Donald Bosetti Oral History

Donald Bosetti served aboard Growler as an engineman second class from 1959 to 1961. He began his interview by discussing his decision to join the Navy and his experiences in boot camp. Bosetti recalled his first days in the barracks as well as the ensuing arguments and fights that occurred between the recruits from the North and the recruits from the South. He also noted that, as boot camp came to an end, the recruits were given psychological tests, some of which he described in detail, and Bosetti stated that out of approximately 100 volunteers, only two men were chosen for the submarine service. As the interview continued, Bosetti explained that he attended submarine school in New London, CT, and engineman school in Great Lakes, before eventually meeting Growler in Portsmouth, NH. He then noted that when he first went aboard Growler the crew was short of enginemen, so he skipped the usual mess cooking duty and was immediately assigned to the engine room. The interview then focused on Bosetti’s time aboard Growler as an engineman, and he provided detailed and technical descriptions of Growler’s engines, engine room, and engine control room. He also explained the responsibilities of the enginemen and the repairs they had to make while underway. Bosetti then discussed some injuries that had occurred while he was aboard, recalling two specific incidents, one of which involved a hatch slamming on his toe. The interview then shifted to stories about liberty, and Bosetti noted visits to the bars on Hotel Street, trips to Waikiki, and motorcycle rides around the island. He also recounted the time when he, and approximately four other crew members, were caught with alcohol in their barracks and brought to the brig, as well as the time he was involved in a fight. However, Bosetti explained that he never received a severe punishment and was never given more than a warning. The interview then returned to a discussion on the machinery aboard Growler, as Bosetti discussed the submarine’s stills, how they operated, and how the crew prioritized the use of fresh water. As the interview came to an end, Bosetti described some of the pranks the crew had played on one another, before discussing his career after the Navy.