Gerald L. Hill Papers

1943-1945
Manuscript Collection #153
Creator(s)
Hill, Gerald L.
Physical description
0.073 Cubic Feet, 6 items, photocopies, consisting of a personal letter, map, cruise history, and commissioning papers.
Preferred Citation
Gerald L. Hill Papers (#153), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Papers (1943-1945) consisting of photocopies, letters, biography, cruise history, map and commissioning papers.


Biographical/historical information

Gerald L. Hill of Davidson County, N.C., apparently served aboard the destroyer, USS UHLMANN, from 1943 to 1945.


Scope and arrangement

The collection consists of a letter dated March 3, 1944 (?) written by Hill describing combat action against Japanese air forces, a copy of the commissioning ceremony of the destroyer, USS UHLMANN (1943), copies of the cruise history of the task force to which the destroyer was assigned (October 1944 to the end of the war), and also a copy of a Japanese naval map of the channels in the eastern portion of Sinsyo Wan, Korea.

Of particular interest in the commissioning papers of the UHLMANN is a brief biography of the commanding officer, Commander S. G. Hooper, a list of all officers and petty officers assigned to the ship, and copies of the addresses made at the ceremony giving evidence of the patriotic mood of the period.

The cruise history of the ship lists in chronological order the various news releases, including those from Japanese sources, describing the activities of the task force to which the destroyer was assigned. Such events as the invasion of the Philippine Islands, second battle of the Philippine Sea, invasions of Okinawa and Iwo Jima, and the bombardment of the coast of Japan are aptly described. Included throughout the cruise history are various cartoons, maps, and statistics relating to the damage inflicted upon the enemy. Also included is a complete chronology of the UHLMANN from the date of its commissioning on November 22, 1943, to November 13, 1945, when the ship departed Pearl Harbor en route to Puget Sound, Washington. Of special interest are copies of the many messages of congratulations and commendation sent from such individuals as Admirals William F. Halsey, Nimitz, Ernest J. King, and Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.


Administrative information
Custodial History

February 24, 1971, 4 items; Navy newsletters "Task Force" (1944-1945), commissioning bulletin (1943), and Japanese map of Pacific Islands. Loaned for copying by Mr. Tracy L. Hill, Lexington, N.C.

Source of acquisition

Loaned by Mr. Tracy L. Hill

Processing information

Processed by G. Stinagle, March 1972

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
Hill, Gerald L.
Hooper, S. G.
Corporate Names
Uhlmann (Destroyer)
Topical
Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Okinawa Island
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Philippines
World War, 1939-1945--Maps
World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American

Container list
Box 1 Folder a Photocopies of Correspondence, Provisional Reproduction of Japanese Charts, and Task Forces, 1943-1945