Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean.

The collection consists of naval papers, personal correspondence, photographs, and newspaper clippings.

1,800 items

 

Jamison, James P.
Papers, 1934-1945

Captain Jamison, a Pennsylvania native and member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served as gunnery officer aboard USS Burns in the South Pacific during World War II. Included are a ship's history, track chart, and list of operations for Burns, and Jamison's citation for service on board Burns during the destruction of a Japanese convoy.

In his oral interview, Captain Jamison describes his service on board USS Decatur until January 1943 which included involvement in the first neutrality patrol in the Caribbean and convoy duty in the North Atlantic. He comments on the commissioning of Burns and its service in landings and raids throughout the South Pacific, including the Gilbert, Marshall, and Ocean Islands, as well as Truk, Palau, New Guinea, the Marianas, the Philippines, and other Pacific locations.

4 items and 2 hours

 

Jayne, Hilton
Papers, 1944-1945

353 items and 9 volumes

 

Jennings, C. Brooke
Oral History, 1931-1965

Captain Jennings, a second-generation naval officer, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1935. He served in the Asiatic Squadron during the late 1930s and in the South Pacific and Aleutians during World War II. The interview includes discussion of the Naval Academy and duty on board USS ColoradoVincennesAugustaMacDonough, and McDermut. Of particular interest are anecdotes involving his father in Samoa when Jennings was a child, accounts of his experiences in China, observations of events in China prior to World War II, and descriptions of combat operations in the South Pacific and Aleutians during the war.

1.5 hours, 39 pages

 

Johns, John G.
Papers, 1921-1955

John Graham Johns, a native of Kenton, Delaware, pursued a successful career in the U.S. Navy. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1925. He served on board submarines and commanded submarine squadrons and divisions. Prior to his retirement with the rank of rear admiral in 1955, Johns worked at the Office of Priorities and Controls of the Munitions Board. Johns received several awards, including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.

The collection includes orders, reports, memorandums, photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, pamphlets, clippings, and miscellany.

600 items

 

Jones, William K.
Papers, 1938-1972

Lieutenant General Jones, a 1937 graduate of the University of Kansas, received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1938. Serving in the Marine Corps for 35 years, Jones participated in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During World War II, he served in New Zealand, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa.

The bulk of this collection revolves around the Vietnam War. Correspondence, speeches, scrapbooks, policy statements, and clippings reflect the efforts by the Marine Corps in South Vietnam.

In his oral interview, Lieutenant General Jones describes his early military training, the Marine Corps in the late 1930s, and duty on the Pacific coast. He also discusses his transfer to the Atlantic coast prior to the outbreak of World War II, shore patrol at Charleston, South Carolina, and duty at a British base in Iceland. Jones Describes his service in the South Pacific with special attention given to campaigns in and around New Zealand, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa.

Commentary on Korea includes a discussion of the early development of helicopter assault concepts, plans for deployment of the 3rd Marine Division, prisoner exchanges, and post-war duty along the Imhin River. For the Vietnam War, Jones details his service and responsibilities, his relationship with General William C. Westmoreland, for whom he worked as operations officer in the Combat Operations Center, his service as commander of the 3rd Marine Division, American strategy, and personal incidents.

6.5 microfilm reels, 6.5 hours, and 144 pages

 

Jones, William W.
Oral History, 1935-1988

In this oral interview, Captain Jones describes study at the Naval Academy and assignment to Pearl Harbor on board USS Helena. Jones was the first to sound the alarm that the Japanese were attacking, and he describes the attack. Jones also mentions action at the Battles of Coral Sea and Savo Island, the battles for Guadalcanal and Henderson Field, surface search radar capabilities at night, and the destruction of USS Juneau and damage to USS Honolulu. Jones also notes his involvement with atom and nuclear bombs after World War II.

1.5 hours, 39 pages

 

Kane, Harry J.
Oral History, 1941-1945

Mr. Kane was an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II. In this interview, he describes his patrols along the Atlantic coast while stationed at Cherry Point Marine Air Station, North Carolina, the sinking of the German submarine U-701 off the North Carolina coast, and the events that followed the sinking of this submarine.

1.5 hours, 22 pages

 

Karns, Franklin D.
Papers, 1902-1927

42 items

 

Keller, Omar K.
Papers, 1934-1983

Keller, a native of Nebraska and a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was a non-commissioned officer during World War II. Souvenirs and maps reflect two Academy practice cruises to Europe. Of special interest are a telegram from Congressman Charles F. McLaughlin, a service booklet; a pay and debit book; a certificate of appointment; transfer papers to the Naval Reserve; invitations; a playbill; and photographs of the Blue and Gold Class Reunion in 1983.

In his oral interview, Mr. Keller recounts his enlistment in the Navy at the age of seventeen and his service on board USS Oklahoma during the rescue of refugees from Spain during the Spanish Civil War. He comments on his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy as a member of the class of 1941 and his resignation in 1938. Keller relates his re-enlistment in the Navy in 1941 and service on board USSWhartonKendrickCaliforniaThompson, and Cone during World War II. He also comments on post-war duty on aircraft carriers and assignments to the Persian Gulf, Guantanamo in Cuba, and Japan.

71 items, 1 hour, and 31 pages

 

Kinney, Sheldon H.
Papers, 1956-1964

Rear Admiral Kinney, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, saw combat at sea during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Kinney received his first command in 1943 of USS Edsall, acted as Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, and was a member of the Board of Control for the Naval Institute Proceedings. Photographs in this collection include Admiral Arleigh A. Burke; Vice Admiral Charles S. Minter, Jr., and Vice Admiral William G. Cooper.

11 items

 

Kirkland, William A.
Papers, 1894-1974

Rear Admiral Kirkland, a native of Hillsborough, North Carolina, was an 1856 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and commanded the U.S. European Squadron. Correspondence is concerned with controversies surrounding Kirkland, particularly his involvement in French political affairs; the status of foreign officers on board U.S. ships; innovations in torpedo designs; conditions in Asia Minor; and commands held by Kirkland. Also included is a fitness report on Alfred T. Mahan and a poem on the sinking of USS Maine.

46 items

 

Laborde, Aldron J.
Oral History

 

Landers, Patrick
Papers

1 volume

 

Landreth, John L.
Papers, 1930-1945

A typed manuscript, entitled "Fringe of War," based on a diary by Frederic Shelby Brooks, Jr., a radarman on board USS Borum, describes its Atlantic cruise. Included are descriptions of life aboard Borum, enemy attacks, bomb damage in Great Britain, a history of Borum, and a list of officers and crew members at the time of Borum's commissioning.

In his oral interview, Landreth discusses his youth in Whittier, California and his involvement in acting and wrestling as a teenager. He also describes his experiences at the Naval Academy as a wrestler and as editor of the Lucky Bag. He covers his assignment to USS Nevada and its involvement in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Other commentary includes a description of the repair of Nevada, the construction of USS Alabama, task force duty in the North Atlantic, search duty for German capital ships, assignment to Borum, and destroyer escort duty in the Atlantic prior to the Normandy invasion.

1 volume, 2.5 hours, and 53 pages

 

Lane, Warren S.
Papers, 1943-1946 

Included are logbooks for the Naval Armed Guards on board SS Chippewa and SS Edwin L. Godkin. Both ships were involved primarily in shipping into European ports, but Godkin was also dispatched to Asia late in the war. Entries provide hourly documentation of watch duty, personnel, alerts, destinations, cargoes, and incidents at sea. Other items include a notebook that contains the names of guard crews, states of residence, and next of kin; a copy of a Christmas day speech; an inventory of Armed Guard gear and equipment; and miscellaneous items.

In his oral interview, Lane recounts his experiences as commander of a Naval Armed Guard gun crew stationed on board SS Edwin L. Godkin. He comments on the nature of the duty, men under his command, and the method of convoying ships across the Atlantic during World War II.

35 items, 1.5 hours, and 32 pages

 

Lanning, Francis and Jeanne
Papers, 1942-1945

The collection consists of correspondence to the Lanning family (Francis, Jeanne, and Mike), residents of southern California, from relatives and friends in the service during World War II.  Much of the correspondence is from family friend Chief Petty Officer and Carpenter's Mate Willard Garris.  Garris trained at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island, and served in the South Pacific with the Seabees on Bougainville Island, the Admiralty Islands, and Okinawa.

73 items

 

Larson, Lewis E.
Oral History

 

Lauerman, Henry C.
Oral History, 1938-1962

Captain Lauerman, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1938, served aboard the gunboat USS Erie in South American waters and as a submarine officer in the Pacific and the Aleutians during World War II. Subsequent duty included service on board the submarines TamborHalibutSealionCabrilla, and Argonaut, and on board the amphibious command ship Mount McKinley; tours in the office of the Secretary of the Navy; and service with the Judge Advocate General's office. Lauerman discusses submarine warfare, unity of a ship's crew, and compares the World War II submarine with its modern counterpart. Of particular interest are reminiscences of "banana boat" duty in Ecuador, World War II service in the Aleutians, Russian submarine crews at Dutch Harbor, encounters with Japanese destroyers and merchant ships, the rescue of Australian prisoners-of-war, wolfpack tactics, and life aboard a submarine.

1.5 hours and 33 pages

 

Leahy, Edward P.
Papers, 1943-1945

This collection consists of a World War II memoir recounting the experiences of Dr. Leahy as a young Marine in the South Pacific. The memoir, entitled "In the Islands," traces the activities of Company D, 20th Marines (Engineers) of the 4th Marine Division. Included are detailed descriptions of basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina and battle accounts of the invasion of Roi, Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. Leahy also comments on experiences aboard a transport ship, training aboard ship, eccentricities of colleagues, and shore leave.

116 pages

 

Lechowicz, Walter A.
Papers, 1941-1989

Walter Anthony Lechowicz was born in Brooklyn, New York, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1942.  Early in World War II Lechowicz was stationed on board auxiliary ship USS Reina Mercedesbut spent most of his war-time duty on board the fleet oil tanker USS Cache.  While on the Cache, Lechowicz saw action in the Marianas Islands; Western Caroline Islands; Leyte; Luzon; Iwo Jima; Okinawa Gunto; and the Japanese homeland operations.  After the war Lechowicz participated in Operation Crossroads on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, served on board the surrendered German heavy cruiser USS Prinz Eugen that served as an auxiliary ship, the destroyer USS Richard B. Anderson, and the oil tanker USS Sabine.

Papers, including correspondence, newsletters, histories of USS Cache and USS Sabine, certificates, and miscellany. Correspondence and fact sheets on nuclear test exposure along with a magazine article on Bikini Atoll.

94 items

 

Leggett Jr., Wilson D.
Papers, 1929-1956

Rear Admiral Wilson Durward Leggett, Jr., a native of Tarboro, North Carolina, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1920 and obtained a master's degree in engineering from Columbia University. In 1931, after serving on battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines, Captain Leggett began duties at the Navy's Bureau of Engineering (later Bureau of Ships), where he was responsible for instituting a program of diesel engine development. The program provided the Navy with diesel propulsion that was successfully utilized during World War II.

The collection consists of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, an order book, newsletters, and miscellany.

240 items and 1 volume

 

Lokey, T. Hamilton
Papers

17 pages

 

Long Jr., Dallas B.
Papers, 1942-1988

Dallas B. Long, Jr., was born in December 1925 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He joined the Navy, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Long worked as an Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd class, and as a plane captain for a Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter.  Long saw action with the carrier in the Philippines, South China Sea, and air strikes on Japan near the end of the war. Long left the ship and the Navy in late 1945, while Ticonderoga was berthed at Tacoma, Washington, where Long met his wife and worked for Woolworth Department stores. Research files for USS Ticonderoga, including correspondence; oral reminiscences; photographs; and photocopies of deck logs, action reports, ships newsletters, articles, clippings, diary entries, and other materials.  Also included are newsletters for USS Yorktown and other aircraft carriers and research information on Grumman aircraft, kamikaze attacks, and related topics.

2,200 items

 

Luehman, Earl A.
Papers, 1891-1976

Included in this collection are descriptions of the shelling of USS Helena, promotion documents, and letters of commendation. Three flight logs contain information on flight clothing, destination, time, conditions, and aircraft used. Included are descriptions of missions flown over Midway, Guam, Okinawa, and the China coast; fights with Japanese "Zekes;" the search for debris from sunken ships; mine laying; circling a typhoon; searching for a nose cone in the Pacific; and search and rescue missions in the Caribbean. Other items include certificates, a biographical sketch, two passports, and various World War II photographs.

In his oral interview, Captain Luehman primarily describes his experiences in World War II. He describes the torpedo damage to Helena at Pearl Harbor; several night actions, including the Battle of Savo Island where his turret was hit, the damage to USS San Francisco; a first-hand account of the blowing up of USS Juneau; and mentions the sinking of Helena after he left the ship. He also comments on some of the missions he flew once he received his wings.

Luehman discusses in detail his years as a Naval Attaché in the USSR, including the use of assigned drivers who were KGB men, attempts to spy on Soviet ship and submarine construction, the preponderance of Russian surveillance, anti-American demonstrations, and the hardships of embassy life.

35 items, 1.5 hours, and 32 pages

 

Lynn, Joseph
Papers, 1942-1992

An autobiographical sketch, official documents and certificates of service, official and personal correspondence, speeches, and class records make up this collection that spans the entire 24 years of Captain Lynn"s naval career.

750 items

 

McGrew, Ellen Z.
Papers, 1942-1958

Ellen Zukunft McGrew of Portland, Maine, was an x-ray technician, completed three years of college, and joined the WAVES in 1942. McGrew's naval training took place in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. McGrew was commissioned an Ensign, served with the 6th Naval Reserve District Headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Naval Training Center in Sampson, New York, resigned her commission (1946), and remained in the Naval Reserves until 1957.

The collection consists of correspondence, photographs, military papers, orders and publications, newspaper clippings, and miscellany.

260 items

 

McLellon, Waldron M.
Papers, 1890-1979

This collection encompasses three generations of naval personnel and focuses on Captain Waldron M. McLellon, his father Commander Clyde Hall McLellon, his grandfather Lieutenant Christian Jacob Crone, and his uncle David Waldron Crone.

3,000 items

 

MacMillan, Oscar D.
Papers, 1936-1956

Personnel files and cruise books highlight MacMillan's 30-year naval career. A journal reflects a Mediterranean cruise by USS O'Hare under MacMillan's command. Included are notes of daily ship activities and descriptions of USS Wasp and Hobson.

In his oral interview, Captain MacMillan discusses his education at the Naval Academy, service in Hull, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, operations off New Guinea and Guadalcanal, duty on boardAmmen and Floyd B. Parks, and battle cruises to the Aleutian Islands, New Guinea, and the Philippines. Other commentary concerns taking command of the destroyer escort Cross near the end of World War II.

300 items, 10 volumes, 1.5 hours, and 36 pages

 

Maginnis, Jack
Collection, 1801-1977

Captain Jack Maginnis was a 1927 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a meteorologist. During his thirty-one-year naval career Maginnis served on board USS ConstitutionParrottBlackIrwin, and commanded USS Minneapolis and Salem. He served in World War II and the Korean Conflict, during which he was the ranking U.S. naval officer wounded.

The collection consists of correspondence, diary, logbooks, citations, clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous.

622 items and 4 volumes

 

Martin, Donald J.
Papers, 1944-1945

The collection consists of an eleven-page memoir concerning the actions of USS LSM-9 while assigned to convoy duty out of Hawaii. The ship was involved in routine rear area convoy duty and made trips to Eniwetok, Guam, Ulithi, Saipan, the Russell Islands, Tulagi, Hollandia, New Britain, the Admiralties, and Leyte. Information concerning the invasion of Okinawa includes the off-loading of tanks and equipment over a reef on Purple Beach. Other items of interest pertain to the gathering of fish by Hawaiians from a dry-dock and a description of the destruction by Japanese forces in Pearl Harbor; a typhoon near Ulithi; and the technical specifications of LSM-9LSM-9 was decommissioned on December 20, 1945. Martin's biographical information is also included.

11 pages

 

Merdinger, Charles J.
Oral History, 1941-1988

Captain Merdinger, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was an engineer, a Rhodes Scholar, and received his PhD from Oxford University while still on active duty as a naval officer. Dr. Merdinger comments on his return from Vietnam and retirement from active duty in 1968. He discusses his presidency of Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland; work with the Aspen Institute, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and Avco International; and his chairmanship of the Board of Trustees of Sierra Nevada College. Concerning his active naval career, Merdinger discusses his experience with public works in Vietnam and conditions on board USS Nevada during and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

2 hours, 59 pages

 

Merrill, Louville H.
Papers, 1864-1866

Merrill served as Acting Assistant Paymaster aboard the U.S. steamer Yankee, attached to the Potomac Flotilla on blockading duty in the Chesapeake Bay. The two letterbooks contain copies of his correspondence with the Navy Department and other vessels' paymasters pertaining to ship's stores, accounts, and crew payments. Problems discussed include crew transfers, missing paperwork, and crewmen's allotment tickets for sending money to their wives and prize money tickets resulting from an enemy vessel's capture. In addition to the letterbooks, there are three financial ledgers containing monthly statements and quarterly accounts, invoices of receipts, and daily cash records, and the commander's order book.

6 volumes

 

Messer, John G.
Oral History

Captain Messer, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his education in Massachusetts, his experiences at the Academy, and Atlantic Theater service on board USS Madison on convoy duty, escorting the carrier USS Wasp on missions ferrying Royal Air Force Spitfires to Malta, and during the 1942 landings in North Africa. He discusses his service in the Pacific on board USSKimberly including bombardments of Tarawa, Makin, and the Kurile Islands. Messer describes his post-war career including assignments to the Naval Mine Depot, CINCNELF staff in London and Italy, and Pentagon duty, as well as sea duty on board USS Harry F. BauerPhilippine SeaSoley, Destroyer Division 82, Carrier Division 14, and command of a destroyer squadron with his flag on USSBelknap.

1.25 hours, 44 pages

 

Miller, Edward G.
Papers, 1936-1966

Captain Miller, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on USS Washington in the Atlantic and on USS Gherardi in the invasion of Normandy during World War II. Included are official orders, correspondence, and citations reflecting his career as a naval officer.

In his oral interview, Captain Miller discusses his background, education, and employment prior to entering the Naval Academy. Also included are descriptions of his service during World War II aboardWashingtonGherardiMeredithWilliam T. Powell, and Greenwood, especially during the Normandy invasion and the landings at Ulithi and Okinawa.

76 items, 3 hours, and 84 pages

 

Miller, Harry Z.
Oral History

 

Miller, Richards T.
Oral History

 

Naval Air Squadron 106
Collection, 1943-1946

31 items

 

Navy Department Administrative Survey
Records, 1941

A survey of the administration of Navy Department bureaus and the office of the Secretary of the Navy prepared immediately before World War II for Secretary of the Navy W. Frank Knox by Booz, Fry, Allen, and Hamilton. Problems discussed include personnel, space allocation, communications, the Navy cafeteria, files and record maintenance, office supplies, building services, office equipment, duplicating and photography, security, transportation and parking, messengers, insurance, field inspections, and legal activities.

1 volume

 

New Bern Historical Society
Collection, 1858-1901

A major item is the Civil War diary of Charles A. Tournier, a Union soldier stationed in North Carolina. Of interest are diary entries that comment on Union attempts to raise the sunken Confederate ramAlbemarle.

4 items

 

Newsom, John W.
Papers, 1936-1954

Diaries, correspondence, and journals document training cruises to Europe while at the Naval Academy in 1938, his service in the Hawaiian Islands, and action during the Solomons campaign, where his squadron was to serve as a model for Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny. Flight logs and notes cover his aviation career into the post-war years. Also included are several issues of Naval Academy student publications.

In his oral interview, Captain Newson provides an overview of his experiences at the Naval Academy and during World War II. He concentrates on the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor; duty on board the destroyer minesweeper USS Hopkins at Guadalcanal, Savo Island, Munda, and Tulagi; flight school and airship training; his appointment to USS California and service with the invasion force prepared against Japan; and his return to the U.S.

250 items, 35 minutes, and 15 pages

 

Nicholson, William M.
Oral History

  

North Carolina, USS, Oral History Interviews

Collection, 1942-1945

These interviews were conducted in cooperation with the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission with officers and enlisted men who served aboard the vessel. Sixty-four former crew members have participated in this project and have discussed a multitude of topics, including the outfitting and shakedown cruise, passage through the Panama Canal, arrival at Pearl Harbor, Pacific island campaigns, kamikaze attacks, life aboard the vessel, and crew members. Officers interviewed include:

  • Ben W. Blee
  • Julian T. Burke, Jr.
  • Robert J. Celustka
  • Stansel E. DeFoe
  • Richard L. Downing
  • John Kirkpatrick
  • Timothy J. O’Brien
  • William Rogers
  • Ralph Sheffer
  • Jay Skipper
  • Joe Stryker
  • Richard Walker
  • A.G. Ward

Enlisted men interviewed include:

  • Walter T. Babcock
  • Everett R. Beaver
  • Jackson Belford
  • Doug Blancheri
  • Thomas W. Brasfield
  • Edwin L. Calder
  • Edward Cope
  • Dick Evans
  • Otho E. Farrar
  • Charles Frost
  • Charlie Gilbert
  • Ollie C. Goad
  • Jerry S. Gonzales
  • William R. Graham
  • Henry C. Greenway
  • Edward Hall
  • Michael L. Horton
  • John Hutchinson
  • Joseph E. Iacono
  • Max E. Jenkins
  • Willie N. Jones
  • Edward T. Konop
  • Kenneth Landry
  • Thomas M. McAlone
  • Leo Neumann
  • Theron T. Nichols
  • Henry Okuski
  • Robert L. Palomaris
  • Larry Resen
  • Floyd E. Riddlebarger
  • Lawrence Robillard
  • Donald C. Rogers
  • Charlie Rosell
  • William A. Schack
  • Daniel Schroll
  • Stan Shefveland
  • Herbert Sisco
  • Harold A. Smith
  • Alton H. Starling
  • Ralph Swift
  • Wilburn Thomas
  • Lester B. Tucker
  • John P. VanSambeek
  • Fay Wasson
  • William A. Watkins
  • Paul C. Wenck
  • Joe Whitley
  • Donald R. Wickham
  • Paul Wieser
  • Irvin G. Young
  • Kenneth B. Zimmerman

 

Owen, William D.
Oral History, 1937-1971

Captain Owen, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his experiences at the Naval Academy, the delay in receiving his commission due to an eye problem, assignment to USSYorktown, and service in the North Atlantic during the summer of 1941. Commentary on World War II includes descriptions of the severe damage to Yorktown at the Battle of the Coral Sea and its sinking at the Battle of Midway, service on board USS Birmingham during the invasion of Sicily, and kamikaze attacks on Astoria at Iwo Jima. Post-war commentary concerns NATO duty; assignments to USSGatlingJohn S. McCain, and Uvalde; the investigations of the USS Liberty incident; and his experiences in Vietnam.

1.5 hours, 35 pages

 

Paas, Walter
Papers, 1944-1945

10 items

 

Paddison, Richard P.
Papers, 1791-1945

James Paddison Pretlow served in the Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron in the Pacific during World War II. Correspondence written while he was serving in the Philippines comments on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death; President Harry S. Truman; food and attempts to keep the cost of food minimal; wartime needs; delays in mail delivery; the personality of Filipinos; and treatment from the shipboard “Court of Neptune” when crossing the equator.

465 items

 

Peery, Charles V.
Papers, 1863-1865

The collection consists of records (1863-1865) of the 1st North Carolina Union Volunteers, including correspondence, muster rolls, instructions, company returns, clothing reports, equipment reports, orders, invoices, ordnance reports, and other materials primarily for Company H; a register (1865) of ships entering and departing from Savannah, Georgia., and Morehead City, North Carolina; and copies of U.S. Navy correspondence (1863-1864) concerning the blockade of Wilmington, North Carolina.

223 items and 3 volumes

 

Percy, Billups
Oral History

 

Perkins, David E.
Papers, 1940-1977

Captain David Eaton Perkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eaton H. Perkins of Melrose, Massachusetts, graduated from Admiral Billard Academy in New London, Connecticut, in 1943. In 1946 he graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, and was stationed first in Seattle, Washington, and then along the southwestern coast of Alaska. He was a crewmember of the Coast Guard Cutter Clover, checking and repairing the buoys and unmanned lighthouses along the southern coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands from 1946 through 1948. In 1949 he was commissioned a lieutenant junior grade and by 1946 he was a lieutenant. In 1963 Perkins, then a lieutenant commander, became chief of the Coast Guard Cutter Modoc. He was promoted to captain in 1968 and the following year received the Meritorious Service Medal for work on the Programs Staff in the Office of Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters. Captain Perkins received the Legion of Merit as commander of all Coast Guard activities in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. In 1971 he was stationed at the Coast Guard base on Governors Island, New York City. Captain Perkins was a director of the Operation Sail 1976 event in New York City and the 1977 New York Harbor Festival. He retired as Chief of Staff to Admiral Rea.

Materials in the collection include correspondence, newspaper clippings, booklets, reports, pamphlets, programs, commissions, regulations, movie film, and miscellaneous items.

361 items

 

Pollard, Eric W.
Papers, 1953-1979

Captain Pollard, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was a naval aviator and the first Naval Attaché in Iran. In Iran he served in various capacities, including special assistant for counterinsurgency and special activities. After retirement from the Navy in 1965, he remained in Iran as a private consultant.

Of special interest is a report by Pollard documenting the instability of the government of the Shah of Iran and the numerous forces capable of causing its collapse. Included is information on the political, economic, socio-cultural, and military status of Iran. Correspondence outlines Pollard's proposed salvage operation in Iran after the fall of the Shah's government and reflects anger over the execution of pro-U.S. Iranian General Manucher Khosrodad.

19 items

 

Price, Jr., Frank H.
Oral History, 1936-1981

Vice Admiral Price, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses his background and education in the coal mining region of Kentucky, experiences at the Academy, pre-war duty in the Atlantic on board USS Walke, assignment to USS O'Brien, and service on that ship when it was torpedoed and sunk. Other wartime commentary concerns duty on board USS Shubrick in the Atlantic and its bombing during the invasion of Italy; convoy duty prior to D-Day; and participation in the Normandy invasion. Post-war assignments discussed include service on board USS Missouri, at the Bureau of Ordnance, with Escort Division 22, and at the Naval Gun Factory. Further commentary concerns the National War College; the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Spain; command of Destroyer Division 362; Carrier Division 18; command of USS Long Beach, and of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 8; and assignments at the Pentagon.

1.5 hours, 32 pages

 

Puryear Jr., Bennet
Oral History, 1905-1943 

Major General Puryear, a native of Richmond, Virginia, attended Texas A&M University and was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1905, retiring in 1943. During his career, he served in Cuba and the Isle of Pines, Parris Island, the Philippines, Mare Island, and with the 5th Marines, 2nd Division in France. Puryear describes his entire career, but focuses primarily on duty in Cuba, the Philippines, and World War I service.

1.5 hours and 28 pages

 

Putnam, Paul A.
Papers, 1926-1953

Diaries, correspondence, citations, orders, clippings, and photographs document the defense of Wake Island and Putnam's imprisonment at Zentsuji Prison Camp in Japan. Diaries detail the daily routine of prison life, treatment by the Japanese, the availability of necessities, types of diversions, and other prisoner-of-war experiences.

General Putnam's oral interview concentrates primarily on the defense of Wake Island against the Japanese at the beginning of World War II, Putnam's capture and internment by the Japanese, and life in a prisoner-of-war camp.

306 items, 1.5 hours, and 13 pages

 

Quackenbush Jr., Robert S.
Oral History, 1927-1957

Rear Admiral Quackenbush, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1927, recounts his experiences as a naval aviator and as Director of Navy Photography during World War II. He also describes photographic activities during the 1930s, attendance at an English photo interpretation school in 1941, American deficiencies in photograph interpretation, and photographic intelligence work in the South Pacific. Quackenbush also comments on atomic tests at Bikini, the Antarctic Operation Highjump, and an Arctic expedition. He notes other duties, including chief of staff to Commander Carrier Division 4 on board USS Midway and command of USS Randolph; assignment to Paris, France, as Commander of the Striking Fleet; and Commander in Chief South Pacific area.

1.5 hours, 21 pages

 

Ramsay, Alston
Papers, 1942-1962

Included are photographs, clippings, and correspondence pertaining to his naval career. A photo album concentrates on scenes of Subic Bay and Manila Harbor, the destroyer USS Foote, and equator-crossing initiation ceremonies. Also included are crew histories of Foote and USS Waller from 1953-1954, and a copy of the ship's newspaper, Foote-Notes.

25 items

 

Ransom Jr., Eugene M.
Papers, 1937-1945

Ransom, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and a member of the US. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS New OrleansHancock, and Cabot during World War II. His reminiscences recount enemy action while on board New Orleans near Espiritu Santo and the Gilbert Islands. Ransom also comments on playing plebe football at the Naval Academy.

2 items

 

Ray, Alan
Papers, 1912-1922

This volume consists of a memorial tribute to Lieutenant Martin M. Ray, Captain Alan Ray's elder brother, who was killed in action at the Battle of Midway on board USS Hammann. Brief sketches of his family's careers are also included, together with details of the launching ceremony for the destroyer escort USS Martin H. Ray, named in his honor.

1 volume

 

Ray, Alan
Oral History, 1941-1954

Captain Ray, a native of New York and a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his background in an Army family and his experiences before and during his Naval Academy days. He describes duty on board USS Lexington during 1941, encounters with the Japanese in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and the Battle of the Coral Sea. Included are details of the sinking ofLexington and the rescue of her crew. Other World War II topics discussed include service in the Solomon Islands campaign on board USS PringleJohn A. Bole, and duty along the Korean coast after the Japanese surrender. Post-war commentary concerns evacuation of American nationals from Shanghai, involvement of the high-speed transport USS Horace A. Bass in the Inchon invasion during the Korean War, and the demolition of railroads along the Korean coast.

2 hours, 38 pages

 

Read, Charles W.
Papers, 1863-1970

Charles William Read (1840-1890) was born either in Hinds County or Yazoo County, Mississippi. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1856 and was graduated in 1860. Upon hearing that Mississippi had seceded from the Union, Read resigned his commission and returned to the South to join the Confederate Navy. Lieutenant Read's distinguished accomplishments included the capture of twenty-two vessels during the period between June 6 and June 27, 1863. He was captured in Portland, Maine, in June 1863, following an attempt to take the revenue cutter Caleb Cushing. He was exchanged in 1864 and subsequently participated in naval operations on the James River. The collection contains typewritten transcripts of Read's notes that discuss the ships in which he served, as well as the ships, cargoes, and captains he captured. The notes describe also the methods he used to capture them. The notes that deal with Portland Harbor constitute an excellent first-person account of his capture and subsequent imprisonment at Fort Warren, Massachusetts. Also of interest are copies of official U.S. government correspondence and correspondence Read sent to the Confederate Secretary of the Navy concerning Read's activities at Portland and the events leading to them. Other primary material pertaining to Read's naval career include his notes describing his duty in the James River Squadron in 1864 and papers relating to his pardon.

37 items

 

Rieve, Roland
Oral History

 

Riggs, John D.
Papers, 1934-1985

Riggs, a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, served 20 years in the U.S. Navy. In 1948, he participated in atomic tests conducted by the U.S. government. Included in this collection are letters covering research into the effect of atomic tests on personnel involved. Also included are Riggs' service records, photographs, and photo albums made on USS Kearsarge and Logan.

36 items

 

Rottet, Ralph K.
Papers, 1936-1970

U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Rottet, a native of Jasper, Indiana, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1934. During World War II, he served as a combat aviator and completed 21 combat missions around the Marshall Islands. Rottet also saw combat in Korea; served as assistant commander of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Japan; and was Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases Eastern Area and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

635 items

 

Rowen, William H.
Papers, 1944-1983

500 items

  

Rowney, James V.
Papers, 1941-1970

Captain Rowney, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS Enterprise and USS Yorktown during World War II. A major portion of this collection consists of three scrapbooks. The first scrapbook reflects service on Enterprise. Included are a ship genealogy; photographs depicting damage to the ship; and clippings, fleet correspondence, war bulletins, and a nautical chart highlighting naval battles and sites of sinkings.  A second scrapbook focuses on activities of Enterprise and Yorktown. Included are a brochure describing Yorktown's construction; clippings about naval pilots and airplanes; a ship's track chart; a combat record for Bomber-Fighter Squadron 88; a list of Rowney's flight missions; and several photos of bomb damage to Tokyo and Hiroshima. The third scrapbook highlights Rowney's years as commanding officer of Carrier Air Group 7 and also contains newspaper clippings and photographs concerning USS Ticonderoga and USS Saratoga. A personnel file includes naval correspondence, orders, awards, and citations.

4 volumes

 

Rowse, Earl J.
Papers, 1941-1945

Colonel Rowse, USMC, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served with the 2nd Marine Division in the Pacific theater during World War II. Correspondence and a sketch describe his participation in amphibious assaults on Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Saipan, as well as his role as a battalion commander with the 5th Amphibious Corps during the amphibious assault on Iwo Jima. A unit personnel list is also included.

6 items

 

Ruder, Frederick J.
Papers, 1935-1985

Letters to his wife describe the primitive facilities aboard an airplane, reactions to Japan's surrender, and his promotion. Later correspondence, citations, certificates, invitations, clippings, and a brochure reflect Ruder's naval career. Also included are congratulatory letters from Rear Admiral Edmund B. Taylor and Vice Admiral John B. Colwell, official reports on the salvage efforts and eventual scuttling of USSLexington, a brief history of Eldorado, and photographs of several of his ships and their crews.

In his oral interviews, Ruder describes his enlisted and naval reserve career prior to entering the Naval Academy, and comments on the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the sinking ofLexington. He discusses his service on board Haddo on war patrols in the Pacific, his command of USS Becuna and Wallace L. Lind, and operations on board Eldorado off Cuba during the missile crisis, and off the coast of Korea.

90 items, 3 hours, and 78 pages

 

Ruhe, William J.
Oral History, 1939-1945

Captain Ruhe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939 and served briefly on board USS Trenton with Squadron 40-T in the Mediterranean before transferring to submarine duty in 1941. During World War II, he operated out of Australia performing submarine duty against the Japanese in the Pacific. This interview provides an overview of Captain Ruhe's career. Major emphasis is placed on his service with Squadron 40-T prior to the outbreak of war. Anecdotes comment on his experiences and on officers with whom he served.

1.5 hours, 29 pages

 

Ruschenberger, William S.W.
Papers, 1826-1887

The collection consists largely of correspondence, diaries, and journals, with some miscellaneous materials included. Topics break down into three main subject areas. The first covers the U.S. Navy and its Medical Corps. The second area relates to Ruschenberger's descriptions of foreign lands he visited. The third constitutes a variety of personal interest topics, including family relationships, world events and U.S. politics, and his writings. Editions of his published works are also found in the third section.

341 items

 

Rush, Alan S.
Papers, 1918

11 items

 

Rush, Jr., Charles W.
Oral History, 1919-1945

Captain Rush, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, is a native of Alabama. During much of his career, he was involved in submarine operations, including duty in USS ThresherBillfish,CarboneroQueenfish, and Blackfish. While on assignment at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, he made recommendations involving the polar passage of USS Nautilus; he also took part in the development of the Subroc missile system. Interviews reflect Captain Rush's background, his experiences at the Naval Academy, duty on board USS Clark, and subsequent submarine duty during World War II.

3 hours, 54 pages

 

Sanger Jr., Frank M.
Oral History, 1934-1968

Captain Sanger, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS Washington throughout World War II. These interviews describe Sanger's background, education, training at the Naval Academy, and service on board Washington. He also comments on his post-war involvement in ordnance development and testing, the Polaris project, and anti-submarine warfare projects.

2.5 hours, 44 pages

 

Schoenbaum, Howard R.
Oral History, 1925-1945

Lieutenant Commander Schoenbaum, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, describes his background in Virginia and West Virginia, prep school attendance, and experience at the U.S. Naval Academy. For World War II, Schoenbaum mentions convoy duty in the North Atlantic on board the destroyer USS Schenk; duty in Butler during patrols in the south Atlantic and Allied invasions of Sicily and Normandy; and experiences on board USS Cushing in the South China Sea.

45 minutes, 22 pages

 

Schreier, Robert L.
Oral History, 1936-1964

Colonel Schreier, USMC, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, comments on his World War II service as a communications officer at Guadalcanal and New Britain in the South Pacific, a brief assignment to China, and combat duty at Inchon, Seoul, and Wonsan in the Korean War.

1.5 hours and 16 pages

 

Seedlock, Walter F.
Papers, 1936-1973

Captain Seedlock, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was appointed to USS Shaw after graduation. Seedlock trained at the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut, and served on board USS R-4 and R-20 at Key West, Florida. Before undertaking postgraduate training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He resigned from the Navy in 1949 and was employed at the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Sandia, New Mexico; the Sandia Group, where he worked on nuclear weapons development; and Lockheed Missile and Space Company, where he was involved in the development of the Polaris missile system. Autobiographical material and publications pertaining to sea-based missile systems form the bulk of this collection's contents.

In his oral interview, Seedlock comments on his background in Ohio and his education at the Naval Academy. He notes duty on board USS Shaw, details the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the situation on Shaw during and after its explosion. Other insights pertain to his work in submarine torpedo design and missile systems development after the war.

7 items, 45 minutes, and 15 pages

 

Settle, Fay B.
Oral History, 1923-1957

Mrs. Settle recounts her background in Massachusetts, her marriage to Admiral Thomas G.W. Settle, and her subsequent experiences as the wife of a naval officer. Included are commentaries on Admiral Settle's service on board airships, his participation in balloon races, and experiments in air travel, as well as her own experiences in airship travel. She also describes life in China and the Far East while here husband was on assignment to various commands within the Asiatic Fleet. Other commentary concerns her life during World War II, residence in Newport, Rhode Island, and life in Turkey, where her husband was assigned to assist in the implementation of U.S. aid to Greece and Turkey under the Truman Doctrine. Mrs. Settle also recounts Admiral Settle's duties with the 8th Naval District in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the Pacific Fleet in San Diego, California, and in Norway prior to his retirement.

3 hours, 67 pages

  

Sheaffer, William T.
Papers, 1943

William T. Sheaffer, enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves and participated in cruises on board the destroyers USS Ellis and USS Decatur. He was drafted in 1943 and undertook basic training at the Naval Training Station in Bainbridge, Maryland, where he was qualified Yeoman 3rd Class and assigned to the base personnel office. In December he was transferred to the Naval barracks in Washington, DC, and worked as a passenger transportation agent.

The collection consists of correspondence to Sheaffer's wife, Ginny, written during basic training and his assignment at Bainbridge. Letters describe the details of boot camp, including rules and regulations, punishments for infractions, cleaning barracks, guard duty, and KP duty. Also mentioned are high food costs, physical exams, inoculations, drills, talks, pay and promotion concerns, and laundry. A copy of "Ahoy There Mates" is included with information on National Service Life Insurance. A Benny Goodman United Services Organization (USO) tour is mentioned, as are various radio programs, including "Charlie McCarthy." Finally, an edited account of Sheaffer's letters describing his boot camp experiences entitled "Loneliness & Humor, Frustration & Pride" completes the collection. 

46 items

 

Shelly Jr., Tully
Oral History

 

Silverman, Milton J.
Oral History

 

Simpson, Carter B.
Papers, 1944-1944

1st Lieutenant Simpson, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1939, served in China and the Philippines in the U.S. Marine Corps. After action at Bataan and on Corregidor, he became a prisoner-of-war. He died in December 1944 from exposure and malnutrition after his POW ship was sunk and he had been recaptured by the Japanese. His diaries, maintained surreptitiously while he was imprisoned, provide details of the defense of the Philippines in 1941-1942, conditions in the prison camp, food supplies, sickness, mail contact through the Red Cross, and commentary on morale, discipline, and the certainty of eventual American victory.

83 pages

 

Small Jr., Walter L.
Papers, 1961-1974

178 items and 10 volumes

 

Somers, Francis E.
Oral History, 1932-1970

Captain Somers, a native of Kansas and a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses his service on board USS Buck after graduation. Somers also served on convoy duty on USS Wilkesin the North Atlantic and was involved in the invasion of North Africa. Upon assignment to USS Marshall, he saw duty in the second Battle of the Philippine Sea and then, serving with Task Force 69, helped to develop weaponry to counter kamikaze attacks in the Pacific. After World War II, Somers joined the FBI but returned to the Navy, working on a special weapons project during the Korean War. After Korea, he worked for the CIA as an expert in nuclear weapons development. He retired from the CIA and became a consultant to the State Department. These interviews provide an overview of his career, experiences at the Naval Academy, and World War II service. Accompanying this oral history is a letter from an unidentified seaman describing his service in the German Navy during World War II, his post-war career in the West German Navy, and his immigration to the United States.

2 hours, 45 pages

 

Southard, Pemberton
Papers, 1943-1944

Captain Southard, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served as executive officer on board USS Lang during World War II. This collection revolves around the events of the Battle of Vella Gulf. Included are an incomplete typed narrative, declassified naval records, and a copy of a news correspondent's eyewitness account of the battle. Also of interest are a biographical sketch of Southard and a copy of Lang's fifth anniversary booklet detailing the ship's history.

5 items

 

Spitler, Joseph C.
Oral History, 1932-1994

Captain Spitler, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, describes his experiences at Pearl Harbor on board USS Oklahoma. Spitler also mentions service on board Worden at the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway, in the Aleutian Islands, during the engagements in the Marshall, Mariana, and Philippine Islands, and at Truk and Leyte Gulf. Also included are comments on duty on USS Fieberlingand Dupont, as well as assignment to the University of Illinois to teach Naval Sciences.

2 hours, 45 pages

 

Sprague, Frank J.
Papers, 1876-1881

Sprague graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878 and served on board several training ships before resigning in 1883 to pursue a career in electrical engineering. He became a prominent figure in the electrical traction and elevator industries in the United States.

Letters to a friend, Miss Mattie Monroe, describe life at the Naval Academy, particularly social events and cadet hazing, and discuss the Presidential election in 1876. His later correspondence with her covers his cruises along the New England coast and to Europe and the Orient on board USS Constellation, USTS Minnesota, USS Powhatan, and USS Lancaster. Correspondence throughout this period reflects his interest and involvement in electrical engineering. Commentary concerns his education at the Academy, visits to Thomas Edison and the Stevens Institute in Hoboken, New Jersey, and work on his inventions and designs in the fields of telephonic communication and dynamo generators.

51 items

 

Stallings Jr., George B.H.
Papers, 1924-1959

79 items and 1 volume

 

Stenhouse, Henry M.
Papers, 1909-1945

Dr. Stenhouse, a U.S. Navy physician, served in the Pacific Fleet between 1915 and 1918. His duty in the Philippines, Japan, and China formed the basis for two manuscripts, Gambei and The White Fence. These two items, which form the collection, reflect his impressions and feelings for China and its people.

In his oral interview, Dr. Stenhouse discusses his background in Colorado, his early years as a naval surgeon in the Philippines and China, and duty stateside and in the Virgin Islands. Included are commentaries on life in China during World War I, personal experiences, Josephus Daniels and his family, the lifestyle at St. Croix, and epidemics and other medical problems aboard ships.

503 pages, 2.5 hours

 

Steward's Weekly Provisional Register
Records, 1851-1852

Contains information on USS Warren, the schooner Ewing, and USS Massachusetts.

1 volume

 

Stewart, Vance
Papers, 1917-1920

Orders reflect Stewart's position as assistant paymaster on board USS Virginia and for the U.S. Naval Forces in France. Further materials pertain to his certification as a naval aviator and duty at a naval aviation station in Italy. Other military papers include orders for delivery of secret correspondence and mission activity to the French front. Also included are flight training forms, earnings statements, fees for transportation on U.S. ships, and requests for transfers and rank insignia.

The collection's personal correspondence consists of letters relating to war bonds, bank policies, how to get stationed in France, and a description of life at a resort near Brest, France.

61 items

 

Stewart, William and Marion
Papers

Pre-World War II photo albums.

61 items and 2 volumes

 

Still Jr., William N.
Papers, 1862-1993

Dr. Still, a professor emeritus of history at East Carolina University, is a well-known naval historian and author of Confederate Shipbuilding and Iron Afloat: The Story of the Confederate Armorclads. He served in the Navy on board USS Lake Champlain and has been a member of the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission.

Of interest are Still's correspondence while serving in the Navy in the Mediterranean; correspondence from numerous retired naval officer recounting their experiences at sea; copies of letters from Rear Admiral Thomas H. Robbins to his wife; and personal files pertaining to the administration of the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial at Wilmington, North Carolina. Also included are copies of Civil War documents and materials pertaining to Still's various research interests and his administration of the Program in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology at East Carolina University.

15 feet

 

Stone, Guy P.
Papers, 1917-1919

47 items

 

Strum, C. Gray
Oral History, 1936-1988

Captain Strum, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, discusses duty on USS Pennsylvania during World War II. He also comments on his service as a naval aviator and as commanding officer of Utility Squadron 10 at Guantanamo, Cuba. Other assignments discussed include operations officer at Utility Wing Atlantic Fleet, commanding officer of Fleet Air Supply Squadron 107 stationed in Iceland, and service on board USS Monterey.

1.5 hours, 41 pages

 

Stryker, Joe W.
Papers, 1921-1978

Included is a manuscript account of his experiences on board USS PittsburghTrenton, and Hulbert in the South Pacific and on Penguin on the China station during the late 1920s. The manuscript, prepared for publication, provides details of life in the Asiatic Squadron. A diary reflects his experience as the navigator on board USS North Carolina on training cruises and in the Pacific. Also of interest is a published account of the Hawaiian cruise of USS Wyoming, a bulletin from the Military Order of the Carabao, the decommissioning program of Fremont, and a reprint of Stryker's article "Keep Out of Government Quarters."

In his oral interview, Rear Admiral Stryker provides a detailed account of his career. Of particular interest are commentaries on his experiences at the Naval Academy; duty on board USS West Virginia in 1925; submarine duty with Submarine Squadron Four in Hawaii; command of the minesweeper USS Raven; service on North Carolina; command of the attack transport Fremont and Transport Division 21; and Pentagon duty heading the Amphibious Warfare and Joint Operations branch. He also discusses the development of amphibious operational training for small craft just prior to the Korean War, and overseas education for the armed forces.

31 items, 2 hours, and 41 pages

 

Styer Jr., Charles W.
Oral History

Captain Styer, a Navy junior, enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1936 before entering the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating as a member of the class of 1941. He describes his Academy experiences, his assignment to USS Rowan at Pearl Harbor, and service on board USS Matagorda. Styer then transferred to submarines and comments on his nine war patrols on board USS Flying Fish and Tilefish. He also describes his post-war service as assistant naval attaché in Paris and sea duty on board USS RazorbackCutlass, and Holland.

1.5 hours, 43 pages

 

Sugg, H.A.I.
Oral History, 1918-1967

Included are descriptions of his early childhood, schooling at the Naval Academy; service on board USS Meade; duty in China, Japan, where he was in charge of combining all Navy communications in Japan during the Korean War, the Mediterranean with Amphibious Group 4, Hawaii and Vietnam; and experiences at the Pentagon working with overseas communications facilities. Sugg also describes Meade's 13 campaigns during World War II, including Guadalcanal, Aleutians, Tarawa, and the Marshall Islands.

2 hours, 48 pages

 

Sutton, Fred I.
Papers, 1903-1951

This collection includes family correspondence (1903-1951), including personal correspondence of U.S. Naval officer on duty on board USS Cabana (DE-260) in the Pacific during World War II, photographs, and miscellaneous materials.

721 items

 

Svendsen, Edward C.
Papers, 1935-1973

Captain Svendsen, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941, served on board USS Mississippi in the Pacific during World War II. He subsequently served as an engineering officer and as project manager of the Naval Tactical Data System. Included are papers presented to several electronics conferences and articles by Svendsen on warship design in Armed Forces Management (July 1961) and Naval Engineers Journal (August 1972).

In his oral history interviews, Captain Svendsen recounts his background in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his education at the Naval Academy, and his experiences on board Mississippi during World War II. Of particular interest are commentaries on academic and social life at the Academy, training at Bowdoin College as part of the first radar school, duty in the South Pacific at Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands campaign and at Kwajalein, and service in the Aleutian Islands. Captain Svendsen describes the early use of radar and its development for use on warships. Svendsen also relates his experiences in computer and radar development. Among topics discussed are the post-graduate school at the Naval Academy, work at the U.S. Naval Computer Machine Laboratory, duties at the San Francisco Navy Yard, assignment to the Design Division at the Bureau of Ships, and work on the Naval Tactical Data System. He also comments on Project Sea Hawk and hydrofoil development by the Bureau of Ships.

5 items, 3 hours

 

Tarleton, Sallie L.
Papers, 1861-1868

Letters written by Confederate Lieutenant Robert Tarleton, a clerk in General Braxton Bragg's headquarters to his future wife, Sallie Lightfoot, contain descriptions of the Federal blockade and invasion fleets; ironclads, particularly CSS Tennessee; and the siege of Mobile, Alabama.

178 items

 

Taussig Jr., Joseph K.
Oral History, 1920-1941

Captain Taussig, a son and grandson of senior naval officers, was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941. Subsequently stationed at Pearl Harbor, Taussig was severely wounded during the Japanese attack there. Interviews detail his memories of growing up in a naval family, his education, experiences at the Naval Academy, and experience on board USS Nevada.

2 hours, 52 pages

 

Taylor, John C.
Papers, 1907-1921

John Clayton Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Taylor of Greenville, North Carolina, was born on September 20, 1888. He attended Buies Creek Academy, Atlantic Christian College, and the Medical College of Virginia at Richmond. He completed internship at the Virginia Home for Incurables and in 1917 joined the U.S. Navy with the rank of assistant surgeon. During World War I, Taylor served on board USS Plattsburg, a hospital ship that made eleven trips from Europe to the United States. Taylor remained in the Navy until January 30, 1921, when he was accidentally shot and killed by a sentry at the East Camp on the Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia. He was buried at the family cemetery between Greenville and Bethel, North Carolina.

The papers consist chiefly of correspondence from John C. Taylor to his sister, Alya Ray Taylor, and his parents. The correspondence, mainly personal, reveals the close relationship between Taylor and his sister. The letters include advice on family matters, colleges, books, and life in general. Correspondence from the Secretary of the Navy and other officials expresses concern about Taylor's death.

170 items

 

Tebo, Kenneth M.
Papers, 1941-1991

A typed narrative by Captain Tebo, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, describes convoy duties and anti-submarine patrol in the North Atlantic on board USS Roper in 1941-1942. After a year as gunnery officer on board USS Frankford, Tebo attended flight training school and carried out anti-submarine patrols based at Belem, Brazil.

Also included in the collection is an official report on the first successful American attack on a German submarine during World War II, made by Roper. Other items include news clippings of Tebo's role in the development of the Polaris missile; a typescript of the class of 1941 graduation address; statistical data on the class of 1941 and copies of correspondence regarding its 50th reunion; and photographs of Captain Tebo after World War II.

26 items

 

Thomas, Samuel W.
Papers, 1863-1865

10 items and 1 volume

 

Thornton Jr., Reuben T.
Papers, 1925-1948

Captain Thornton graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in the class of 1925. A biographical sketch, clippings, and photographs illustrate his naval service on board battleships, destroyers, and in staff assignments.

16 items

 

Trumbull, Charles P.
Oral History

Commander Trumbull, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, recounts his experiences of World War II on board USS LouisvilleGrowler, and Cabezon. He also discusses his post-war service on board USS Tusk and Chivo, and his assignments to the Naval Intelligence School, the Panama Canal Zone, in Hong Kong as Naval Attaché, and as executive officer of the Naval Station Bermuda. A major portion of this interview concerns Trumbull's career, after his retirement from the Navy, with low-frequency sound studies, the establishment of hydrophonic stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and related oceanographic endeavors.

1 hour, 27 pages

 

Turner, John H.
Oral History, 1936-1966

Captain Turner, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1936, attended submarine school in 1938, and subsequently spent 20 years at sea in submarine duty. During World War II, he served aboard the submarines USS Sculpin and USS Ray in the South Pacific and commanded USS Seal in 1944 in the Kurile Islands. Turner later operated in the Great Lakes at the war's end, commanded USS Boarfish, sailed in the Arctic where he performed maneuvers beneath the Arctic ice, taught at Dartmouth College, served in the Pentagon, and served with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Turner describes his combat experiences in the South Pacific and the South China Sea; methods of communications during the war; wolfpack tactics; battle strategy; defective Japanese anti-submarine equipment; use of radar and sonar; submarine zones; psychological aspects of submarine duty; impressions of other officers; Pentagon duty; and general reminiscences.

2 hours, 33 pages

 

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Records, 1942-1994

This collection serves as the archives nationally for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and, unlike most collections, continues to expand on a regular basis. Included are newsletters, journals, correspondence, reports, course guides, photographs, audio and video materials, and awards from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary organization. Materials are received from the districts, divisions, and flotillas, and from the national administrative level.

350 feet

 

U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1909
Records, 1920-1980

This collection consists largely of correspondence between members of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1909, bulletins and directories for both the classes of 1909 and 1910, and clippings and photographs of class members. Both World War I and World War II from major topics of discussion between class members. Of special interest are comments on trench warfare in France, the development of aviation, aggressive Japanese actions, war preparations, General Douglas MacArthur's South Pacific Force, and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

2,100 items

 

U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1941
Records, 1961-1991

The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Class of 1941 is comprised of individuals concerned with preserving the history of their USNA graduating class and the naval history of the United States. The collection is comprised of correspondence and specifications (1986-1991) concerning the Class of 1941 50th Anniversary memorial project, which was the construction of a new observatory at the USNA and the restoration of an 1857 refractor telescope. The collection also includes reminiscences, extensive biographical files, and miscellaneous materials pertaining to the history of the members of the USNA Class of 1941.

900 items

 

U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Collection

This umbrella collection has been developed through the active support of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation, Washington, DC, which encourages former Navy personnel to donate their papers for preservation in this collection. The collection includes papers from:

  • Charles A. Beam, Jr.; 1 volume
  • Marino Bellitteri; 4 items
  • Bill Brinkley; 1916-1946; 1 volume
  • Earl D. Brown; 1 volume
  • Jack Burgerman; 1942-1947; 8 items
  • William R. Chester; 1921-1994; 1 volume
  • Thomas F. Coon; 1945; 16 pages
  • John E. Cooperider; 1947-1966; 1 volume
  • Anthony J. Darga; 1950-1951; 20 items
  • Charles H. Eglee; 1918-1957; 466 items and 4 volumes
  • Virgil D. Grier; 1856-1946; 2 items
  • Chester C. Grusinski; 52 pages
  • Carl Hicks; 5 items and 21 pages
  • H. Norman Honhart; 5 items
  • Lloyd O. Johnson; 1 volume
  • Edsall R. Johnston, Jr.; 1951-1952; 14 items
  • E.A. Junghaus; 1 item
  • George W. Kenny; 1862-1868; 12 items
  • Vernon G. La Heist; 1 volume
  • Robert R. Logan; 15 items
  • Joseph A. Mileto; 1944-1946; 28 items
  • Gerald P. Motl; 1964-1968; 1 volume
  • William J. Mullholland; 3 items
  • Thomas Onachila, Jr.; 5 items
  • Robert R. Perry; 24 items
  • Cecil J. Pert; 1 volume
  • Frederick N. Sager; 1 volume
  • Arch F. Seabrook; 1944-1945; 1 item and 1 volume
  • Walter E. Skrzynski; 1941-1947; 1 volume
  • Charles Smith; 1917; 14 pages
  • Joseph J. Smith; 1943-1944; 1 volume
  • Robert A. Spurr; 1943-1946; 40 items
  • Philip Stauderman; 1 volume
  • Lee D. Teal; 1943-1945; 1 volume
  • Joseph Vetter; 1943-1946; 1 volume
  • Ronald W. Waldby; 1942-1945; 1 volume
  • Frederick J. Weber; 1 item and 1 volume
  • Kenneth R. Wheeler; 38 pages
  • Robert White; 1945; 16 items
  • Jack T. Wilson, Jr.; 2 volumes
  • Hugh Wingo; 26 items
  • Albert A. Zizi; 1944-1945; 6 pages

 

Vail, Powell P.
Oral History

 

Van Metre, T.J.
Papers, 1930-1945

Rear Admiral Van Metre, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1930, served in destroyers, battleships, light cruisers, and gunboats. During World War II, he served as navigator of USS North Carolina from 1941 to 1944 and commanded the destroyer USS Hilary P. Jones from 1944 to 1946. Correspondence by Van Metre to his wife describes shipboard activities, frustrations at being parted from his family, mutual acquaintances, and other uncensored news. Also included are photographs of the war zone and a brief history of North Carolina.

In his oral interview, Rear Admiral Van Metre discusses his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1930, subsequent naval career, and his World War II experiences. Of particular interest are his descriptions of duty in the China Station prior to World War II, service on board North Carolina in the South Pacific, and command of Hilary P. Jones near the end of the war.

141 items, 1.5 hours, and 21 pages

 

Van Wert, F. Warren
Papers, 1941-1945

18 items

 

Vaughn, Ronald
Papers, 1944-1945

Ronald Vaughn of Brownwood, Texas, enlisted in the Navy with his twin brother Donald. Vaughn trained at the San Diego Naval Training Station and was assigned to the escort carrier USS Kitkun Bay.

The collection consists of a narrative memoir that describes Vaughn's experiences before and during his service in World War II in the Pacific Theater.  Pre-war activities described include Navy training and classes, as well as maintenance and preparations of Kitkun Bay for duty.  Once in the Pacific, Kitkun Bay's activities in escort duty and battle are detailed including actions at Guam, Saipan, and Tinian during the Marianas Islands campaign and at Luzon and the Leyte Gulf in the Philippines.  Specific incidents are described including accidents involving planes landing on Kitkun Bay that caused damage to the ship and a crash landing into the water; damage to Kitkun Bay by a kamikaze at Luzon; the disposal of unexploded bombs from the ship's engine room; and eluding Japanese mines in the water.

1 volume

 

Von Mann, Milt
Papers, 1950-1956

Citations and articles reflect Milt Von Mann's enlisted service during the Korean War and the history of his ship, LST-898.

8 items

 

Vosbury, Bronson P.
Papers, 1917-1919

16 items

Walker, Edward K.
Papers, 1923-1954

The collection includes correspondence from French naval officers, material reflecting peacetime cruises and social activities, wartime newsletters and magazines, and documents pertaining to the construction and launch of the battleship USS Missouri and the carrier USS Forrestal. Also of interest are letters from Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., regarding the final fate of USS Mayrant, radiograms, and a large collection of photographs illustrating the participation of USS Pine Island in Operation Highjump in Antarctica, and two issues of Pearl Harbor Weekly containing articles about the history of Hawaii, the Naval Air Station, and Pearl Harbor base.

188 items

 

Ward, Hallett S.
Papers, 1921-1925

All of the material relates to the four years (1921-1925) during which Ward was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. The greater part of the papers concerns the handling of routine requests from Ward's constituents in the 1st Congressional District of North Carolina and minor correspondence relative to the conduct of his law practice in Washington, North Carolina. The collection includes extensive correspondence concerning the status of numerous postmasterships in eastern North Carolina, with comments on the merits of the system and of individuals holding office during that period. Additional voluminous information pertains to the screening of applicants for the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy, a list of applicants (1923-1924), and an example of the general entrance examination for applicants. Other significant quantities of correspondence pertain to pensions for veterans and their families and routine legislation considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.

9,000 items

 

Weisner, Maurice F.
Oral History, 1937-1979

Admiral Weisner, the highest-ranking member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, describes his distinguished naval career. He comments on his service on board USS Wasp on Neutrality Patrol in the Atlantic, ferrying Royal Air Force Spitfires to Malta, and its loss to submarine torpedo attack during the Guadalcanal campaign. He also describes service in patrol bomber squadrons during World War II and the Korean War, and as navigator on board USS Rendova during its round-the-world cruise. After a tour of Pentagon duty, Weisner switched to all-weather carrier fighter squadrons serving on board USSOriskany, and attended the National War College.

Weisner comments on his commands of USS Guadalupe and USS Coral Sea, followed by further Pentagon duty. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1965 and took command of Carrier Division 1 for operations off Vietnam on board USS Ranger and USS Enterprise. After discussing his Vietnam service, Weisner comments on his return to the Pentagon as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, his command of Striking Force Seventh Fleet, and his duties as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare. He discusses his promotion to Admiral in 1972 and becoming Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet in 1973, and Commander in Chief Pacific from 1976 until retiring in November 1979.

1.5 hours, 33 pages

 

Welch, Raymond V.
Oral History

 

Weyrauch, Herbert E.
Papers, 1935-1947

Commander Weyrauch, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, served on board USS North Carolina during World War II. The collection is primarily concerned with school life at the Naval Academy and duty on board North Carolina. Memoranda, manuals, and passbooks document daily routine, academy regulations, social plans, grade reports, cruise and graduation instructions, expenditures, and other aspects of Academy life. News dispatches from North Carolina provide information about daily schedules, crossing-the-line ceremonies, duty assignments, and crew activities.

122 items

 

White, Beverly W.
Papers, 1942

Lieutenant Beverly W. White of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, kept a log of events for combat team "B" during its tour of duty in the Pacific during World War II. Lieutenant White was stationed on board USS President Hayes. The diary covers the events from the ship leaving San Diego on July 1, 1942, until September 29, 1942. White describes the sea voyage that took them through the Fiji Islands into the Hebrides Islands. He remained on board during the first landing at Guadalcanal and mentions that both submarines and airplanes attacked the ship. They were sent to USS Alhena and from there they landed on Guadalcanal. The log ends on September 29 with only training and routine matters occupying their time while on the island.

1 volume 

 

Whitford, Arthur
Papers, 1849-1899

Correspondence from the antebellum period consists of personal letters that tell of weddings, complaints of loneliness, illness, and one letter describes the mental illness of a relative. Camp meeting and revivals are constant topics, and specifically mentioned are the dedication of a church in Goose Creek, North Carolina; men dancing to fiddle music in Alabama; and Baptists dancing in Craven County, North Carolina. Other letters discuss a fishing party in Alabama organized to meet Creole girls, the sale of two young slave boys, the Lenoir Institute and studies there, and the lumber trade in Alabama.

Civil War related correspondence contains first-hand battle accounts. Whitford discusses the Battle of Seven Pines and the approximate number of troops in the battle; McClellan's advance toward Richmond with a large force; the situation at Fort Fisher and Union ships blockading the Confederate fort, the safe arrival of the steamer Cornubia at Wilmington; and the capture of Princess Royal at Charleston; Fort Holmes and the continual bombardment of Charleston. Other letters inquire of war news from New Bern, North Carolina; tell of Union raids from Tarboro to Washington, North Carolina; mention the fall of Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi; relate fears that Fort Fisher will soon fall; and describe a battle over a Confederate supply ship.

117 items

 

Windsor, Robert W.
Papers, 1927-1981

Included are official communiqués, outline reports, and clippings reflecting service on board Currituck, the rescue of a Japanese fishing boat, operational training flights, command of USS Independence, participation in peacetime amphibious exercises, and participation in NATO Exercise Teamwork. Of special interest are a North Vietnamese report on the shooting down of aircraft from Independence, correspondence concerning Naval Air Reserve support, congratulatory letters from Rear Admiral Robert H. Speck and General William C. Westmoreland on the performance of Independence and correspondence on the need for an extended tour of duty for commanding officers.

In his oral interview, Captain Windsor discusses service on board USS Colorado and McLanahan, flight training in 1943, and duty in the South Pacific. Post-war commentary centers on assignments to Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's staff; service in USS Yorktown during the Korean War; and duty on board USS Saratoga in the Mediterranean during the Lebanon crisis in 1958. Other assignments noted are test pilot duties, and service in command of Independence during the Vietnam War. Windsor also comments on setting the national air speed record in a Vought F8U Crusader.

143 items, 1.5 hours, and 23 pages

 

Wolfe, Malcolm E.
Oral History

  

Wolfe, Thomas B.
Oral History

 

Wyse, Frederick C.
Oral History, 1937-1962

Captain Wyse, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941. After graduation from the Academy, he served on board USS New Mexico and became assistant navigator. During the summer and fall of 1941, he saw service in Iceland before his transfer to submarine school. Subsequently, he served on board the cargo submarines USS Bass and Baya. The interview reflects Captain Wyse's career prior to World War II; wartime duty on Baya; and post-war service on USS SturgeonDogfishSpikefishQuillbackCogswell, and Telfair. Commentary also reflects upon duty with the Chief of Naval Operations Underwater Acoustics Branch, service in Turkey as Operations and Plans Officer for the Black Sea Area, assignment to Submarine Division 32 in San Diego, California, and responsibilities as Chief of Staff to Rear Admiral Robert Y. McElroy in Key West, Florida.

3.75 hours and 75 pages

 

Zirkle, Joseph C.
Oral History, 1937-1943

Captain Zirkle, a member of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1941, was appointed to USS California. After it was sunk at Pearl Harbor, he transferred to USS Massachusetts and participated in the Allied invasion of North Africa, where Massachusetts engaged the French battleship Jean Bart, and in operations in the Pacific with the fast carrier task forces. Zirkle discusses his time at the Naval Academy, his battleship service, and his departure in 1943 to commence flight training.

1.5 hours and 39 pages

Published: Thu Jun 26 13:52:20 EDT 2014