Naval Historical Foundation Oral Histories

Oral History: In May 1996, the NHF, with a grant from Ambassador William H.G. Fitzgerald, initiated an oral history program. During the next 18 months, Dr. Winkler conducted numerous interviews with senior retired officer and enlisted personnel. He also compiled a Directory of Navy Oral History, a listing of some 1,300 Navy-related interviews compiled by over 60 repositories around the country.

In December 1997, Admiral Holloway sent a letter to the membership soliciting volunteer interviewers, transcribers, and interviewee nominees. The response was very positive. Over 100 individuals have volunteered to conduct or transcribe interviews. Members nominated numerous candidates to be interviewed. The matchmaking process continues. As of December 2000, over two dozen interviews have been published and 30 interviews are in some stage of completion. With the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War, the oral history program is focusing on veterans of this conflict. Oral histories serve two purposes. They provide a primary source document for researchers to use in the writing of history. Perhaps more important though, the transcript serves as a pass down item for future generations of a family. The Naval Historical Foundation submits copies of the transcripts to the Operational Archives of the Naval Historical Center, the Navy Department Library, and libraries at the Naval Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and Naval War College.

Volunteers use the Naval Historical Foundation’s Oral History Guidelines.