Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Heather Lori Sandler Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: War on Terrorism, 2001-2009
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Abraham Lincoln (VX 23); USS Harry Truman (CVN 75)
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class, E-6
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/87289
Part of a military family, Heather Lori Belanger Sandler decided to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and join the Navy. Leaving for boot camp in 1995, she initially wanted to be a rescue swimmer, but later opted to become an Aviation Ordnanceman-which meant learning how to put together live bombs to be dropped from airplanes. Stationed on the USS Abraham Lincoln, she was part of one of the first groups of women to serve their deployment on an aircraft carrier, and comments in her interview about the gender dynamics aboard ship and how they shifted over time. Following September 11th, she deployed to the Middle East serving aboard the USS Harry Truman and assembling weapons to support ground troops in Iraq.
Interview / Recording
Share
-
PlayBasic training; experience with gender integrated training; adjusting to military life; interacting with men during basic training. 00:03:23.9 - 00:08:06.1
-
PlayIntending to become a rescue swimmer; not passing the physical; deciding on an aviation apprenticeship. 00:09:17.5 - 00:10:42.6
-
PlayService aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln; as a woman, in the vast minority of service personnel aboard ship. 00:12:11.4 - 00:14:16.2
-
PlayJob in weapons assembly; building 500 or 1000 pound bombs. 00:17:27.3 - 00:18:15.2
-
PlayWorking at Patuxent River on September 11; seeing smoke from Pentagon; chaos; getting planes ready in case of attack; realizing it would mean deployment. 00:34:13.0 - 00:40:10.5
-
PlayService aboard the USS Harry Truman in the Persian Gulf; supporting ground troops in Iraq; intense work environment; going without a port visit; "beer days." 00:49:30.6 - 00:52:18.6
More Resources
Show more resources (31)
About this Item
Title
- Heather Lori Sandler Collection
Names
- Central Connecticut State University
- Sandler, Heather Lori
- Hurst, Eileen M.
- McGuckin, Briana
Home State
- Connecticut
Headings
- - Sandler, Heather Lori
- - War on Terrorism, 2001-2009 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
War on Terrorism, 2001-2009
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Abraham Lincoln (VX 23); USS Harry Truman (CVN 75)
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class, E-6
- Dates of Service: 1995-2005
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2012-06-09; 2012)
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2012-06-09; 2012)
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [34 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1995-2009)
- Photograph: Digital print [31 items] -- Photograph (collected 2003-2012)
- Manuscript: Unit histories [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2004-2005)
- Computer File: CD [1 item] -- Multiple types of electronic files (collected 2012-06-09)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/87289
Cite as
- Heather Lori Sandler Collection (AFC/2001/001/87289), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Everett, Washington
- Great Lakes, Illinois
- Mediterranean Sea
- Patuxent River, Maryland
- Tennessee
- Virginia Beach, Virginia