Powell P. Vail, Jr., Oral History Interview

January 23, 1998
Oral History #OH0161
Creator(s)
Ragan, Fred D. (Interviewer); Vail, Powell P. (Interviewee)
Physical description
0.005 Cubic Feet, 1 audiocasssette, 1.5 hours, 35 pages
Preferred Citation
Powell P. Vail, Jr., Oral History Interview (#OH0161), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions


Scope and arrangement

Captain Vail, a native of Mississippi, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy as a part of the Class of 1941. In this interview, Captain Vail comments on his background and early education, pre-war assignment to the USS WEST VIRGINIA, his service during World War II, and his duties in the post-war period until his retirement in 1971. For World War II, he relates his experiences in the USS FANNING, the USS QUICK off North Africa and Sicily, and the USS HAWLEY, USS O'BRIEN, and the USS NEALLY in the Pacific. Ships served aboard after 1945 include the HMS BROADSWORD, USS KROUS, USS FISKE, and the USS GRAND CANYON.


Administrative information
Source of acquisition

Gift of Powell P. Vail, Jr.

Processing information

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.

General note

1930s-1971


Key terms
Personal Names
Vail, Powell P.
Corporate Names
United States Naval Academy--History
United States. Navy--Officers--Interviews
West Virginia (Ship)
Topical
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Atlantic Ocean
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Okinawa Island
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean