Oral History Collection. Oral History Collection

Scope and Contents Richard Meyers served aboard Growler as a machinist’s mate second class from October 1961 to September 1963. Meyers began his interview by explaining his decision to leave his construction job in Wyoming and join the Navy. He then discussed boot camp and volunteering for the submarine service. Meyers continued, recounting the first time he saw Growler. The submarine was in dry dock in Pearl Harbor, which gave Meyers the opportunity to walk underneath Growler and see the submarine from a...

Scope and Contents Robert L. Owens served aboard Growler, first as executive officer, then as commanding officer, from February 1960 to December 13, 1963. Owens began his interview by stating where he was born and raised and discussing his service in WWII. Owens explained that after boot camp and electrical school, he rode Intrepid from Alameda to Pearl Harbor, where he served aboard the submarine tender USS Bushnell. He then went aboard the USS Tinosa and made seven war patrols. After providing additional...

Scope and Contents Robert L. Owens served aboard Growler, first as executive officer, then as commanding officer, from February 1960 to December 13, 1963. He began his second interview by recalling his early Navy career when he was drafted during World War II. Owens stated that he attended boot camp in Farragut, ID, and electrician school, before volunteering for submarine service and completing five war patrols on Tinosa. After discussing his experiences in the submarine service during World War II, Owens...

Scope and Contents Roy Latall served aboard Intrepid as an aviation machinist’s mate second class in the arresting gear crew during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. Latall began his interview by describing his journey to Intrepid in April 1943, explaining how he had travelled from Millington, Tennessee, to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where he was introduced to arresting gear, the equipment he would be operating aboard Intrepid. Latall noted that he had never heard of arresting gear and then explained the...

Scope and Contents Samuel Higa served aboard Growler as a seaman from 1963 to 1964. He began his interview by discussing his family’s relocation to a concentration camp for Japanese Americans in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Higa then stated that his family moved to Southern California, where he completed high school and briefly attended UCLA, before joining the Navy. After explaining how he enlisted, Higa discussed boot camp, electronics school, submarine school, and SINS (Ship’s Inertial Navigation System)...

Scope and Contents Sverre Bach served aboard Intrepid as an F6F pilot in VF-6 during World War II, in 1944. Bach began his interview by discussing his family history and stating that he followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers who were naval aviators. He then described the various stages of flight training, the aircraft he flew, and the lessons he learned. Bach then discussed his training in the F4F Wildcat and explained the differences between the American F4F and the Japanese “Zero.” He also...

Scope and Contents Thomas Dugan, from Greenwood, Texas, served aboard Intrepid as an aviation machinist's mate second class during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. He began his interview by discussing his childhood and explaining his jobs with the Civilian Conservations Corps and the Terrell Aviation School in Terrell, Texas. He then discussed his decision to join the Navy. Dugan continued, noting boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, his brief assignment to Wolverine, and his orders to Intrepid, explaining that...

Scope and Contents Uel Smith served aboard Growler as a seaman from 1958 to 1960. Smith began his interview by discussing the first time he saw Growler and explaining how he came to serve aboard Growler. He then backtracked and stated that he joined the Navy with a group of friends from Missouri when he was 17 years old. Smith continued, noting that he attended boot camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, and sub school in New London, CT. He described the submarine specific training he received, such as exercises...

Scope and Contents Wayne Mehl served aboard Growler as the engineering officer and the nuclear weapons officer from 1961 to 1964. He began his interview by discussing his childhood growing up on a naval base in San Francisco during World War II and noting how his father, a lieutenant during the First World War, heavily influenced his decision to join the Navy. Mehl then discussed his education at Stanford University and explained his decision to join the NROTC program, stating that his engineering degree,...

Scope and Contents Wesley Hays served aboard Intrepid during World War II, in 1945, as a Corsair pilot in VBF-10. Hays began his interview by providing an overview of his time on board Intrepid. He also briefly discussed his childhood and how he developed an interest in flight. The interview then transitioned to a discussion on flight training, and Hays described the stages of flight training and the aircraft he flew. He also explained how he was assigned to VBF-10 and provided a detailed description of the...