Papers (1943) including correspondence, and an abstracted account of this correspondence entitled "Loneliness and Humor, Frustration and Pride."
William T. Sheaffer (b. 1918), enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves (1936) and participated in cruises aboard the destroyers USS ELLIS (DD-154) and USS DECATUR (DD-341). He was drafted (1943) and undertook basic training at the Naval Training Station in Bainbridge, MD, where he was qualified Y3c and assigned to the base personnel office. In December he was transferred to the Naval barracks in Washington, DC, and worked as a passenger transportation agent.
The collection consists of correspondence to Sheaffer's wife, Ginny, written during basic training and his assignment at Bainbridge. Letters describe the details of boot camp, including rules and regulations, punishments for infractions (September 5, 1943), cleaning barracks, guard duty, and KP duty (September 25-27, 1943). Also mentioned are high food costs, physical exams, inoculations, drills, talks, pay and promotion concerns, and laundry. A copy of "Ahoy There Mates" is included with information on National Service Life Insurance (September 6, 1943). A Benny Goodman United Services Organization (USO) tour is mentioned (September 22, 1943) as are various radio programs, including "Charlie McCarthy" (October 22, 1943). Finally, an edited account of Sheaffer's letters describing his boot camp experiences entitled "Loneliness & Humor, Frustration & Pride" completes the collection.
Gift of Mr. William T. Sheaffer
Processed by D. Painter, December 1994
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.