Oral History Interview with Norman Zafft, July 28, 2011

Oral History Interview with Norman Zafft, July 28, 2011

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Track One 1:18:07

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Norman Zafft. Zafft joined the Navy in 1943 and was assigned to USS Enterprise (CV-6) as a ship fitter. He corresponded with his brother in code, to avoid censorship. He survived several close calls in combat. When the ship was hit by a kamikaze at Okinawa, Zafft only survived because he had been relieved of his post early that morning by a sailor who subsequently perished in the explosion. Zafft helped fight the resulting fires and kept a piece of the fuselage as a souvenir. After returning to … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 18 min., 7 sec.)

Creation Information

Zafft, Norman July 28, 2011.

Context

This audio recording is part of the collection entitled: National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection and was provided by the National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. More information about this recording can be viewed below.

Interviewee

Zafft, Norman

Interviewers

Publisher

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

Audiences

Check out our Resources for Educators Site! We've identified this sound as a primary source within our collections. Researchers, educators, and students may find this recording useful in their work.

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 Norman Zafft. Zafft joined the Navy in 1943 and was assigned to USS Enterprise (CV-6) as a ship fitter. He corresponded with his brother in code, to avoid censorship. He survived several close calls in combat. When the ship was hit by a kamikaze at Okinawa, Zafft only survived because he had been relieved of his post early that morning by a sailor who subsequently perished in the explosion. Zafft helped fight the resulting fires and kept a piece of the fuselage as a souvenir. After returning to the States with the Enterprise, Zafft was discharged in March 1946. He joined the Enterprise Association and served as its president. Through a Japanese historian who was researching the kamikaze attack on the Enterprise, Zafft donated his piece of the fuselage to an exhibit at the Kanoya Naval Air Base Museum which names and honors the men killed that day. Zafft was especially grateful for the opportunity to pay homage to George Barker, the man who died in his place.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 18 min., 7 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: OH03287
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1609810

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Norman Zafft, July 28, 2011, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1606003

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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