Scope and arrangement

Captain Elliott comments on his background in South Carolina, his desire to become a naval aviator, and his appointment to the USNA after two years at the Citadel. After graduating from the Naval Academy he was assigned to the USS CASE and he describes experiences during the attack on pearl Harbor, the dropping off of Marines at Midway, the Aleutian campaign, and the collision of the CASE with the USS O'BRIEN. He comments on putting the JOHN ROGERS in commission, duty in the Atlantic, and slight training in 1943. As an aviator he reminiscences about flying the Ryan Fireball, a combination prop and jet plane; his survival of an air crash into the Pacific during training exercises; assignment to work with the Joint Chiefs in Washington, DC; attendance at the Naval War College; duty on the staff of the Atomic Weapons School in Albuquerque, New Mexico; service in Korea at the end of the war; and assignments to the USS INTREPID, CINCPACFLT, the USS NANTAHALA and the command of the SHANGRI-LA. He also reports on duty on the personal staff group of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the Vietnam War, including comments on Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of A. William Elliott

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.

Metadata Rights Declaration

General note

1930s-1969

Key terms

Personal Names

Elliott, A. William

Corporate Names

Shangri-La (Aircraft carrier : CVS-38)
United States Naval Academy--History
United States. Navy--Aviation
United States. Navy--Officers--Interviews

Topical

Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean

Places

Aleutian Islands (Alaska)--History, Military--20th century

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