Scope and arrangement

Captain Greenbacker served for almost thirty years before retiring from the Navy in August 1969. Although originally assigned to the aircraft carrier USS YORKTOWN, most of his sea duty was spent in destroyer escorts, and it is this type of ship with which he is most closely identified.

In his interviews, Captain Greenbacker discusses his experiences while at the U.S. Naval Academy and his duty in the USS YORKTOWN from July 1940 until June 1942. He comments on the development of the carrier's role in the Navy during World War II, the use of fighter direction, and the ship's involvement in the Battle of the Coral Sea and at Midway.

Captain Greenbacker discusses his transfer to subchasers, reverse lend-lease with the British, and his duty in SC 1472. He describes duty aboard the USS STEWART, USS NEUNZER, and USS LLOYD E. ACREE during the remainder of and immediately after the war. Included are comments on ship preparation; convoy duty in the Atlantic; supply delivery for operations in the Philippines at Leyte, Mindora, and Luzon landings; and hunter-killer operations in the South China Sea.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of John E. Greenbacker

Processing information

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Repository does not own copyright to the oral history collection. Permission to cite, reproduce, or broadcast must be obtained from both the repository and the participants in the oral history, or their heirs.

Metadata Rights Declaration

General note

1938-1969

Key terms

Personal Names

Greenbacker, John E., 1917-2005

Corporate Names

United States Naval Academy--History
United States. Navy--Officers--Interviews
Yorktown (Aircraft carrier : CV-5)

Topical

Coral Sea, Battle of the, 1942
Midway, Battle of, 1942
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean

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