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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOral History - Alsmeyer ~. ~A~~~RA!, HI::.::.?RY.;.. 1. Where were you born? When were you born? 2. What did your father do for a living? Your mother? 3. Did you have brothers or sisters? 4. Where did you spend your growing up years? 5. Where did you graduate from high school? When? 6. Did you attend College? Where? When did you graduate? 7. Did your family have any Navy connections? 8. Were any of your friends or relatives in the service? Did this influence you to join? 9. Where were you when Pearl Harbor was attacked? What was your reaction? 10. Did you keep up with news about the war before you enlisted? 11. How did you hear about the WAVES? What was attractive about the Navy versus the other services? Why did you select the Navy instead of the WACS or SPARS? 12. When did you enlist? 13. Where did you enlist? What procedures did you have to follow to enlist? Tests and physical? 14. Where were you sworn in? 15. Was there publicity about your joining the WAVES in local papers? 16. How did your parents feel about your decision? Were they supportive? 17. How did you travel to basic training? Alone or with a group? 18. Where did you receive your training and indoctrination? How long were you there? 19. Describe your living conditions and roommates during the training period? , 20. How was your day structured? 21. What kinds of classes did you take? Did you find them challenging, easy or difficult? 22. Did you like the marching and drilling? 23. Did you adjust easily to the discipline of military life? 24. Did you participate in any extracurricular activities? i.e., singing platoon or newspaper? 25. Comment on the navy uniform. 26. What did you do on your limited time off? 27. Did anything amusing or noteworthy happen during your training period? 28. Did you express a preference for the kind of billet you wanted or were you just assigned? 29. Did you need additional training? Where did you go for that? 30. How did you travel there? Describe the trip. 31. How long were you there? 32. What classes did you take? 33. Friendships? Dating? Recreation? 34. Where were you stationed? Location? your office? How many were in 36. What were your duties? Did you find the work challenging or routine and boring? 37. Did you work rotating shifts and Saturdays? 38. How were you treated? Any discrimination? Harassment or ill treatment? 39. What did you like about this assignment? What didn't you like about it? Did anything exciting, amusing or interesting happen during this time frame? 40. Was there any pressure in this billet? 41. Where were you housed? Describe. 42. Did you like your living arrangements? Were you able to survive on your pay? 43. Did you date navy men? Where did you go and do? Did you socialize with other WAVES? 43a. Did you have any contact with civilians? How did they react to or treat the WAVES? 43b. Repeat above questions for each additional assignment. 44. Did you keep up with news about the war? 45. Did you write to your parents or friends re: your WAVES experiences? Do you have any of these letters? 46. How did you celebrate on VJ Day? 47. How did you feel about the end of the war? 48. Did you ever meet Mildred McAfee? If so, when, where and your impressions? 49. What was the highest rate/rank you achieved? Pay? 50. Where and when were you discharged from the Navy? What was the process? How did they prepare you for civilian life? 51. Did you receive any medals? What were they? 52. Were you happy/sad to leave the Navy? Would you have stayed in if you could have? 53. Did the WAVES have a strong sense of esprit de corps? 54. Did you have any preconceived expectations when you entered the WAVES? 55. Was the WAVES a smoothly run organization? 56. Did you know or anyone who was discharged for disciplinary reasons? 57. Did the WAVES experience change or redirect your life in any way? Did the war make you more independent and self- reliant? Did it broaden your horizons? Did you have any career ambitions as a result? 58. Did you feel that what women were expected to do and be changed when the war was over? 59. Did you maintain any service friendships when the war was over? 60. Did you attend WAVE reunions after the war? ~ 61. Did you belong to any WAVE organizations? WAVES National? Purpose, activities and offices? 62. What was the significance of your naval career for you and your life? 63. Where did you settle after the war? Did you work after that? What did you do? 63a. Navy? Did you marry someone you met while you were in the When did you marry? 63b. Did you ever talk about your WAVE days to your children? Did any of your children join the navy? 64. Did you keep in touch with WWII WAVES that you met? 65. Any other comments?