Rosetta McMahon Collection
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Oral history interview with Rosetta Elliot McMahon
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Primarily documents Rosetta Elliot McMahon's service in the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) from 1942 to 1944. McMahon briefly discusses her family, her hometown in West Virginia, working in defense production at the Continental Can Company, and the attack on Pearl Harbor. She gives her reasons for enlisting in the WAVES; notes her family's pride; mentions her mother's visits to her at basic training; and the homesickness of celebrating Christmas on base. Other topics from basic training include: learning to march, storekeeper classes, and semaphore. " Topics from McMahon's service in Washington, D.C. include: living in an apartment; a typical workday schedule; dining out; typing; and social activities. She discusses Amelia Earhart, President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, President Harry Truman, and some of her favorite music from the WWII era. Other topics include adjusting to civilian life, getting married, being an air force wife, her paying jobs, and her volunteer work.
