Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Robert Russell Hunt Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Tambor (SS 198)
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Chief
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/67427
Torpedoman Robert Hunt served on the Tambor with
Interview / Recording
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PlayGoing for 12 consecutive war patrols on the same boat under four different captains; many men sailed on different boats and on fewer patrols; system allowed for taking break after four patrols but he never did; you had to request a break in port, not at sea; if someone was having problems at sea, he was reassigned to mess duty until they reached port. 00:00:06.5 - 00:03:57.1
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PlayWake Island attack; he was standing lookout and could see the fires from his station; damaged by a bomb and returning to Pearl Harbor for repairs; concerned they would actually make it back; stunned to silence by evidence of Dec. 7th attack. 00:07:33.7 - 00:15:16.9
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PlayDuring Battle of Midway, he was on port lookout; in dark, looking through glasses to horizon line for any irregularities; had to identify ship before shooting at it; seeing four blobs; bringing up equipment for signaling; diving to avoid contact; chasing damaged cruisers but unable to keep up; surfacing to get the word back to HQ. 00:16:27.2 - 00:26:11.7
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PlayKeeping a diary against regulations; if captured, enemy could use information from it; a rat aboard the boat started gnawing on the glue in the binding; alone in torpedo room once, he actually wrote in it during attack on a supply boat headed for Wake Island; he would mark in the diary each time they fired on the enemy. 00:26:13.9 - 00:32:25.0
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PlayWorst depth charge attack; after they attacked a tanker, a destroyer went after them; diving to the bottom; shutting everything down to wait out the enemy; when they tried to move, the attack resumed; this went on for almost 17 hours; Hunt and his buddy Red were on sound gear, so captain joined them to listen for anything; as destroyer was right overhead, the sound was audible without equipment. 00:32:29.6 - 00:39:43.3
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PlayIn San Francisco at Hunter's Point when the war ended; headed into town with buddies one day when they heard on the radio that Japan had surrendered; dancing in the street; lots of kissing and hugging; he jumped out on Market Street onto a cable car up the hill to where his apartment was; had promised his sub buddies that if he were alive and in San Francisco at the end of the war, he would wave a flag on Market Street for the guys who didn't make it; paid a kid $10 for a little flag; when he got back to Market, saw a riot in progress; rioters knocked him down and tried to take his uniform; got back on cable car and up the hill to one of his favorite bars; after a couple of drinks, fell into bed. 00:42:51.4 - 00:50:39.2
About this Item
Title
- Robert Russell Hunt Collection
Names
- Roanoke College, Virginia
- Hunt, Robert Russell
- Schultz, Robert
Home State
- Iowa
Headings
- - Hunt, Robert Russell
- - 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 Tambor (SS 198)
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Chief
- Dates of Service: 1939-1945
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran served in 12 consecutive submarine patrols on the USS Tambor.
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2007-11-03; 2008-05-02)
- Video: DVD [2 items] -- Reference copy (collected 2009-11-13; 2009-11-13)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/67427
Cite as
- Robert Russell Hunt Collection (AFC/2001/001/67427), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video