Oral History Collection. Oral History Collection

Scope and Contents Alfred “Pete” Smith served as the operations officer aboard Intrepid from 1970 to 1972. Smith began his interview by stating that he joined the Navy Reserves in 1947, at the age of 17. He then provided a brief outline of his early Navy career, from being an enlisted reservist, to joining a submarine division, and then entering the Naval Academy, graduating in 1953. Smith continued, recounting his assignments in the aviation community, from receiving his wings in November 1954, through...

Scope and Contents Allen Odette served aboard Growler from August 1961 to December 1963, as a fire control technician (missile guidance systems) second class. Odette began his interview by speaking about his decision to join the Navy. He noted that he first went into the reserves in Illinois before joining the regular Navy after moving to California. He also discussed his experiences in boot camp as well as his decision to apply for the submarine service after receiving a tour of a submarine from a friend of a...

Scope and Contents Bernard Fipp served aboard Intrepid as an attack aviator in VA-34, flying A-4 Skyhawks during Intrepid’s second deployment to Vietnam in 1967. Fipp began his interview by discussing his early life in San Diego, California. He then explained his decision to join the Coast Guard in 1963, after graduating from the University of Oregon in 1962. Fipp then stated that he finished his active duty in the Coast Guard, decided to join the Navy, and trained at Pensacola in 1965, under the AOC Program...

Scope and Contents Bernard “Ben” St. John served aboard Intrepid as an Avenger torpedo bomber pilot in VT-18 during World War II, from late 1944 until July 1945. St. John began his interview by discussing his hometown, Adams, Massachusetts, his years in high school, and some of his early jobs. He also recalled hearing about the war in Europe and later the attack on Pearl Harbor. St. John then discussed his decision to become a pilot, the different levels of pilot training, carrier quals, and his first landing...

Scope and Contents Brian Walker served aboard Intrepid as an attack aviator in VA-34 during Intrepid’s second Vietnam deployment in 1967. He began his interview by discussing his upbringing in Wisconsin and his interest in flight, which began at an early age. Walker then continued, explaining his decision to join the Navy and describing his experiences in flight training, which involved flying T-34s, T-28s, and F-9s. The interview then shifted to Walker’s time aboard Intrepid, where he flew A-4s, an aircraft...

Scope and Contents Calvin Underwood served aboard Growler as a missile technician third class from 1962 to 1964. He began his interview by discussing his decision to enlist in the Navy a week after graduating high school, explaining that the only jobs available to him in his hometown involved working in the cotton mill. Underwood then stated that he was sent to boot camp in San Diego and described what it was like to leave home for the first time. He also explained that he decided to apply for sub school while...

Scope and Contents David Benedict served aboard Intrepid as a boiler tender in the number two boiler room, and as a yeoman in the engineering office, from October 1958 to July 1961. Benedict began his interview by providing an overview of his service aboard Intrepid, noting the years he was aboard and discussing his first job as a boiler tender in the number two boiler room and his second job as a yeoman in the engineering office. Benedict then spoke about recreation aboard ship and visiting different...

Scope and Contents David Bishop served on Growler as a torpedoman third class from December 1959 to September 1961. He began his interview by explaining his decision to join the Navy when he was seventeen years old. Bishop then noted boot camp in San Diego and submarine schools in San Francisco, stating that submarined schools taught you the basic systems aboard a submarine and that the actual operation of these systems occurred once you were on board a boat. As Bishop continued, he described his first day on...

Scope and Contents Dennis Y. Sloan served aboard Growler from 1959 to 1960, as a commissary officer and a torpedo officer. He began his interview with a summary of his service, from his time in the Naval Academy to his time on Growler. Sloan then discussed his life before the Navy, noting that his father was in the Air Force and that his family spent the war years in Iowa before moving to Arlington, VA. The conversation then returned to the Naval Academy, and Sloan stated that after graduating from the...