Naval War College (U.S.)

Desrosiers, Rosetta Furey, 1923-. Reminiscences of an enlisted rate in the SPARS during WWII. Youth in Warwick, RI.; High School graduation, 1940; Paid employment; Enlisted in SPARS in 1943; Reasons were travel and new work experience; Trained at USNTS (WR) Hunter College, Bronx, N.Y.; Attended Yeoman School, Palm Beach, Fla.; White glove inspections; Assigned to Chicago, Ill.; Social life; Assigned to Duluth, Minn., Cleveland, Ohio, and Detroit, Mich.; Discharged in De­cember 1945; Attended University of Wisconsin; Marriage; impact of service on her life; Attended SPAR reunions; Member WAVES National and Ocean State WAVES; Returned to Warwick, RI.; Work and children.

Benson, Roy Stanley, RADM, USN, 1906-1995. Student, National War College, Washington, D.C., 1952-1953; CO, USS Bayfield, 1953-1954; CO, Amphibious Squadron 6, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, 1954-1955; BuPers, Navy De­ partment, 1955-1956; Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, 1956-1957; CO, Cruiser Division 1, Yokosuka,Japan, 1957-1958; Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, Military Sea Transportation Service, Washington, D.C., 1958-1960; CO, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1960-1962; Assistant Vice CNO and Director of Naval Administration, Navy Department, 1962- 1966; Director, Special Task Force, 1966-1967; CO, First Naval District and CO, Naval Base, Boston, Mass., 1967-1969; Retired, 1969.

Marchand discusses his youth in Rochester, NH, enlistment in the Navy, Boot Camp at Newport, RI; Corps School, Norfolk, VA, service aboard attack transport USS Windsor in the Pacific Theater, 1942-1944. Comments of crew, captain, and experiences aboard ship, assigned to US Naval Hospital, Newport, RI in 1944-1945. Discharged in 1945, joined the Naval Reserves. Attended college on the GI Bill, and had a career as a science teacher.

Part of US Navy Veterans Oral History Project

Small, Ruth Lovejoy, 1919-. Youth in Boston, Mass., and attendance at Art School; Enlisted in Navy in 1943 for patriotic reasons; Training and indoctrination at U.S. Naval Training School (WR); Attended Parachute Rigger School, Lakehurst, NJ.; Assigned to Corpus Christi, Tex., Naval Air Station where she packed, mended, and repaired parachutes; Social life, travel, recreation and housing; German prisoners of war on base; Promoted to 1st Class Parachute Rigger; V:J celebration; Discharged in November 1945; Significance of WAVES service; Member, Ocean State WAVES.

Lucas discusses her youth, work experience and joining the Navy in 1950 when the Korean War broke out. She comments on naval training at Great Lakes NTS, assignment at Jacksonville NAS and her billet as an aviation technician at Norfolk Naval Air Station, friendship, social life, and her positive feeling about her naval service.

Ruthe Boyea joined the office corps in January 1943 and received training at the US Naval Midshipmen's School, Northampton, MA. She was assigned to the IS Naval Training School, Hunter College, New York, NY, as administrator of a WAVES barracks, then was assigned to the Charleston Naval base where she was administrator of a WAVES barracks and was head of a recreation center for WAVES. In 1944, she was assigned to Glynco, GA, Naval Base where was responsible for morale, welfare, and recreation. She was the liaison with many base activities. She credits the Navy with developing her leadership skills.

This collection represents the Naval War College's collection of oral histories. While some were carried out and recorded by NWC, many others are printed matieral from other institions, including the US Naval Institute, Columbia University, the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project, and the Naval Historical Foundation.

The NWC-created histories that are unique to this repository were collected from alumni, previous faculty/staff, and local veterans. They also represent a concerted effort to collect the stories of women in the armed forces. Oral histories from the female corps of WAVES, SPARS, nurses, as well as military spouses can be found in this collection.

Please note this is a partial listing of NWC's oral histories. Staff are actively inputting the collection into this repository. Contact us for a full listing.