Series IV: Random Orders of the Day for the U.S.S. Maryland, 1943-1944

The memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland contains memories written by the personnel who served on the battleship from its keel in 1921 until its decommission in 1946. Also included are photographs, various memorandums, ship lists and schedules, press releases and newspaper clippings. Correspondence contained within the collection is between the author of the book, The Memoirs of the Battleship the U.S.S. Maryland BB46, and other ship personnel.

The memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland begin with a description of the peace time navy of the 1920's and 1930's. Photographs and memorabilia help to illustrate the innocence of the pre-war navy. During this time, several pleasurable cruises and liberty leaves were described ranging from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts; including both hemispheres. This pre-war part of the collection provides an excellent lead in to the U.S.S. Maryland's much more serious duty in the Pacific during World War II.

The World War II memoirs focus on specific campaigns and battle incidents in the Pacific theatre. They range from impressions of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the invasion of Okinawa in 1945. Memories vary from daily anecdotes and holiday activities to more serious incidents of Japanese Kamikaze attempts. Also included are various official press and radio releases, ship lists and citations for individuals. More unofficial pieces of memorabilia include poems written by sailors and newspaper clippings from the home front.

The collection contains memoirs and newspaper clippings tracing the U.S.S. Maryland's post-war duty and return to its home berth in Washington state to be "mothballed" and de-commissioned in 1946. Also included are impressions of U.S. Marines who served on the ship and a random file of "Orders of the Day" that range from 1943 to 1944, providing a sense of daily life aboard the U.S.S. Maryland.

The original arrangement of the collection was kept as much as possible to help preserve how Mr. Vreeken compiled it for work on his book. The dates move from pre-war(1921-1941) to the Pacific during World War II(1941-1945), where each campaign is chronologically arranged, through decommission(1946). Each veteran's memoirs are arranged in alphabetical order in the file of the time or the campaign he was aboard the U.S.S. Maryland.

The Memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland provides explanations into the changes that occurred within the U.S. Navy between the peaceful 1920's and 1930's, World War II and peacetime again. It also provides insight into veteran's rememberances and attitudes. Finally, this collection allows the researcher to see up close the way an author researches and organizes material before writing a book.

The Memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland were donated to the Maryland Historical Society and library by Mr. Fred R. Vreeken in 1991. The collection of manuscripts was given in conjunction with a copy of Mr. Vreeken's limited first edition book, Memoirs of The Crew of The Battleship U.S.S. Maryland BB46.