IntroductionTo complete the cataloging of the USS Cassin Young Oral History Project Collection, the materials were transferred from Boston National Historical Park’s curatorial storage rooms to the NMSC office, also at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The transcripts were removed from the lower drawer of a metal file cabinet; the audio cassettes were removed from the top drawer of a metal storage cabinet; and the audio tapes were removed from a metal storage cabinet. The collection materials fall into three categories: written transcripts, audio cassettes, and audio tapes. Transcripts and related papers had been stored separately for each of the two collections. These papers were stored in folders arranged alphabetically by interviewee with related papers pertaining to the conduct of the oral history projects stored at the front. Information about several interviewees was found in multiple folders. Original audio cassettes were stored in a single drawer each in its original plastic container. Not all written transcripts could be associated with an audio cassette and some audio cassettes had no related written transcript. Audio tapes in their original paper-covered cardboard boxes had been stored vertically on four shelves, arranged alphabetically by interviewee. Not all audio tapes could be associated with a written transcript and audio cassette. The Boston National Historical Park also has additional copies of many of the audio cassette tapes. These were not cataloged as they are considered to be reference copies of the materials. The collection has been arranged into series based on the three formats described above. Original folders were replaced with acid free materials. During rehousing, information from original folder titles was used in new folder labels. Additional information pertaining to contents or accession number marked on original folders was copied onto acid free paper and inserted at the front of the new folders. The date of the interview has been used as the main date on the folder label, and the dates of supplemental materials has been written separately an labeled as such. Oversize items were removed to map case storage (107/2H/MC12D7), and the removal of such items is documented with separation sheets. The original packaging of audio cassettes, audio tapes and video tapes was replaced with archival containers. The collection is now stored with the park’s photograph collection in the bally structure. A copy of the National Park Service manual Collection, Using and Preserving Oral History in the National Park Service was found among the associated papers in the Boston Naval Shipyard Oral History Collection. It was removed to be returned to the park’s cultural resource reference library. The collection was cataloged into the Collections Management Module of the Automated National Catalog System Plus. In the Archives Module, a collection level record was completed and item level records were filled out for each interviewee. In order to facilitate access further, this finding aid was created, including a description of the collection and collection listing Part 2: Collection DescriptionScope and Content NoteUSS Cassin Young Oral History Project Collection, 1942-1986 (bulk dates 1979-1984) Catalog number: BOSTC 3426. Quantity: Approximately 209 items. Storage: 3 letter size archives boxes, 2 audio cassette boxes, and 73 audio tape boxes. Location: Boston National Historical Park, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA 02129. Description: This collection is comprised of the oral history interviews taken during the USS Cassin Young Oral History Project, which was coordinated by Francy K. Bockoven, Historian at the Boston National Historical Park. The interviews were conducted between 1979 and 1984, but the greatest majority of them took place in August 1980 and August 1983 during two reunions held for USS Cassin Young sailors. Boston National Historical Park staff conducted the interviews, which were recorded on the audio cassettes in this collection. The collection also includes draft and final transcriptions of many of the interviews, as well as copies on reel-to-reel audio tapes created by Ian Communications Group, Inc. in Wilmington, MA in 1986. The USS Cassin Young Oral History Project Collection is related to several other collections at Boston National Historical Park. These include the USS Cassin Young Operational Records (BOSTC 1678) and the USS Cassin Young Books and Manuals Collection (BOSTC 1751-3425). Organization: USS Cassin Young Oral History Project Collection, 1942-1986 (bulk dates 1979-1984) A. Transcripts Series DescriptionsSeries A. TranscriptsThe transcripts were produced from the audio cassettes. A copy was sent to the interviewee for corrections, and a final, edited copy was produced. This series consists of both drafts with handwritten corrections and final transcripts that incorporate those corrections, along with extraneous material related to the interview. At the beginning of the series are four folders that consist of material relating to the project as a whole. The remaining folders are arranged alphabetically by the name of the interviewee. Series B. Audio CassettesThe audio cassettes are the original collection from which the other series were produced. It consists primarily of two-sided ninety-minute cassettes, but it also includes two-sided sixty-minute and one-hundred-twenty-minute cassettes. The cassettes are arranged alphabetically by the name of the interviewee. In cases where there is more than one interviewee, the cassette is arranged by the name of the first person listed on the original transcript folder. There are five cassettes at the end of the series that are generically named (i.e., Navigators). These are arranged alphabetically among themselves. Series C. Audio TapesThis series was produced directly from the audio cassettes by Ian Communications Group, Inc. of Wilmington, MA on June 30, 1986 in full track, tails out format. Each tape corresponds to one side of a two-sided ninety-minute audio cassette. They are arranged identically to the audio cassettes. When both sides of a cassette were used, there are two audio tapes, one labeled “SIDE A” and the other labeled “SIDE B.” One interview is labeled Part 1, 2, and 3 rather than Side A and B, as it was recorded on one 120-minute audio cassette and required three audio tapes. Part 3: Collection ListingA. TranscriptsFolder:
Footnotes1. Contains photographs. Folder:
Footnotes2. Contains photographs. 3. Contains photographs. 4. Contains photographs. 5. Contains photographs. Folder:
Footnotes6. Contains photographs. B. Audio CassettesCassettes:
Cassettes:
C. Audio TapesBox # of 78:
Appendix A: Index of IntervieweesInterviewee IndexArata, Louis (Fire Controlman, 3/C, 1943-1945) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 5 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 1 Audio Tapes: Boxes 6-7 Byrum, Peter (Second Division, 1943) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 6 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 2 Audio Tapes: Boxes 8-9 Cartier, Giles (Communications) Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 9 Audio Tapes: Boxes 19-20 Clotfelder, George (Chief Gunner’s Mate, WWII) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 7 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 3 Audio Tape: Box 10 Cooney, Bernard (Crewmember, 1958-1960) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 8 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 4 Audio Tapes: Boxes 11-12 Crow, Charlie (Communications) Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 9 Audio Tapes: Boxes 19-20 Downs, William (Signalman, 1944-1946) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 14 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 25 Audio Tapes: Boxes 46-47 Doyle, Brendan (Machinist Mate, WWII) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 10 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 5 Audio Tape: Box 13 Finnegan, George T. (Navigator, WWII) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 11 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 6 Audio Tapes: Boxes 14-15 Haggerty, Heath (Gunner’s Mate 2/C, WWII) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 12 Audio Cassettes: Box 4, Cassettes 7-8 Audio Tapes: Box 16-18 Hill, Ed (Communications) Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 9 Audio Tapes: Boxes 19-20 Hooper, Captain John (Commanding Officer, 1958-1960) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 13 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 10 Audio Tapes: Boxes 21-22 Johndrow, Theodore G. (Yeoman, 1958-1960) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 1 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 11 Audio Tape: Box 23 Jones, Paul M. (Executive Officer, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 4 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 29 Audio Tapes: Boxes 53-54 Lorichon, Raymond (Chief Pharmacist Mate, WWII) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 3 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 12 Audio Tapes: Boxes 24-25 Lowe, James (Witness to attack on USS Cassin Young, 12APR1945) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 4 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 13 Audio Tape: Box 26 MacDonald, Don (1ST Lieutenant, 1951-1953) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 5 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 14 Audio Tapes: Boxes 27-28 MacDougal, Gary (Crewmember, 1958-1960) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 6 Audio Cassettes: Box 4, Cassettes 15-17 Audio Tapes: Boxes 28-33 Marra, Anthony (Crewmember, 1955-1958) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 7 Audio Cassettes: Box 4, Cassettes 18-20 Audio Tapes: Boxes 34-36 Marrs, James (Quartermaster 1/C, WWII) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 8 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 21 Audio Tapes: Boxes 37-38 McGee, Bill (Cook and Baker, 1957-1958) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 9 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 22 Audio Tapes: Boxes 39-40 Melville, Al (Second Division, 1943) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 6 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 2 Audio Tapes: Boxes 8-9 Morrell, Arthur (Storekeeper, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 5 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 30 Audio Tapes: Boxes 55-56 Murphy, “Spud” Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 23 Audio Tapes: Boxes 41-42 O’Connell, Dave (Torpedo Man 2/C, WWII) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 12 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 24 Audio Tapes: Boxes 43-45 O’Hara, James (Second Division, 1943) Transcript: Box 1, Folder 6 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 2 Audio Tapes: Boxes 8-9 Overholt, Dave (Communication) Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 9 Audio Tapes: Boxes 19-20 Perry, Oliver (Signalman, 1944-1946) Transcript: Box 2, Folder 14 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 25 Audio Tapes: Boxes 46-47 Rudden, Rear Admiral Thomas J. (Commanding Officer, 1952-1954) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 1 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 26 Audio Tapes: Boxes 48-49 Sevensma, Dr. Eugene (Medical Officer, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 2 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 27 Audio Tapes: Boxes 50-51 Smucker, Paul H. (Ensign, 1944-1945) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 3 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 28 Audio Tape: Box 52 Snyder, William (Executive Officer, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 4 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 29 Audio Tapes: Boxes 53-54 Sowle, Thurman (Yeoman, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 5 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 30 Audio Tapes: Boxes 55-56 Spangler, William (Storekeeper 2/C, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 6 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 31 Audio Tapes: Boxes 57-58 Swartz, Fred (Torpedoman 3/C, 1943-1944) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 7 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 32 Audio Tape: Box 59 Taitt, Eugene (Electrician, 1952-1956) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 8 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 33-34 Audio Tapes: Boxes 61-62 Tripi, Charles (Electrician, 1943-1946) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 8 Audio Cassette: Box 4, Cassette 33-34 Audio Tapes: Boxes 61-62 Van Pelt, George (Gunner’s Mate, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 9 Audio Cassettes: Box 4, Cassettes 35-36 Audio Tapes: Boxes 63-65 Wheeler, Sumner (Crewmember, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 10 Audio Cassettes: Box 5, Cassettes 1-2 Audio Tapes: Boxes 66-68 Whipple, A.N. (Gunner’s Mate, WWII) Transcript: Box 3, Folder 9 Audio Cassettes: Box 4, Cassettes 35-36 Audio Tapes: Boxes 63-65 Boilermen Audio Cassette: Box 5, Cassette 3 Audio Tapes: Boxes 69-70 Gunnery Officers Audio Cassette: Box 5, Cassette 4 Audio Tapes: Boxes 71-72 Navigators Audio Cassette: Box 5, Cassette 5 Audio Tapes: Boxes 73-74 Torpedomen Audio Cassettes: Box 5, Cassettes 6-7 Audio Tapes: Boxes 75-78 |
Last updated: March 31, 2025