Navy

Gass completed the U.S. Navy V-12 Program in 1943, then Columbia Midshipman School and Harvard Communications School. He served as a Communications Officer in the Pacific Theater of World War II until being discharged in 1946.

As with the Education page, the items on this page were loaned to us by William and Mary Gass for this exhibit. Gass kept many objects from his Navy days, including his dog tags, officer's hat and coat, and souvenirs like a USS Pasedena wallet card showing he was present in the Bay of Tokyo for the Japanese surrender.

Gass wrote many letters to his parents while at sea during the war and on shore in post-war Japan, in which he shared detailed observations and items like Japanese photos and currency. We digitized all these letters and two of them, including one written on V-J Day, are included here.

We are very pleased that Gass offered to write an essay for us about his Navy experiences. See "My Memories of the Service" below. 

 

Gass's U.S. Navy Reserve officer dog tags

Painting of William H. Gass by R.A. Weld while Gass was on leave

The Twenty-first Class United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School Graduation Exercises program

Gass's U.S. Navy Reserve officer hat

William H. Gass's World War II United States Navy Reserve officer uniform

Photograph of William H. Gass during World War II

U.S.S. Pasadena wallet card souvenir of the occasion of the surrender of Japan

Letter from William H. Gass to his parents, September 2, 1945

Letter from William H. Gass to his parents, September 11, 1945

Map drawn by Gass depicting places traveled with U.S. Navy during World War II

Gass's U.S. Navy Officer Service Record

"My Memories of the Service" essay written for this digital exhibit

<-- Education               Teaching -->