Scope and arrangement

Captain Celustka describes his youth as the son of immigrants in Baltimore, Maryland; his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1940; experiences at the Academy; and his being turned back to the Class of 1941 due to a soccer injury. He comments on his assignment to the USS NORTH CAROLINA in April, 1941, as an ordnance officer and his service on the NORTH CAROLINA for thirty eight months. Celustka recounts his experiences in flight training during 1944 and the circumnavigation of the world in 1947-1948 in the USS VALLEY FORGE. Other commentary concerns duty at the Naval Academy as an aviation instructor; a leg injury from a minor aviation accident; instructor duty at Pensacola, Florida; and assignments to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Base, operations officer in the USS MIDWAY, staff duty at COMNAV, and duty at North Island and Treasure Island.

For details of Captain Celustka's service in the USS NORTH CAROLINA see Oral History # 24, USS NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Collection.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of Robert J. Celustka

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.

Metadata Rights Declaration

General note

1920s-1965

Key terms

Personal Names

Celustka, Robert J.

Corporate Names

North Carolina (Battleship : BB-55)
United States Naval Academy--Faculty
United States Naval Academy--History
United States. Navy--Aviation
United States. Navy--Officers--Interviews
Valley Forge (Aircraft carrier)

Topical

World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean

Container list