HomeMy WebLinkAboutOral History - Alsmeyer (2)
MARIE BENNETT ALSMEYER, 11I8 Clyde Dr, Tyler TX 75701 WAVES--1943-45
WAVES ORAL HISTORY
I. I was born in Waco, Texas, March 30, 1923
2. My father was vice president of a bank. . . until the banks folded during the
Depression. After several hARd years, he became postmaster. My mother was a
wonderful homemaker and wrote society news for the weekly newspaper.
3. Mybrother, a medical doctor was wounded during the D-Day Invasion but remained
until the war was over. My sister worked for the FBI in Washington D.C. for two years.
4. I spent my 'growing up' years in Falfurrias, a very small town in Deep South Texas.
5. I graduated from Falfurrias High School in a class of 28 students. My brother was
just finishing medical school and my sister was in college. so I took some fun courses,
helped the high school band director and played tennis until it was MY turn for further
education. In fact, it was a good life!
6. I was a freshman at Texas A & I College (Now Texas A & M-Kingsville) studying
journalism and working for NY A for 25 cents an hour when Japan bombed Pearl
Harbor. I completed the year, then returned home to work at the War Price and
Rationing Board until I was old enough to enlist in the Navy WAVES
7. My uncle was an Army Medical officer, serving in the Pacific. . .and spent 3 years in
a POW camp. I was the first member of the family to meet him when he returned to San
Francisco, a bit 'beat up', but glad to be home. ..A. "'''''~ 0 _ D/4....., _
o{~).-f'~ ~l""~"- ~ I
8. My brother was a~tenant and prom~ captain before the war ended. All of
my friends disappeared....the boys enlisted and the girls either married or went off
someplace to teach school or work in an office.
9. I well remember the Sunday afternoon when news of Japanese attack hit the
campus. My first question was "where is Pearl Harbor?" then "Why did they do it?"
10. Life continued in Falfurrias at a very slow pace. . .rationing and gasoline shortage,
but evidence of war soon appeared in the weekly newspaper when local boys were
reported missing in action or killed.
II. I did not like the WAC uniforms and no one had heard of the SPARS. I watched
trainer planes from the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station decorate the skies on beautiful
starry nights. It was NAVY from the first day, but an endless wait until I was old enough
to enlist!
'.
NOTE. . . MOST OF THE ANSWERS TO HESE QUESTIONS CAN BE FOUND IN MY
BOOK, "THE WA Y OF THE WA VES" (HAMBA BOOKS, 1981)
* "" "" * *
12. I enlisted in APRIL, 1943 as soon as possible after my Mar. 30 birthday.
13. After filling reams of papers, I left for the recruiting office in Houston for my physical
etc. There were no tests etc. until I got to boot camp.
14. I was sworn in at the Niels Esperson Building in downtown Houston. Page 2 of my
book "The Way of the WAVES" tells about lining up with dozens of women. . .tall and
short, thin and fat, erect and slouched, all white, some in below-the knee skirts, and
some in old high school sweaters. I remember keeping my eyes on the Lone Star flag
of Texas and the Stars and Stripes that almost covered the Navy emblem while a
young lieutenant swore us in. It was a long day of one crisis after another. I can't
remember my social security number but I'll never forget my service number 57-48-
900.
15. Only a 10-line announcement was made in the weekly paper about "Marie Bennett,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.R.Bennett, enlisted. . . ."
16. My parents were most encouraging for there was no life in Falfurrias for me.
Several dozen friends came to the depot when I caught the midnight train for Houston.
17. I arrived in Houston. . .frightened and alone. . .but as the train moved through East
Texas and on towards St. Louis, a bevy of girls came down the aisle, talking and
chatting. "Here's another one!" Those of us on our way to boot camp were identified
easily by our "sturdy black walking shoes." (p. 8)
18. Training at Hunter College in the Bronx lasted only 3 weeks, with 2,000 new
recruits (the "goon platoons") arriving every week.
19. The campus had buildings around a large area used for marching etc. On rainy
days, we could go from one building to another in a long deep tunnel. . .but that was
stopped later. Our barracks were located in a row of converted red brick apartments
that lined the edge of the campus, two bedrooms, one bath and small kitchen area.
Quite fancy for someone from deep South Texas! We learned later that over 600
families--1,800 individuals-- had been moved from the Kingsbridge section to other
areas of the Bronx to make way for the recruits. (p. 14) My roommate was "Ditto," a very
slow-talking girl from Mississippi, and we stayed together for two years.
20. We "hit the deck" at 5:30, and it was chaos from then on. . . .just read my book!
21. pg. 21 for "types of classes", instructors, etc.
~
22, I did enjoy the marching. I had been in a high school band for several years, but as
usual, I was the shortest member, and therefore on the last row.. . .never knew where
we were going!
23, Yes, ALL of us did! Even to the huge marine sergeant (p. 14) who made us hustle
as if our lives depended on it!
24. I don't remember any EXTRA activities in the 5th Regiment. .
25. Our WAVES uniforms arrived after a couple of weeks. I was issued a SMALL but it
cost $7.50 to have it fitted. (p. 20-21) Our civilian clothes were sent home by Rail. .
collect. . .and we were officially in the NAVY!
26. I don't remember any 'off time' except an 8-hour liberty on the last weekend (p. 25)
27. Yes, I wrote home about MOST of the amusing things (see book)
28. Yes, we had a choice on assignments. Actually, I wanted to be a Machinist Mate
and work on engines with screw drivers etc. but my mother would have FLIPPED! So i
signed up for "HA Duce" and later promoted to Pharmacist mate 2/c
29. I was sent to Long Beach Naval Hospital to learn everything I needed to know in
only three weeks! (p. 27) It was truly an eye-opener, especially when the weather
warmed up and the smell of infectious inflammatory diseases of the bone,
osteormyelitis etc. filled the ward.
30. A small platoon left from New York and arrived in Long Beach four days later. . one
of the first platoons of WAVES to arrive on the West Coast.
31. We were in hospital corps school three weeks.
32. (p. 30) We tried to learn everything in the book they gave us a big black book,
" U.S. Handbook of the Hospital Corps, U.S.Navy 1939". . .which I still have.
33. "Ditto" and I remained together, worked together, dated together, and roamed
through the streets of Long Beach together. The male corpsmen were a bit
apprehensive at first, because they had to move from lovely barracks to t tents to make
way for the WAVES. But later, we were accepted and had fun in the ship's service,
movies, and on the tennis court .
34. "Ditto" and I were stationed at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, Oakland, arriving on July
4, 1943..A week's liberty but not enough money to "go home" so we roamed around
San Francisco.
36. I didn't want to be assigned to the Maternity Ward, so I volunteered as secretary in
the Pathology Department. The work was fascinating. . .awesome (pg. 51: down at the
morgue)
37.We were on Port and Starboard watch, working every day from about 8 to 4, with
every other weekend off. Lots of 'free time' . . .
38. Harassment or ill treatment? Only by the Commander who was head of the
Pathology Dept. I remember once when he was dictating something and rubbing his
foot on the back of my leg, I dropped my noteboo nd told him to STOP. He just
smiled. . .it wasn't long that I requested a change i assignment.. .Occupational
Therapy (p. 114) 1! - II I 51 ,,;.
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39. (pg. 37), tells about my impression of Oak Knoll, meeting hospi a s ips, writing up
lab reports. . .
40. Despite the pressures from Dr. M. I found it quite fascinating writing up all the
reports and learning how to spell all those big medical words.
10
41. I was at Oak Knoll for 3 years and we were moved several times~ nice~
barracks were high atop a hill, with a deep valley and stream below. There were four
WAVES to a cubical, and we could decorate it any way we wanted. Bunk beds, chest
of drawers and very small clothes closets.
42. Yes, I liked the barracks very much for I was with some very wonderful friends. I
can't remember anyone at Oak Knoll getting into any kind of trouble...we had enlisted
for "the duration and six months" and determined to do our best.
43. Pay was $54 at boot camp and by the time the war was over, I was a PhM 2/c and
paid $96. From that, I was able to pay insurance ( which I still have) buy savings
bonds, send a few dollars home, and "live high" on liberty.
43a. I had few contacts with civilians. I do remember on the 14-mile bus ride to the
base, we usually gave our seats to some tired mother with an armful of groceries.
44. I did not see the newspapers very much and listened mostly to good music on my
little radio. I do remember, however, in San Francisco, headlines and late news
stories in the windows. Our only war news was at the News Ree*ls at the movies.
45. Yes, I did write my parents. My mother kept all my letters which made it easy for me
to write my book, "The Way of the WAVES." After65 years, one does not remember the
many small things that happen. . .of course, there were some things I did not write
home about! (all my letters to mother are now in the Naval Archives)
46. p. 158. The bomb. The victory. the peace. Everyone was excited, especially those of
us who had liberty in San Francisco. However, before we could join the crowds, the
,
loudspeaker cracked orders: NOW HERE THIS. ALL HANDS. THE COMMANDANT
OF THE TWELFTH NAVAL DISTRICT HAS ORDERED EVERY SERVICEMAN TO HIS
BASE. IMMEDIATELY. Mary and I got a couple of wieners from the commissary and
went "over the hill" in back of the barracks for our own celebration.
47. VYhat did I feel? I thanked God that it was over, that my family and friends would
comehome. I was proud of what I had done to help win the war, and I looked forward
to usiri my G. I. Bill to attend the University of Texas Oournalism).
48. I met Mildred McAfee Horton while attending a WAVES National Convention in
Washington D.C. I was very impressed with her, especially when she agreed to write
the Introduction to my next book, a collection of "Old WAVES Tales" . I corresponded
" with her for several years.Pg. II: "Captain McAfee did not seem to mind being called
'The Old Man' behind her back in the naval tradition, but emphasized that women
could still be women even in the WAVES."
49. Pharmacists Mate, 2/ c. pay $96 (I think!)
50. p. 181: I was discharged in Memphis. I left Oakland as "patients subject to
discharge" because my regular separation papers were fouled up. . .one last SNAFU.
Then the grand finale. . .the daisy chain, X-rays, dental clinic, blood tests, EENT,
psychologist and a dozen more. They gave me the "Ruptured Duck" to sew on my
uniform. While waiting for a train, I went to a movie and was charged FULL price
because the cashier insisted I was now a civilian! They gave me $45 for travel
expanses and $165 cash for civilian clothes.
I was issued a Naval Air Technical Training Center coupon book to buy my last
bit of necessities (?) before becoming a civilian. I was no longer "expendable
government property!"
51. I received a little honorable discharge pin for my lapel, the "ruptured duck" and a
paper saying I would receive the "Victory, WWII" and "American Campaign". . .no
"good conduct" ribbon because ~ere required to be in the navy FOUR years!
52. I had a wonderful and exciting experience, but ready to go back to civilian life. .
53. Yes, WAVES had a very strong sense of esprit de corps. . .and it gets stronger as
the years fly by! Have you attended a WAVES reunion recently? Our sea stories don't
fade away, they just get saltier!
54, No. I was anxious for ADVENTURE. . .and I certainly found it in the WAVES
55. As an enlisted WAVE, I felt everything was well organized. However, reading some
of the books by WAVES officers that have been published later, I find it was not all "fun
and games." Capt. Joy Bright Hancock read the original manuscript to my book, and
hand-carried it to Admiral John D.M. Kane, Director of Naval History, The Pentagon.
,..
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56. No.
57. Yes, being in the WAVES during WWII did redirect my life, changing from a quiet
'girl' from deep South Texas to one of the hundreds of veterans who used their G I Bill
at the University of Texas to earn a degree in journalism
58. I think that women found that they had more choices in life than just be a teacher,
secretary, clerk.....
59. I still have two very close friends in California. We have seen each other only twice
in the last 55 years, but when we do get together on the phone, we pick up
conversations that were left hanging since 19431
60. Yes, I attended several WAVES reunions. . .Seattle, San Francisco, Washington,
and best of all, the Navy Women's Reunion in Norfolk in 1992
61. I was at the first WAVES convention held in Sacramento in about 1979. At that time, I
"volunteered' to be co-chairman of Unit I, WAVES National in Little Rock AR. I also
edited WHITE CAPS, the official WAVES Nat'l newsletter, for the first seven or eight
years. That was BEFORE I had a computer, spell checker, copier etc. . .Copies of these
first newsletters are now in the Naval Archives or somewhere in Washington DC.
62. I was a PhM at a receiving hospital and have always wished I had studied nursing
instead of journalism.
63. I was discharged in November, 1945 and enrolled ~ at the Univ. of Texas in
January, 1946. I met Henry, a veteran also studying journalism and soon after
graduation, we married, He was a reporter for the Corpus Christi Caller Times and I
worked as secretary or 'general flunky' for several years before raising my family.
63a. No. My husband was in the air force stationed at Orly Field, Paris, after the war..
You might be interested to know that soon after we married, we quit work, caught a
freighter in New Orleans and after 21 days at sea, landed in LaHavre, France. We
bought two bicycles and 'toured' Normandy and Brittany, crossed the channel to
England and back to Paris by the Hook of Holland and Belgium. All of this is recorded
my latest book, "Six Years After D-Day: Cycling Through Europe" (Univ. of North
Texas PRESS, 1995) Good reading!
63b. My chlidren read my books about the WAVES and WWII, and tell their friends.
Most of their time was spent earning university degrees--including PhDs etc--they did
not join the Navy.
64. I keep in touch with two WAVES in California, and a few more with ~
Christmas notes. Has it really been 65 years?
65. S TOP! ! !