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Description
Oral History interview of Kathy Neilson. Interview conducted by Kessler, Justin at Orlando, FL.
Log
0:21 Birthplace, Parents occupations, siblings; 1:01 What she did before the service, tried the Coast Guard, why the Navy; 1:44 Education prior to joining, continue education after her service; 1:54 Family in the service, local newspaper did article on family; 2:36 Families reaction to her service, length of service; 3:09 First night at Recruit Training Command, reactions when given uniform; 4:29 How she felt after her first day of training; 5:05 How was physical training like; 5:39 How much classroom training she had, etiquette class; 6:09 Advance training with language, sent to Defense Language Institute in D.C.; 6:59 Average day of training in Recruit Training; 7:49 Break during training; 8:29 Day that stood out for her: Chores; Leader: not at full potential due to Navy; 10:24 Expectations going into the Navy, didn't get job she wanted; 11:09 Adapting to Navy life; 11:54 Inspections; 12:38 Thoughts on Company Commanders, Company motto; 13:29 Free time, staying in touch with fellow RTC trainees; 14:27 The Grinder; 14:43 Most significant thing she took away from training; 15:45 Swim training at RTC; 16:51 Barracks accommodations; 17:33 What it was like being the first woman at RTC Orlando; 18:22 Difference between man's and woman's training; 19:10 First duty station: Norfolk; 20:30 Becoming a Yoemen; 21:19 Reenlisted; worked for Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon; 22:00 Duty while working with Secretary of Defense; 22:25 Medals she earned; 23:17 Being called up to active duty during Operation Desert Shield; 24:28 Role as Chief Petty Officer, most memorable moment; 25:08 Becoming a Chief via secret initiation; 27:00 Final words; 9/11; 29:29 Ending the Interview; final note about being thanked for her service.
Date of Birth
1952-07-05
Place of Birth
Savannah (Ga.)
Gender
Female
Race
Unknown
Home State
Georgia
War or Conflict
Vietnam Era
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
1973-01-05
Type
Video; MovingImage
1980-11-15
Entrance into Service
Enlisted
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Unit of Service
Russian Language School, Washington, D.C.; Air Wing Norfolk, Va.; Sec. of Defense Staff, Pentagon; Flag riders, Naval Academy; Akron Ohio, Antilles defense; State Department; Naval Personal command, Washington D.C.; Naval Command Center, Pentagon.
Location of Service
Washington (D.C.); Akron (Ohio); Norfolk (Va.)
Highest Rank
Chief Petty Officer; CPO
Prisoner of War
No
Service Related Injury
No
Battles
Unspecified
Medals
Navy Achievement Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Expert Marksman Badge
Achievements
See video for details.
Note
Make-up classes; not allowed to participate fire drills or handle weapons; walked through protesters at the Pentagon. Established New Command supporting Navy Historical Unit. Received Good Conduct Medal four times and National Defense Medal twice.
City of Birth
Savannah
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Kessler, Justin
Interview Date
Fall 10-13-2016
Location of Interview
Orlando, FL.
Subjects
Nielson, Kathleen; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives; Women and the military -- United States; United States. Navy
Collection Description
Contains logs, audio and video recordings of interviews with Central Florida's veterans as part of a history class project for the students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The UCF Community Veterans History Project(CVHP) started in fall 2010. It collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida's veterans so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. The veterans' histories are archived and made digitally available through the UCF library and selected materials are contributed to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Contributor Affiliation / Organization
RICHES University of Central Florida
Contributors
Kessler, Justin
Length of Interview
30 Minutes
Publisher
Department of History, University of Central Florida
Type
video
Rights
All rights are held by the respective holding institution. This material is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For permission to reproduce and/or for copyright information contact Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, (407) 823-2576. http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/
Repository
University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Contributing Project
UCF Community Veterans History Project
Document Type
Interview
Semester
Fall
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Nielsen, Kathleen" (2016). Veterans Oral Histories. 505.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/505