Title: William James Ruhe oral history interview, May 20, 1975

Identifier: OH0022   (https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37093)

Description: William James Ruhe, a retired Navy captain of McLean, Va., discusses his experiences with Squadron 40T in pre-World War II duty in the Mediterranean and relates anecdotes about fellow officers and people he met while in Europe. Topics discussed include reactions of the local populace to U.S. naval personnel in port cities after extended stays, meeting an English spy in Portugal (1940), attempts to obtain information about U.S. naval security and activities, and sailors'; shipboard antics. Among post-war problems described are disputes between naval officers and civilian administrators over manpower requirements, capabilities of current naval officers, and their lack of wartime experience. Interviewer: Donald R. Lennon. Length: 1.5 hours.