Veterans History Project Collection
Record Group 024
Date Span 1965-2003
Extent 0.1 cu ft
Physical Description 9 @ 1-hour audiocassette tapes + 90 scanned images (on CD-Rom)
Historical Note concerning the Veterans History Project: In 2000, Congress, recognizing that 1500 veterans died per day, directed the Library
of Congress to initiate a nationwide project to collect the stories of veterans, family
members, defense-industry workers, and similar individuals who had participated in
conjunction with the United State's military in the 20th century. The Library of
Congress assigned this task to its American Folklife Center, which dubbed the resulting
program the "Veterans History Project" (VHP).
The The Wiregrass Archives became an official partner in the VHP in 2002, collecting
oral history interviews, artifacts, documents, and photographs from veterans and others
in the Wiregrass Region. This is a long-term, ongoing project of the The Wiregrass
Archives. A variety of interviewers have contributed to the VHP Collection: Archives
Director Dr. Martin Olliff has conducted many of the interviews; some veterans have
turned in self-interviews, and ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé--Dothan Campus students have participated.
Biographical Note: Robert LeBaron was a member of the US Navy Submarine Service between 1964 and 1972.
He was a machinist's mate in the nuclear engine room aboard the USS Henry Clay then the USS Thomas Jefferson stationed in Holy Lock, Scotland, and Rota, Spain. After his enlistment, LeBaron
found employment at Alabama Power Company's Farley Nuclear Plant in Houston County,
Alabama.
Scope/Content: LeBaron gave 6 hours of detailed interviews about his time in the US Navy and 3
hours about his post-service career at Farley Nuclear Plant in Houston County, Alabama.
In addition, he allowed The Wiregrass Archives staff to digitally copy 90 of the slides
he made at the time.
Organization: Organized into two series: 1. Interviews; 2. Photographs.
Provenance: Photographs are part of a very large slide image collection created by Mr. LeBaron
or by friends using Mr. LeBaron's camera (when Mr. LeBaron appears in a photograph).
Dr. Olliff conducted interviews with Mr. LeBaron in 2003 as part of the The Wiregrass
Archives's participation in the Veterans History Project.
Processing: Students in Dr. Olliff's class, HIS 4470, Oral History, have indexed some of Mr. LeBaron's
interview tapes. When indices are complete, The Wiregrass Archives will post include
them as in Series 1. Interviews.
Preferred Citation: Robert LeBaron Interview, Veterans History Project Collection, RG024. The Wiregrass
Archives, ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.
INVENTORY
Series 1: Interviews
Interview Date: June 16, 2003
Number of Tapes: 3 one-hour audiocassettes
Topics: LeBaron’s service in the US Navy. He also discusses some of the scanned photographs
which tell the story of life aboard nuclear submarines.
Indices to Tapes: 061603 Tape 1 of 3 061603 Tape 2 of 3 061603 Tape 3 of 3
Interview Date: June 23, 2003
Number of Tapes: 3 one-hour audiocassettes
Topics: LeBaron’s service in the US Navy. He continues to discuss the scanned photographs
through which he tells the story of life aboard submarines, his attitude and memories
of service during the cold war, and the end of his enlistment.
Indices to Tapes: 062303 Tape 1 of 3 062303 Tape 2 of 3 062303 Tape 3 of 3
Interview Date: July 7, 2003
Number of Tapes: 3 one-hour audiocassettes
Topics: LeBaron’s search for work after his service, and his career at the newly-built Farley
Nuclear Plant in Houston County, AL.
Indices to Tapes: 070703 Tape 1 of 3 070703 Tape 2 of 3 070703 Tape 3 of 3
024-03-0616-001-003: Hollylock
024-03-0616-001-007: Topside, loaded
024-03-0616-001-009: LeBaron
024-03-0616-001-018: Fueling
024-03-0616-001-024: Bullring
024-03-0616-001-026: Fueling
024-03-0616-001-027: LeBaron
024-03-0616-001-028: Stores Loading
024-03-0616-001-042: Mess Deck
024-03-0616-001-044: Officer & Cooks
024-03-0616-001-045: Officer & Cooks
024-03-0616-001-046: Officer & Cooks
024-03-0616-001-051: LeBaron topside
024-03-0616-001-052: LeBaron topside
024-03-0616-001-054: Torpedo Loading
024-03-0616-001-056: (L-to-R) ?, ?, LeBaron
024-03-0616-001-061: USS Casimir Pulaski
024-03-0616-001-064: USS Casimir Pulaski
024-03-0616-001-067: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-068: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-069: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-070: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-071: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-072: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-001-075: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson--John Menne
024-03-0616-001-076: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson--John Menne
024-03-0616-001-077: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson--John Menne
024-03-0616-002-018: John Memme topside
024-03-0616-002-019: John Menne and Robert LeBaron resting topside
024-03-0616-002-021: Bullring
024-03-0616-002-022: John Menne through the Bullring
024-03-0616-002-023: Robert LeBaron through the Bullring
024-03-0616-002-024: Robert LeBaron through the Bullring
024-03-0616-002-026: Fishing from the deck
024-03-0616-002-029: Blue Nose Ceremony on USS Thomas Jefferson
024-03-0616-002-030: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-031: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-032: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-033: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-034: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-035: Blue Nose Ceremony
024-03-0616-002-037: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-038: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-039: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-040: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-044: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-045: LeBaron topside
024-03-0616-002-051: Berthing compartment
024-03-0616-002-052: Berthing compartment (LeBaron)
024-03-0616-002-056: Loading Stores
024-03-0616-002-057: Loading Stores
024-03-0616-002-059: LeBaron topside
024-03-0616-002-061: Topside
024-03-0616-002-062: Topside
024-03-0616-002-066: Robert Brown resting topside, on lines
024-03-0616-002-067: Robert Brown resting topside, on lines
024-03-0616-002-068: "Gear In The Sky"--a view through the conning tower
024-03-0616-002-069: Three members of the crew with broken limbs
024-03-0616-002-071: Swim Call
024-03-0616-002-077: LeBaron topside
024-03-0616-002-080: LeBaron in Engine Room
024-03-0616-003-001: LeBaron
024-03-0616-003-003: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-005: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-008: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-009: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-010:Berthing Compartment
024-03-0616-003-011: Berthing Compartment
024-03-0616-003-013: Berthing Compartment
024-03-0616-003-016: Torpedo Loading
024-03-0616-003-019: Torpedo Loading
024-03-0616-003-020: Torpedo Loading
024-03-0616-003-031: Groundhog Day Celebration
024-03-0616-003-033: Groundhog Day Celebration
024-03-0616-003-034: Groundhog Day Celebration
024-03-0616-003-037: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-038: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-040: Halfway Night Celebration
024-03-0616-003-050: Berthing Compartment--Andy ?
024-03-0616-003-053: Head
024-03-0616-003-055: LeBaron and Menne going home
024-03-0616-003-058: Crew at Home Port
024-03-0616-003-063: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-064: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-067: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-068: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-069: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-070: Sub Base
024-03-0616-003-072: LeBaron Medals
024-03-0616-003-073: LeBaron Medals
