PhM2 Catherine S. Long Oral History Side A - Edited

title:

PhM2 Catherine S. Long Oral History Side A - Edited

creator:

Long, Mary Catherine (Small) (1924 February 7 - )

subject:

Navy WAVES

description:

Side 1 of 2. This is the edited interview audio. Mary Catherine Long (formerly Small) was born on February 7, 1924 in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from high school in 1942 and went to college in New Jersey to study home economics for two years before enlisting in the Navy WAVES in September 1944. She went to basic training at Hunter College for six weeks, and greatly enjoyed the marching and drilling. After basic, she was assigned to the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland to train as a hospital assistant. After completing this training, she was told to list three places she’d like to serve. She was told that no one go their first choice, so she put Corpus Christi, Texas down as number one to trick the system into assigning her to the east coast, but she ended up getting her first choice. The Corpus Christi Naval Hospital received many downed airmen alongside the regular sorts of patients at military hospitals. She spent most of her time in the contagious diseases ward, along with shorter stints in the operating room. Her boyfriend at the time was taking courses at a local community college, so she decided to do the same, taking a course in American Literature. When the war ended, she was give the option to serve in Guam but chose to get out, receiving her discharge and returning to New Jersey in May 1946. She wanted to go back to college but was having trouble doing so in New Jersey, so she went with her friend to Louisiana State University. She studied sociology and psychology. While at LSU, she met Navy veteran Gillis Long, and they were married by the time they both graduated. She worked at a doctor’s office while her husband went to law school, and remained in that job until she had their son seven years later. Her husband was offered a job in Washington, DC so they moved and she began working in positions that put her degree to good use. This included working as a staff assistant for Senator Wayne Morse and as an aide to her husband during 8 congressional and 2 gubernatorial races. When her husband passed in 1985, she won the special election for his congressional seat, deciding not to run again after her one term. When she left the service Long had reached the rank of pharmacist’s mate 2nd class, and for her service she was awarded an American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. No transcript of this interview is currently available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Bellafaire, Judy

date:

2003-04-28

type:

Audio

format:

Cassette

identifier:

579; 2003.579

source:

CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

403075

coverage:

World War II (1939-1945) | 1944-46

rights:

Unrestricted