Memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland
Abstract
This collection consists of the memoirs of the veterans of the U. S. S. Maryland. These memoirs were sent to Fred R. Vreeken to be compiled into a book on the navy battleship and also include photographs, newspaper clippings and navy memorabilia. Discussion in the memoirs focuses on the U. S. S. Maryland's activities during the peace time navy of the 1920s and 1930s, in the Pacific theatre during World War II and its decommission in 1946.
Dates
- 1921-1946
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Biographical Sketch
The U.S.S. Maryland was a battleship of the "old navy" of the 1920's and 1930's. She was keeled in 1921 and at that time was the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet. The U.S.S. Maryland participated in many international cruises, especially to South America. For example, she participated in the cruise to Brazil to celebrate the country's 100th anniversary, the 1928 landing of marines in Nicarauga and, also in 1928, transported President-elect Hoover to Valparaiso.
In the mid 1930's, the ship was transferred into the Pacific fleet, where she was kept throughout World War II until she was de-commissioned in 1946. The U.S.S. Maryland was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and sustained sufficient damage to keep her at the Bremerton Navy Yard in Washington state for repairs until 1943. After returning to active service, the battleship participated in numerous Pacific campaigns such as the Tarawa, Kwajalien, Saipan, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. She withstood several Kamikaze attacks and was reported sunk by the Japanese a number of times.
During the post-war period, the U.S.S. Maryland was involved in "magic-carpet duty" transporting troops from the Pacific to the west coast of the United States. She was then de-commissioned in 1946 and anchored at the Port Orchard Inlet on the Puget sound, near Bremerton. The "Old Mary", as she was affectionately called by those that sailed on her, was scrapped for parts in 1959 in San Francisco.
Extent
0.42 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The Memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland consist of 10 major series dating from 1921 to 1946. Each series is ordered chronologically and then filed alphabetically by the name of the author. A random folder featuring U.S. Marine memoirs and information follows the dated material.
Series I: Memoirs and Correspondence of Pre-WWII Sailors on the U.S.S. Maryland, 1921-1941
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs, photographs and navy certificates from the Maryland's keel in 1921 through her time in the 1920's and 1930's in the Atlantic fleet and up to her stationing in Pearl Harbor in the late 1930's.
Series II: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland at the attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941
Box 1
This series includes navy certificates and detailed descriptions of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor by sailors stationed on the U.S.S. Maryland at the time.
Series III: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland during the landing at Tarawa, 1943
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs of the Allied landing at Tarawa on November 20, 1943.
Series IV: Random Orders of the Day for the U.S.S. Maryland from 1943 and 1944
Box 1
This series includes daily schedules of duty for those aboard the U.S.S. Maryland on various days in 1943 and 1944.
Series V: Memorandum and Orders of the Day during the Kwajalein objective, 1944
Box 1
Official navy orders concerning the U.S.S. Maryland's involvement in the capture of the Pacific island Kwajalein in January, 1944.
Series VI: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland during the battle of Saipan, 1944
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs, navy commendation and home front newspaper clippings concerning the U.S.S. Maryland's involvement on the attack of Saipan in June, 1944.
Series VII: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland at Leyte Gulf, 1944
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs of sailors involved in the attack at Leyte Gulf in November of 1944.
Series VIII: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland during the invasion of Okinawa, 1945
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs, navy commendations, photographs and home front newspaper clippings concerning the U.S.S. Maryland's involvement in the invasion and occupation of Okinawa in the spring of 1945.
Series IX: Memoirs and Correspondence of sailors aboard the U.S.S. Maryland during post-war and de-commission 1945-1946
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs and newspaper clippings concerning the U.S.S. Maryland's post-war duties in the Pacific islands, along the West Coast and its eventual de-commission in 1946.
Series X: Memoirs and Correspondence of U.S. Marines aboard the U.S.S. Maryland during World War II, 1941-1945
Box 1
This series includes personal memoirs, public relations releases and newspaper clippings concerning marines who served on the U.S.S. Maryland during the second world war.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mr. Fred R. Vreeken in 1991.
Scope and Contents
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.
Source
- Vreeken, Fred R. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Memoirs of the U.S.S. Maryland
- Status
- Under Revision
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 2020-03-20: Manually entered into ArchivesSpace by Mallory Herberger.
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org