Oral history interview with Viola Sanders
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Primarily documents Viola Brown Sander's career in the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) from 1943 to 1966. Sanders discusses the death of her father and her mother's work to provide for the family. She talks about her admiration for her grandfather and older brother. She goes into detail about her education at Sunflower Junior College (now Mississippi Delta Community College) and Delta State Teachers College (now Delta State University). Topics from her time teaching in Glen Allan, Mississippi, include: living with other teachers; her salary; demands of the job; and paying off her student loans. She recalls the attack on Pearl Harbor and volunteer work to support the troops. " Sanders recalls her brother, a navy serviceman, urging her to enlist in the WAVES, and swearing her into the service. Of her basic training at Smith College, she discusses intensive studies and becoming company commander. She describes being assigned to the communication branch and being sent to Naval Air Station, New Orleans, where she freed her brother for overseas duty. Topics from her time in New Orleans include: her work week; attractive sailors; serving as communication watch officer, officer of ship stores, and personnel officer; social activities; inviting Harry James to perform for the sailors. Sanders discusses her transfer to recruitment and recalls studying so she could teach ships and airplanes. Other recruitment duty discussion revolves around the move from Naval Station Great Lakes to Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland. Topics from her time stationed in Japan from 1953 to 1955 include: rooming with a northern girl; being unable to discuss the intelligence work she performed; traveling in the country, and climbing Mount Fuji. Sanders also describes setting up the Washington, D.C., office of Admiral Richard E. Byrd and meeting many famous people while working for him. " Topics from Sanders' tenure as deputy to Winifred Quick include: a plane crash; speaking at the first NATO Conference for Women; and visiting Paris. She briefly notes her time stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, mentioning Admirals Row and golf. She goes on to discuss her promotion to Director of Women in the Navy and her efforts to remove restrictions on women's promotions in the navy. Other service topics include: her reasons for choosing a military career; men's reactions to servicewomen; Lucille Ball doing publicity for the WAVES; memories of presidents; and an embarrassing moment.
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