Roland G. Bienvenu, Sr., Papers

1941-1965
Manuscript Collection #621
Portions of this collection are digitized (2 items)
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Creator(s)
Bienvenu, Roland G., Sr. 1917-2011
Physical description
0.086 Cubic Feet, 57 items, consisting of photographs, a clipping, certificates, memos, and orders of U.S. Naval officer, USNA Class of 1941.
Preferred Citation
Roland G. Bienvenu, Sr., Papers (#621), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Papers (1941-1965) including photographs, clippings, certificates, memos, orders of U.S. Naval officer, USNA Class of 1941, official winners, luncheons, ceremonies, parties, interpreter and translator.

Biographical/historical information

Roland G. Bienvenu, Sr., was born September 1917 in Louisiana. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1941. His first commission was aboard the USS JOUETT, DD396, on which he served from 1941 to 1943. He spent World War II in the South Atlantic, Caribbean, Aleutian Islands, and the Philippines on the USS JOUETT; the USS YOUNG, DD580 (1943-1945); and the USS CHARLES P. CECIL, DD835 (1945). He was also commanding officer of the USS LANING, APD55 (1945), and the USS BURDO, APD 33 (1946-1947).

After graduating from Intelligence School in 1947, Bienvenu served as Naval attache to Athens, Greece (1947-1949), and Beirut, Lebanon (1949-1951). Bienvenu then served at the Pentagon (1951-1953) in OPNAV (ONI) and in the office of the Secretary of Defense. From 1953-1955, he served as commanding officer of USS HYMAN, DD732. During 1958, he commanded Landing Ship Squadron 5 in Okinawa. He served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1959-1962) organization as a member of the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Standing Group, conducting security inspections in countries throughout Europe. Bienvenu also served as Naval attachto Ottawa, Canada (1962-1965). In 1965, he retired from the military and became the director of housing at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (1965-1977).

Scope and arrangement

The collection consists of orders (1941-1962), photographs, a clipping, and certificates. The photographs include a picture of the USS JOUETT (1941?), but the majority are comprised of scenes taken while Bienvenu served as U.S. Naval attaché in Canada. Included are official pictures of attachtours, ceremonies, luncheons, dinners, and parties. Also of interest is a newspaper clipping (August 16, 1963) taken from Wings Over Greenwood, the military paper of the RCAF Station in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, which mentions Bienvenu's visit.

The certificates found in the collection are from the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Navy School, recognizing Bienvenu as an interpreter and translator of French (1941) and Spanish (1947), and from the U.S. Navy School and Naval War College, recognizing his completion of courses in Basic Intelligence (1947) and International Law (1951). Also of interest is a certificate (1963) for his service while a member of the organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1959-1962).

Administrative information
Custodial History

June 19, 1991, 54 items; Papers (1941-1962) of U.S. Naval officer, USNA Class of 1941, including photographs, certificates, memos, and orders. Gift of Capt. Roland G. Bienvenu, Sr. (USN Ret.), Lafayette, Louisiana.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Capt. Roland G. Bienvenu, Sr. (USN Ret.)

Processing information

Processed by A. Foss, October 1991

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Key terms
Personal Names
Bienvenu, Roland G., Sr. 1917-2011
Corporate Names
Jouett (Destroyer)
United States Naval Academy--Alumni and alumnae
United States. Navy--Officers
Topical
Military attachés--Canada
Translators
Container list
Box 1 Folder a Item 1 Biographical sketch (ca. 1977) Typescript. 1 item. 1p
Box 1 Folder a Item 2 Transfer Orders (3/16/1941) to report to USS JOUETT & endorsements. Typescript. 1 item. 6 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 3 Change of Duty Orders (4/12/1943) to proceed to U.S. & report Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 4 Change of Duty Orders (7/31/1943) to report to USS YOUNG (DD-580), Orange, TX. Typescript. 1 item. 4 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 5 Change of Duty Orders (7/31/1943) to report to nearest Naval District for temporary duty pending reassignment. Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 6 Change of Duty Orders (3/27 - 6/29/1945) to report to USS CHARLES P. CECIL (DD-835), Bath Iron Works, ME. Typescript. 1 item. 5 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 7 Change of Duty Orders (11/21/1945) to report to USS LANING (APD-55), San Diego, CA. Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 8 Change of Duty Orders (7/27/1946) to report to U. S. Naval Receiving Station, Naval Repair Base, New Orleans, LA, for temporary duty pending reassignment. Typescript. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 9 Change of Duty Orders (5/6/1946) to report to USS BURDO (APD-133), U. S. Naval Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Typescript. 1 item. 4 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 10 Change of Duty Orders (6/24/1946) relieving Bienvenu as commander of USS BURDO (APD-133) & instructing him to report to Naval Receiving Station, Washington, DC to take a course on naval intelligence at Naval School (Naval Intelligence). Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 11 Temporary Additional Duty Orders (1/15 - 4/11/1947) to report to Commander, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, San Diego, CA. Typescript. 1 item. 10 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 12 Change of Duty Orders (8/11-12/2/1947) to report to Athens, Greece for duty as Assistant Naval Attaché & Assistant Naval Attaché for Air. Typescript. 1 item. 4 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 13 Change of Duty Orders (3/23- 4/11/1948) to report to Beirut, Lebanon for duty as U. S. Naval Attaché & U. S. Naval Attaché for Air. Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 14 Change of Duty Orders (11/9- 11/19/1949) to report to Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC for other duty. Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 15 Certificate (1/8/1951) of Completion of U. S. Naval War College Correspondence Course in International Law, Newport, RI. TLS. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 16 Orders (7/5/1951) discharged from treatment, no further hospitalization is indicated. TLS. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 17 Temporary Additional Duty Orders (9/17/1951) to serve as member of board to convene at Bureau of Naval Personnel, to recommend officers for postgraduate instruction in Naval Intelligence. Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 18 Change of Duty (10/12/1951) to report to Military Personnel Officers, Personnel Division, Office of the Secretary of Defense, for duty. Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 19 Change of Duty (5/15 - 7/15/1953) to proceed to Key West, FL and report to commanding officer, Fleet Sonar School for temporary duty. Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 20 Change of Duty (2/9 - 4/26/1955) detaching him as commander of USS HYMAN (DD-732) to report to Commander, Naval Forces, Far East, for duty on the joint staff of the Commander in Chief, Far East. Typescript & Printed form. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 21 Temporary Additional Duty (7/11/1956) to proceed to Norfolk, VA to report to Officer in Charge, Special Weapons School, to attend the Special Weapons Orientation Course. Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 22 Temporary Additional Duty (2/1/1957) to report to U. S. Naval Hospital, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD for treatment. Typescript. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 23 Change of Duty (3/7 - 8/25/1958) to report as Commander, Landing Ship Squadron FIVE, San Diego, CA. Typescript. 1 item. 5 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 24 Temporary Additional Duty (1/9/1959) discharged from treatment, U. S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA. Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 25 Temporary Additional Duty (4/16/1959) in connection with naval matters, Long Beach, CA. Mimeograph Typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 26 Change of Duty (6/5 - 10/1/1959) relieved as Commander, Landing Ship Squadron FIVE & to report to Director, The Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC. Typescript. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 27 Temporary Duty Orders (5/18-6/13/1961) as member of S. G. Security & Intelligence Committee & European travel orders. Typescript. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 28 BUPERS Orders (3/19- 6/14/1962) relieved of detached duty with Joint Staff, to report to CNO TEMDU to proceed to Ottawa, Canada, report to U. S. Ambassador, for duty as U. S. Naval Attaché & U. S. Naval Attaché for Air. Typescript. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 29 Certificate (2/4/1941) from Department of Foreign Languages, U. S. Naval Academy finding Roland Gilbert Bienvenu qualified as Interpreter of French. Printed form. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 30 Certificate (9/5/1947) from Department of the Navy, Bureau of Naval Personnel, that Lt. Cdr., R. G. Bienvenu has completed the course in Basic Intelligence and is a qualified interpreter and translator of the Spanish language. Printed form. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 31 Certificate (1/5/1951) from U. S. Naval War College, that Lieut. Comdr. Roland G. Bienvenu has completed the Correspondence Course in International Law. Printed form. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 32 Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Award (10/9/1963) from Joint Chiefs of Staff, for service in a position of responsibility. Printed. Form. 1 item. 1 p. Note: signed by Maxwell D. Taylor.,
Box 1 Folder a Item 33 P-621/13 Clipping (8/16/1963) from Wings Over Greenwood, RCAF Station, Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Vol. 15, No. 33, with photograph showing Bienvenu being greeted by Wing Commander J. F. Drake, on a visit to the base. 1 item. 1 p. (P-621/13)
Box 1 Folder b Item 1 American Legion Minstrels Show Cast on sidewalk in front of theater with mascot bull wearing advertising blanket "This is No Bull . . . Best Show of Season . . . Legion Minstrels." (undated) Photographic negative. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 2 P-621/01 USS JOUETT (DD-396) (ca. 1941-1943) Photographic print. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 3 P-621/02 Change of Command Ceremony (8/20/1959) "Cdr. Morgan takes Over" ComLanShipRon 5, San Diego, Calif. USS Tom Green County (LST-1159). Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu has an injured leg - hence the reason for the cane
Box 1 Folder b Item 4 P-621/04 Rear Admiral Eastwold, USN, signing the Mayor of Quebec's Golden Book during Task Group Alpha's visit (7/2/1962) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item 1 p. Note: Left to Right: Cdr. Cossett, RCN; Capt. Bienvenu, USN; Alderman Burns; Rear Adm. Eastwold, USN; Capt. Dalton, USN; Mr. Robert Yoder
Box 1 Folder b Item 5 P-621/05 Eisenhower Locks, St. Lawrence Seaway (ca. 1963) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu is second from left
Box 1 Folder b Item 6 P-621/06 Capt. Bienvenu, U. S. Naval Attaché to Canada (11/28/1962) administering the oath of office to Elden W. Grace, Ensign (SC). Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Taken in naval attaché's office, Ottawa, Canada
Box 1 Folder b Item 7 P-621/07 Capt. Bienvenu & Mr. William O'Neill, Superintendant Engineer, Welland Canal, Canada (Nov. 1962) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 8 P-621/08 CNO - Admiral Anderson (5/9/1963) departing from U. S. Embassy, Ottawa, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 9 P-621/09 Air Chief Marshall Dunlop's Annual Luncheon (June 1963), Ottawa, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Russian attaché is second from right
Box 1 Folder b Item 10 P-621/10 Provincial Dinner (7/12/1963) at Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Canada. Photographic Print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 11 P-621/11 Vice Admiral Ward, USN, signing the Mayor of Quebec's Golden Book (7/12/1963) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu, USN is first on left
Box 1 Folder b Item 12 P-621/12 Vice Admiral Ward, USN, signing the Mayor of Quebec's Golden Book (7/12/1963) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item 1 p. Note: Left to Right: Alderman Burns; Cdr. Jobin; Capt. Bienvenu; VADM Ward; RADM Shinn & Consul General Courtenaye
Box 1 Folder b Item 13 P-621/14 Capt. Bienvenu, Capt. Kenney & Col. Duncan (10/28/1963) taken on arrival at Camp Petawawa, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu was naval attaché to Canada; Col. Duncan was army attaché
Box 1 Folder b Item 14 P-621/15 Office Christmas Party (Dec. 1963) Ottawa, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu was naval attaché to Canada; Col. Webb was army attaché; Col. Duncan was army attaché
Box 1 Folder b Item 15 P-621/16 Western Attaché Tour (April 1964) Cathedral Grove, British Columbia, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 16 P-621/17 Western Attaché Tour (April 1964) Royal Roads, British Columbia, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: The Canadians took us on this tour; Capt. Bienvenu is second from right on first row
Box 1 Folder b Item 17 P-621/18 Western Attaché Trip (April 1964) Attachés & Company officials on occasion of dinner party, Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu is 6th from left, top row
Box 1 Folder b Item 18 P-621/18 Western Attaché Trip (April 1964) RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 19 P-621/20 Air Vice Marshall Millward; Maj. Cameron & Capt. Bienvenu (May 1964) attending pre-luncheon refreshments at Annual Attaché Luncheon, Given by Chief of the Air Staff, Ottawa, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 20 P-621/21 Civic Luncheon During Task Group Alpha's visit (6/29/1964) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu is 3rd from left
Box 1 Folder b Item 21 P-621/22 Capt Bienvenu at Serendipity Hotel, Barbados, British West Indies (Feb. 1965) Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: The Canadians took the attachés here for a short visit
Box 1 Folder b Item 22 P-621/23 Attachés & Guests (May 1965) prior to luncheon at La Savoy Restaurant, Hull, Quebec Province, Canada. Photographic print. Black & white. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu is in the middle
Box 1 Folder b Item 23 P-621/03 Captains Bienvenu & Finnigan (6/19/1962) taken during call on Capt. Murdock, RCN-DNI. Photographic print. Black & White. 1 item. 1 p. Note: Capt. Bienvenu relieved Capt. Finnigan as Naval Attaché to Canada