Charest Roland (1 results)

Condition: Very Good. A collection of manuscripts, shipboard mimeographed newsletters, original drawings, and ephemera created and assembled by Roland "Pete" Charest (a.k.a. "Rolly") while serving as sonar specialist and tail-gunner on board the Fletcher-class destroyer USS *Sigourney*. Launched in April 1943, the *Sigourney* was involved in several major battles of the Southwest Pacific and Philippines campaigns, and received nine battle stars for World War II service. An aspiring journalist, Charest published two shipboard newsletters: "Sigourney Press" and "Sea-Journey Scuttle-Butt" and disseminated various other irreverent writings, including news flyers and dispatches, anecdotes, poems, cartoons and sketches. The collection also contains various personal writings by Charest, including short firsthand accounts of several battles and associated activities that involved the *Sigourney* in the Pacific theatre until the end of the war. After the war Charest attained the rank of Captain in the Naval Reserve and had a long and distinguished career in journalism. In 1960 he purchased the *East Hartford Gazette*, which he owned and published until 1980. The collection consists of three portfolios of manuscripts and ephemera written and assembled by Charest, together with two portfolios of shipboard mimeographed newsletters and illustrations, and several original pencil drawings by Charest and other sailors. The portfolios were put together by Charest using adjustable metal fasteners on the top margins of the various sheets and associated material. Most of the typescript and mimeographed sheets measure 8" x 13", including several 8" x 10 ½" sheets, with text and illustrations on most rectos and versos, many of which have pencil and ink annotations and notes by Charest. Also bound-in or laid-in are several other sheets of various sizes, including drawings, autograph letters, and ephemera. In addition to the portfolios is an envelope of negatives and a two black and white photographs of Charest, and several other related typescripts and ephemera. Several of the portfolio sheets have moderate age-toning and scattered short tears, mostly at the top edges, very good overall. A remarkable collection of primary source materials, created on board an American destroyer involved in several major battles during the Pacific campaigns of World War II. A more detailed inventory of the collection, with a few quoted excerpts, is available.