Francesco Costagliola Papers

1941-1988
Manuscript Collection #591
Creator(s)
Costagliola, Francesco
Physical description
0.055 Cubic Feet, 9 items
Preferred Citation
Francesco Costagliola Papers (#591), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Papers (undated) of USNA class of 1941 officers, including accounts of service in the USS PHOENIX (CL-46) and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor along with published articles he wrote on nuclear power, macro operations analysis and modern war.


Biographical/historical information

Francesco Costagliola was born on August 24, 1917, in Cranston, Rhode Island and later moved to Providence, RI. In 1941, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred in December of 1941, Costagliola was serving as a gunnery officer on the USS Phoenix (CL-46). During his 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy, he commanded the USS Halsey Powell (DD-686) during the Korean war, and later the USS Firedrake (AE-14). He married his wife, Agnes, in 1952 and they had four daughters. After retiring from the Navy, Costagliola was appointed as commissioner on the Atomic Energy Commission by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Costagliola died on June 22, 2013, at the age of 95.

The USS Phoenix (CL-46) was a cruiser serving the U.S. Navy from 1938 to 1946. The ship was laid down in Camden, New Jersey, on April 15, 1935, and was launched on March 13, 1938. She was commissioned on October 3, 1938, and was named in honor of Phoenix, Arizona. Following its shakedown runs, the ship was operated near Pearl Harbor and was present during the Japanese attack on the military base in December of 1941. The Phoenix was unharmed during the attack and joined an impromptu task force searching for enemy aircraft carriers, though the task force was unsuccessful.

Written April 2024


Scope and arrangement

This collection consists of papers compiled by US Navy Captain Francesco Costagliola, including materials related to his service on the USS Phoenix during World War II. Included in the collection is an issue (1945) of "The Phoenix Flame", an informal magazine written by service members of the USS Phoenix; a typewritten paper (1986) on Costagliola's service on the Phoenix from 1941 to 1943 along with an excerpt (undated) from "The Rising Sun in the Pacific" with a map of Pearl Harbor; an issue (1971) of the magazine "Vital Specials of the Day", which includes the article "Nuclear Power" written by Costagliola; a reprint (1984) of "Modern War", a magazine article written by Costagliola; typewritten papers (1988, undated) written by Costagliola entitled "An Environmental Model" and "Macro Operations Analysis"; a typewritten résumé (undated) with Costagliola's experience and education; and a typewritten letter (1988) to Mark Genrich, editor of the Arizona Gazette, on the USS Phoenix.


Administrative information
Custodial History

April 3, 1990, 9 items; Papers of USNA Class of 1941 officer, including accounts of service in the USS PHOENIX (CL-46) and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor along with published articles he wrote on nuclear power, macro operations analysis and modern war. Donor: Capt. Francesco Costagliola, USN (Ret).

Source of acquisition

Gift of Capt. Francesco Costagliola, USN (Ret)

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.


Key terms
Personal Names
Costagliola, Francesco
Corporate Names
Phoenix (Ship : CL-46)
United States Naval Academy--Alumni and alumnae
Topical
Military art and science
Nuclear energy
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941--Personal narratives
World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American

Container list
Box 1 Folder a Memoir and report of Attack on Pearl Harbor, Newsletter from USS Phoenix, resume, an professional publications by Costagliola on Macro Operations, nuclear power, and modern warfare., 1945-1988