Interviewer
Connor Joel Bemis
Files
Description
Nathan Bemis describes his time serving in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1964, narrowly missing deployment to Vietnam. Bemis discusses how he came to be a gunner’s mate after originally joining the Navy in order to become a Seabee. He talks about what life was like aboard a naval vessel on the West Coast of the United States and sailing around Cape Horn on the USS Lexington en route to Pensacola, Florida. Bemis details his daily duties including mopping the deck of the ship each morning for three years, polishing all of the brass on the ship’s four five-inch guns, and serving as the gunner’s mate each time one of the guns was fired for training operations. He describes the ship’s role in Florida training pilots to land on a carrier. He also notes how much he enjoyed photography and took the opportunity to photograph the places and scenes each time the carrier docked. Bemis describes getting out of the Navy two weeks before the Lexington headed for Vietnam. He states that he enjoyed his military service but decided to leave because he wanted to go to Bible school. He concludes by reminiscing about the friends he made and how they encouraged him to stay out of trouble.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
USS Lexington; Gunner’s mate; Peacetime military service; Armed naval carrier; Pensacola, Florida; U.S. Military; U.S. Navy; Naval bases; Vietnam War, 1955-1975; Carrier ships; Pilot training; Flight deck; Aircraft carriers; Conversion
Original Date
11-16-2019
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
California; Japan; Florida
Language
eng
Original Collection
The Veteran’s Experience Oral History Project, OH 472
Holding Institution
University of Montana. Mansfield Library. Archives and Special Collections
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights Statement
Rights Holder
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections at the University of Montana, Mansfield Library.
Oral History Number
OH 472-003
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 MP3 file (00:33:10): digital + 1 transcript (8 pp.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00: 33:10 minutes
Local Filename
OH_472_003.mp3; OH_472_003.pdf
Citation
Bemis, Nathan White, "Nathan White Bemis Interview, November 16, 2019" (2019). The Veteran’s Experience Oral History Project. 2.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/veteransexperience_oralhistory/2