Finding Aid for the Verne Lee Oliver Vietnam War-era correspondence 2017.236.w.r

Rob Strauss
Center for American War Letters Archives
9/11/2017
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Verne Lee Oliver Vietnam War-era correspondence
Creator: Oliver, Verne Lee, 1944-01-06-1994-06-25
source: Oliver, Terri
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.236.w.r
Physical Description: 0.4 Linear feet (1 document box)
Date (inclusive): 1964 May 4 - 1967 January 22
Abstract: This collection includes correspondence, clippings, and memorabilia from Verne Lee Oliver, USN during the mid-1960s. Oliver was stationed in Europe during the Vietnam War and the letters are to his parents and siblings.
Language of Material: English .
Container: Vietnam 12
Container: 1-6
Container: 1-6

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Terri Oliver.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type, author, and date.
  • Series 1, Correspondence from Verne L. Oliver
  • Series 2, Military correspondence
  • Series 3, Transcripts

Biographical / Historical

Verne Lee Oliver served as a communications technician with the United States Navy during the Vietnam-War era and was stationed in Scotland and Cyprus.
Oliver was born on January 6, 1944 in Stockton, California. The donor writes that he was the "first child of Dale Wamsley and Zona May Walbridge Oliver." Verne Oliver had a younger brother, Jerry, and a younger sister, Terri.
Oliver graduated from Sonora High School in Sonora, California in June 1991. According to a 1965 newspaper clipping of the USNCTC log, Oliver later studied at biological sciences at Stockton College before enlisting with the Navy on May 1, 1964. Oliver went to boot camp at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego. Later, he attended the US Naval Communications Training Center in Pensacola, Florida. After completion of his training, Oliver was assigned to Edzell, Scotland. He later was transferred to Cyprus, where he was attached to the U.S. Embassy.
According to information provided by the donor, Oliver attended Sacramento State University after he was honorably discharged from the Navy. He then graduated from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento in 1973.
The donor writes that Oliver "worked for the California Legislative Council for approximately 20 years, specializing in labor law." He died on June 25, 1994.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Verne Lee Oliver Vietnam War-era correspondence (2017.236.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

Content Description

This collection contains 67 letters, newspaper clippings and memorabilia from Verne Lee Oliver to his parents and siblings. Oliver was a Communications Technician with the United States Navy and was stationed in Europe during the Vietnam War. Oliver wrote the letters during training in the United States and while stationed in Scotland and Cyprus.
The letters discuss daily life and activities at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego and at the US Naval Communications Trianing Center in Pensacola, Florida. After training, Verne was assigned to Edzell, Scotland. According to the donor, Oliver was later transferred to Nicosia, Cyprus, where he was attached to the American embassy.
The letters are addressed to his parents, to his brother Jerry, and to his sister Terri. Terri is the donor of the letters and she also included transcriptions of all of the letters.
In addition to correspondence, the collection includes a photo that appears to be of Verne Oliver, newspaper clippings, and items that Oliver picked up during his travels and sent to his parents.
There are also two letters to Oliver's parents from the military.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

United States. -- Navy
Jewish Holocaust (1939-1945)
Oliver, Terri

box Vietnam 12, folder 1-4, folder 1-4

Series 1, Correspondence from Verne L. Oliver 1964 May 5 - 1967 January 22

Physical Description: .3 Linear Feet(4 folders)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains 65 letters and postcards that Verne Lee Oliver sent to his parents and siblings while in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War-era. Oliver was a Communications Technician and was stationed in Europe during the war.
The letters discuss daily life and activities at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego and at the US Naval Communications Trianing Center in Pensacola, Florida. After training, Verne was assigned to Edzell, Scotland. Oliver was later transferred to Nicosia, Cyprus, where he was attached with the American embassy.
Letters of interest include correspondence from May 28, 1964 and July 8, 1964 that mention suicide attempts by men stationed at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego.
The July 31, 1964 letter includes a Graduation Parade and Visitor Information slip. The April 3, 1965 letter includes newspapers clippings from USNCTC Log, the base newspaper included with April 3, 1965 letter. The clippings have biographical information about Verne Oliver.
The October 16, 1965 letter mentions a fire at the Naval base in Kamiseya, Japan that killed 12 men.
The letter postmarked February 24, 1967 includes a pamphlet from the Dachau Concentration Camp. That letter also has a picture that appears to be of Verne Oliver. It included a separate caption reading "Christmas 1966 – Munich, Germany. Holding Thomas Hofmiller."
The collection also includes various memorabilia, including Mardi Gras postcards, a 1964 United Airlines menu, pamphlets about Pensacola, Florida, and a postcard from the Houston Astrodome before it was built. (The postcard refers to the stadium as "Houston's Domed Sports Stadium.")
box Vietnam 12, folder 5, folder 5

Series 2, Military correspondence 1964 September 4 - 1966 November 22

Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two letters that were sent to Verne Oliver's parents by the military. One is dated September 4, 1964 and announces that Oliver has reported for duty at the U.S Naval Communications Training center in Pensacola, Florida. The other letter is dated November 22, 1966 and announces the advancement of Verne Oliver to Communications Technician Second Class.
box Vietnam 12, folder 6, folder 6

Series 3, Transcripts

Physical Description: .04 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains transcripts of the letters that Verne Oliver sent to his family while in the Navy. The transcripts were created by the donor but do contain some typos.