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Oral History Program
Recent Additions | Online
Catalog | Collections
The U.S. Naval Institute's Oral History program exists for
the purpose of preserving and making available the recollections
of Navy and Coast Guard personnel. The Naval Institute tape-records
interviews with people who have made history in the naval
profession. The interviews are then transcribed, annotated,
indexed, and bound. Since the inception of the program in
1969, more than 230 bound volumes have been completed, and
interviews have been done to produce dozens more. Typically,
the format calls for an entire life history of a career Navy
man or woman. The discussion of various tours of duty during
the course of a career generally covers a wide range of topics
and personalities. There have also been some specialized projects
involving early WAVE officers, the Polaris ballistic missile
submarine program, Vietnam War prisoners of war, Fleet Admiral
Chester Nimitz, and the first black naval officers.
The library of bound volumes of transcripts is available
for research at Beach Hall in the U.S. Naval Institute's Reference
Library. The memoirs in the collection have been indexed by
subject so that researchers may obtain individual pages of
transcripts dealing with their specific topic. In addition,
volumes of transcripts are available for sale at a rate of
$110.00/each for hard-bound
and $55.00/each for soft-bound. A few of the volumes can be
obtained in computer disk form for a price of $35.00/each.
For those who are unable to visit Annapolis, volumes can be
borrowed through the lending library service for a fee of
$15.00 for non-members or $12.00 for U.S. Naval Institute
members. Individuals may use a volume for 30 days. The reader
then pays for the postage to return the volume to the U.S.
Naval Institute.
Naval Institute oral histories are funded by gift income. Tax-deductible contributions to underwrite a specific history or for general program support are gratefully accepted. Gifts by credit card are accepted at our website, and by charge or check can be sent to the Naval Institute Foundation, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. For more information, contact Sue Sweeney at (410) 295-1054.
Among current projects for which we seek support are the oral histories of:
Lieutenant Commander Wesley A. Brown, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Bernard B. Forbes, Jr., USN (Ret.)
Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Robert Kramek, USCG (Ret.)
Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James Loy, USCG (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Paul David Miller, USN (Ret.)
Admiral J. Paul Reason, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Leighton W. Smith, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.)
We have indexed material found in the oral histories on the
following topics:
Admiral Hyman
G. Rickover
Korean War
Midway Island/Battle
of Midway
Oral History Online Order
Form
Oral
History Mail/Fax Order Form
Oral History Program FAQs
To make inquiries concerning the oral
history program and/or receive a copy of the current oral
history catalog contact:
U.S. Naval Institute
Oral History Program
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5034
Phone: (410) 295-1030
Fax: (410) 269-7940
Email: oralhistory@usni.org
Synopses of four of our oral histories are shown below:
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| Grayson
Merrill,
Captain,
U.S. Navy
(Retired)
Known as the "Father
of Point Mugu" for his work in the establishing
of the Pacific Missile Test Range. He brought German
rocket scientists to the United States after World War
II, later served as first technical director of the
Polaris ballistic missile program. Early career was
in surface ships and torpedo planes. |
Carl
Brashear, Master Chief Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy (Retired)
In 1970 became the
first black man officially qualified as a Master Diver
by the U.S. Navy. He achieved this despite having lost
part of one leg in an accident during the salvage of
a nuclear weapon off Spain in 1966. The transcript deals
with service in a variety of diving-related billets
and a number of auxiliary-type ships.
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David
Richardson,Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Flew as a fighter
pilot during the Guadalcanal campaign, later commanded
Air Group 13, the oiler Cimarron, and the carrier Hornet.
He made innovative use of operational intelligence while
commanding Task Force 77 during the bombing of North
Vietnam and as Commander Sixth Fleet, 1968-70. Post-retirement
work in intelligence. |
Harry
DePue Train, II Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)
The son of a career
naval officer, he served in destroyers and diesel submarines,
culminating in command of the Barbel and Conyngham.
Several tours on the Joint Staff, including duty as
director. He was EA to Thomas Moorer, CNO and JCS Chairman.
Train commanded Sixth Fleet, 1976-78, and was SACLant,
CinCLant, CinCLantFlt, 1978-82. |
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