Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Lewis Clayton Shaw, Jr. Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Helena (CL 50), USS Oglala, USS Cohocton (AO 101)
- Location of Service: Pacific Theater; China; Japan
- Highest Rank: Pharmacist's Mate First Class
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/32813
Enlisting in 1940, Pharmacist's Mate First Class Lewis Clayton Shaw, Jr. chose the Navy in hopes of securing a dry place to sleep every night while in the service. What he could not have anticipated was his front and center view of the beginning of World War II. Assigned to the USS Oglala, a minelayer, he was stationed at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Though he survived the attack, the Oglala did not; following a transfer to the USS Helena, a St. Louis Class-light cruiser, he went on to participate in the Battle of Guadalcanal. Following the end of the war, he spent time aboard the USS Cohocton, a fleet oiler, which took him to China and Japan. In his interview, he discusses his work as a Pharmacist's Mate First Class, and how, seventy years after the war, some memories of his service remain as vivid as the day the events happened.
Interview / Recording
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PlayTaking a shower on the morning of December 7th; hearing the planes approach; getting dressed in a hurry. 00:02:23.1 - 00:03:28.4
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PlaySeeing casualties; taking care of a wounded shipmate; Oglala sunk; working at a temporary hospital; assigned to the Helena. 00:03:29.6 - 00:06:53.1
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PlayMemories of the attack; taking care of burn victims 00:06:52.0 - 00:09:52.8
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PlayExperiences at Guadalcanal; clearing beach for the landing; injuries treated aboard ship. 00:15:30.9 - 00:18:37.3
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- Lewis Clayton Shaw, Jr. Collection
Names
- Shaw Jr., Lewis Clayton
- Cross, Linda
- Tyler Junior College
- Robert Lewis
- Rucker, Bobbye
Home State
- Texas
Headings
- - Shaw Jr., Lewis Clayton
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Helena (CL 50), USS Oglala, USS Cohocton (AO 101)
- Location of Service: Pacific Theater; China; Japan
- Highest Rank: Pharmacist's Mate First Class
- Dates of Service: 1940-1946
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-04-27; 1999-12-31)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1943-02-28)
- Photograph: Photocopy of Photographic Print [2 items] -- Photograph (collected 1946)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/32813
Cite as
- Lewis Clayton Shaw, Jr. Collection (AFC/2001/001/32813), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video