N. Trent Chamberlain 2025 Spring Internship

  Hello readers! This past week proved to be exceptionally engaging at the Museum of Military History. We had the distinct privilege of hosting an event featuring narratives from two distinguished World War II veterans. Given that over eight decades have elapsed since the conclusion of World War II, the population of living veterans is diminishing. Therefore, the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts from individuals aged 102 and 98 respectively was a profoundly enriching experience. Mel, a distinguished veteran, served as a pilot in World War II and the Berlin Airlift. He recounted his firsthand experience of the D-Day invasion, providing a detailed description of the horrors witnessed. He also discussed the numerous missions undertaken during the Berlin Airlift, delivering essential supplies to West Berlin. Of particular interest were his post-service narratives. He shared that after his military tenure, he developed a severe case of hives. Despite consulting numerous physicians...

  Hello readers! This week I have worked on accessioning the Vacanti Collection. I am now about half way to completing the final box of the collection. This week I was especially interested in a collection of posters that were used during LCDR Vacanti’s time as a recruiter. I think they provide a good example of what Navy recruitment was like at the time.   The first thing that stood out to me about the posters is that they are all very colorful and eye-catching. They use a lot of bright colors and bold fonts to attract attention. They also feature images of sailors and navy ships, which are likely to appeal to potential recruits. The posters also use a variety of persuasive techniques to encourage people to join the navy. For example, one poster states that the navy is a place where you can “see the world and learn a trade.” Another poster states that the navy is a place where you can “make a difference in the world.” These statements are likely to appeal to people who a...

     Hello readers! This week was a busy one as we prepared for the upcoming Military Appreciation Weekend at the museum. I had the opportunity to meet Chris for the first time and helped him by contributing to the setup and organization of the museum, ensuring a welcoming and engaging space for our visitors and vendors. A significant part of my week involved rearranging displays and exhibits to create a more presentable and accessible environment. I carefully moved objects and artifacts, ensuring their safety and proper placement. This involved collaborating with other staff members and volunteers to ensure a cohesive and visually appealing layout. In addition to the physical setup, I also had the chance to delve into the fascinating world of the LORAN-C 77 radio navigation system. This device, once used in aircraft for precise positioning, caught my attention during my work with the Vacanti collection. I spent some time researching its history and functionality, gaining...

     Hello readers! This week I have almost finished accessioning the Vacanti collection. I also spent some time familiarizing myself around the museum and preparing for an event later next month with two world war two veterans. Firstly, a significant part of my week was dedicated to preparing for an upcoming event featuring two distinguished World War II veterans. The event, scheduled for next month, will be an evening dedicated to their firsthand accounts of their service. John Zuch, who served as a Machinist Mate Petty Officer, and Mel Jenner, a pilot who played a crucial role as a Scanner during the D-Day Invasions, will share their experiences and insights from this pivotal period in history. To promote this special event and encourage student participation, I designed and created a flyer. This flyer will be distributed to students across the UCF campus, aiming to draw a large and engaged audience to hear these veterans’ important stories. This event is a unique op...

       Hello readers! This week I made real headway with accessioning the Vacanti Collection. I was able to complete the second of three boxes. Of note I was able to find Salvatore Vacanti’s job role while he was an enlisted man. In the collection were three graduation cards from early in his enlisted career that specified the technical schools he attended. I have linked them below.  Two of the schools were familiar to me. The class A school is the school that all sailors go to to determine their job, or rate. Vacanti’s rank was Aviation machinist mate or AD. This is why his rank is listed as AD3 on the last document, which is short for Aviation Machinist Mate Third Class. Before that he was an AN, or airman, the aviation version of a seaman. The Second school I recognized was a Class C school. This is a school that allows sailors to specialize within their specific field. In this case Vacanti attended a Helicopter Maintenance course as his specialization with...

  Hello readers! This week I continued to accessioning and analyze the Vacanti collection. I’d like to talk about the reserves in the Navy and how they are different from active duty. First I wanted to verify if LCDR Vacanti was in the reserves or active navy.  When I first started looking through the Vacanti collection I noticed he was listed as LCDR Vacanti USNR. The USNR typically stands for United States Navy Reserve so I assumed he was in the reserves at least when he got out of the Navy. I asked his family when they came to visit the museum how long he had been in the Reserves and they didn’t seem to think he had ever been in the Reserves. They were also kind enough to leave a collection of Salvatore’s old military records. This allowed me to clarify that he had been in the reserves. A document, presented below, was quite clear that he had been a Reservist Officer in 1965 when he was first promoted to LCDR. On a more technical level I looked at his Officer designator 1...