U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation Collection: Robert Leo Croteau Papers

1944-1945
Manuscript Collection #677-050
Print Finding Aid
Request Onsite Use
Creator(s)
Croteau, Robert Leo
Physical description
0.125 Cubic Feet, 1 archival box, containing publicatons, clippings, and propaganda leaflets
Preferred Citation
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation Collection: Robert Leo Croteau Papers (#677-050), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
Access to audiovisual and digital media is restricted. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Papers of Seaman First Class Robert Leo Croteau who served on the USS BENNINGTON during World War II in the Pacific Theatre include publications of and about the USS BENNINGTON (CV-20) and American propaganda leaflets with writing in Japanese.

Biographical/historical information

Robert Leo Croteau served on the aircraft carrier USS BENNINGTON (CV-20) during World War II in the Pacific Theatre. As a member of the United States Naval Reserve, his active duty service commenced in August 1943. Croteau was one of the original crew members aboard the BENNINGTON when it was commissioned on August 6, 1944. By August 1945, Croteau was serving as Seaman First Class in the V-1-H Unit aboard the carrier. The unit's work was to handle and spot all the aircraft on the hanger deck. Source: http://ussbennington.org/pics/WWII_Roster/cv-20-wwii-37.pdf.

The USS BENNINGTON, an Essex class (short-hull) fleet carrier, was commissioned August 6, 1944, as CV-20. It was named in commemoration of the Revolutionary War battle at Bennington, Vermont, which took place on August 16, 1777. The carrier joined Task Group 58.1 in February 1945 and took part in strikes against Japanese home islands until the end of World War II. Source: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships at www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b5/bennington-ii.htm.

Scope and arrangement

This collection contains materials related to Robert Leo Croteau's service aboard the USS BENNINGTON during World War II. Included are volume one, issues four, five and seven, of the ship publication titled the "Busy 'B' CV-20" for May, July, and November of 1945, and a book titled "USS Bennington CV-20" which commemorates the commissioning and service of the ship during World War II and includes a crew roster. Other items include a 1944 article from the New York World-Telegram detailing life aboard the ship, a clipping of a photograph titled, "Half A Hellcat Better Than None," a program for the one year birthday celebration of the ship on September 13, 1945, while it was stationed in Tokyo Bay, and Croteau's plank ownership certificate that proves he was a member of the original crew.

The remainder of the collection includes four American World War II propaganda leaflets containing images and writing in Japanese. Translations have been provided in 2013 by East Carolina University Japanese Language Professor Tricia Wilson-Okamura and her students Andrew J. Bowman, James D. Coker, Rachel M. Comerford, and Sandra L. Satterthwaite.

Administrative information
Custodial History

April 24, 1996, 12 items; Publications of the USS BENNINGTON (CV-20) and American propaganda leaflets for Japan. Donor: Mr. Robert Leo Croteau.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Mr. Robert Leo Croteau

Processing information

Encoded by Apex Data Services. Processed by A. Miller and M. Elmore June 2013

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
Croteau, Robert Leo
Corporate Names
Bennington (Aircraft carrier)
Topical
Propaganda, American--Japan
World War, 1939-1945--Propaganda
Container list
Box 1 Folder a Item 1 Plank Ownership Certificate awarded to Croteau for his service as a member of the original crew which commissioned the USS Bennington
Box 1 Folder a Item 2 The first in a series of articles from the New York World-Telegram detailing life aboard USS Bennington, 1944
Box 1 Folder a Item 3 "Busy 'B' CV-20" Vol. 1 No. 4 – A publication of the USS Bennington, May 1945
Box 1 Folder a Item 4 "Busy 'B' CV-20" Vol. 1 No. 5– A publication of the USS Bennington, July 1945
Box 1 Folder a Item 5 USS Bennington First Birthday Party – Tokyo Bay. Program listing the entertainment and the menu for the day, September 13, 1945
Box 1 Folder a Item 6 "Busy 'B' CV-20" Vol. 1 No. 7– A publication of the USS Bennington, November 1945
Box 1 Folder a Item 7 Newspaper clipping, titled "Half A Hellcat Better Than None," of a photograph of a Hellcat landed aboard a carrier (possibly USS Bennington)
Box 1 Folder a Item 8 USS Bennington CV-20 – A book commemorating the commissioning and service of the USS Bennington during WWII. Includes a crew roster
Box 1 Folder a Item 9 American propaganda leaflet for Japan containing an image of the Japanese flag, and writing in Japanese. 1945 (?)
Box 1 Folder a Item 10 American propaganda leaflet for Japan containing a sketch of a Japanese man with a small child and a sketch of a human skull on the ground against a pink backdrop. Also contains writing in Japanese. 1945 (?)
Box 1 Folder a Item 11 American propaganda leaflet for Japan containing a sketch of a man holding up a building while another man pulls on a rope tied around the first man's ankle, and writing in Japanese. 1945 (?)
Box 1 Folder a Item 12 American propaganda leaflet for Japan containing a picture of a man being kind to a child in a field, and writing in Japanese. 1945 (?)