Papers (1942-1962) including correspondence, clippings, photographs, copies of an annual, 2 crewbooks, speeches, programs, citations and menus reflecting career.
Alston Ramsay (1906-1975) graduated from U.S. Naval Academy in 1927. After serving aboard several destroyers in the 1930's, Ramsay was assigned command of the destroyer USS Foote in 1943. In the South Pacific the USS Foote, under Captain Ramsay, assisted the Marine landing at Bougainville, took part in the Philippine invasion (1944) and the Lingayen Gulf invasion. In 1945 Ramsay was appointed executive officer at Subic Naval Base, Manila. After the war, he was in command of the Ammunition Depot in Charlotte, N.C. (1947-1949); participated in an expedition to Point Barrow Alaska; was in command of Naval Minecraft Base at Squadron Commander in the Sixth Fleet (1953-1954). While in Europe, Ramsay served as Deputy Director of the Morale and Welfare Division.
The crewbook of USS Foote (1942-1945) contains a history of the ship, pictures of the crew, and poetry. Med Cruise describes the various ports visited by the USS Waller during the five month stint in the Mediterranean (1953-1954), and The Beacon (1962) contains a brief description of the careers of the class of 1927 at Annapolis. Issues of the ship newsletter Foote-Notes (1943-1944) contain gossip, anecdotes, and poetry concerning the wartime activities of the USS Foote ; and the scrapbook contains numerous photographs, newspaper clippings and magazine articles pertaining to Captain Ramsay's command aboard the Foote. Of particular interest are photographs of Admiral Arleigh Burke (1943); initiation ceremonies for crewmembers crossing the equator (1943); and duty at Subic Bay Naval Base, Philippines (1945).
Other materials in the collection include clippings, speeches, programs, citations, and menus reflecting various aspects of Admiral Ramsay's career.
Gift of Mrs. Alston Ramsay
Processed by M. Hart, April 1978
Encoded by Apex Data Services
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.