Oral History Interview with Earl H. Selover

Oral History Interview with Earl H. Selover

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Track One 1:14:25

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Earl H. Selover. He enlisted in the Navy in June, 1934 after graduating high school in Wildwood, New Jersey. After completing boot camp in Norfolk he was assigned to the USS Idaho (BB-42) as a radioman. He recalls undergoing initiation as a Shellback after crossing the Equator during one training exercise. In 1938 he reenlisted and was transferred to the USS Maryland (BB-46). Upon completing advanced training in February 1941 he returned to the ship and was promoted to Chief Petty Officer. Selover recalls the chaos and confusion … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 14 min., 25 sec.)

Creation Information

Selover, Earl H. Creation Date: Unknown.

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Earl H. Selover. He enlisted in the Navy in June, 1934 after graduating high school in Wildwood, New Jersey. After completing boot camp in Norfolk he was assigned to the USS Idaho (BB-42) as a radioman. He recalls undergoing initiation as a Shellback after crossing the Equator during one training exercise. In 1938 he reenlisted and was transferred to the USS Maryland (BB-46). Upon completing advanced training in February 1941 he returned to the ship and was promoted to Chief Petty Officer. Selover recalls the chaos and confusion of 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. On 23 December the Maryland departed Pearl Harbor for Bremerton, Washington. In early January 1942 he was transferred to the USS Indiana (BB-58). He recalls the ship taking part in the bombardment of Kwajalein prior to the Marshall Islands landings in late January 1944. During the bombardment he recalls a collision with the USS Washington (BB-56), which almost sank the Indiana. In early October 1944 he accepted orders to the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland, where he was when the war ended.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 14 min., 25 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH00346
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1607655

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Earl H. Selover, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1603716

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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