Oral History Program

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The U.S. Naval Institute's Oral History program captures and preserves the reminiscences of key Navy and Coast Guard personnel. The Institute tape-records a series of interviews covering the life story of each participant.  The interviews are then transcribed, annotated, indexed, and bound.

Since the inception of the program in 1969, more than 230 bound volumes have been completed, and interviews have been recorded to produce dozens more.

Naval Institute oral histories are funded solely by gift income. Tax-deductible contributions to underwrite a specific history or for general program support are gratefully accepted.

Further support for this program has been graciously provided by:

Among current projects for which we seek support are the oral histories of:

Lieutenant Commander Wesley A. Brown, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Robert Kramek, USCG (Ret.)
Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James Loy, USCG (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Paul David Miller, USN (Ret.)
Admiral J. Paul Reason, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Leighton W. Smith, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral George P. Steele II, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.)

We have indexed material found in the oral histories on the following topics:

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
Korean War
Midway Island/Battle of Midway