| Scope and content |
The collection consists of a narrative memoir that describes Ronald Vaughn's experiences before and during his service in World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Prewar activities described include Navy training and classes, as well as maintenance and preparations of the USS Kitkun Bay for duty. Once in the Pacific, the Kitkun Bay's activities in escort duty and battle are detailed including actions at Guam, Saipan, and Tinian during the Marianas Islands campaign and at Luzon and the Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. Specific incidents are described including accidents involving planes landing on the Kitkun Bay that caused damage to the ship and a crash landing into the water; damage to the Kitkun Bay by a kamikaze at Luzon; the disposal of unexploded bombs from the ship's engine room; and eluding Japanese mines in the water. The memoir also describes re-supplying the ship at Guam; the transport of liberated American prisoners of war after Japan's surrender; Tokyo and its destruction; the transport of American servicemen back to the United States; and typhoons near Guam and Luzon Island. At the end of the narrative, combat statistics for the Kitkun Bay are listed and a photograph of the 2nd Division assigned to the ship is included. |
| Access restriction | No access restrictions. |
| Cite as |
Ronald Vaughn Papers (#658), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA. |
| Terms of use | Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Gift of Ronald Vaughn. |
| Biographical note | Ronald Vaughn of Brownwood, Texas, enlisted in the Navy with his twin brother Donald in January 1944. Vaughn trained at the San Diego Naval Training Station and was assigned to the escort aircraft carrier USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71). |
