The Ship Model Forum

I'm in my final year of college, a history major at NJIT/Rutgers Newark, and I have a senior research paper due. My primary field of study is naval warfare and tactics, but was forced to take a social history course as my "seminar." I plan on studying the men of the US navy during WW2, in terms of camaraderie, stress under difficult situations, and day to day life. I have two books already, Naval Power 1939-1945 (not that useful) and Halsey's Typhoon (extremely useful book discussing the lives of the sailors during the typhoon) I'm curious if anybody could recommend any other books or valuable resources to help out with my project. I tend to have a bit of a focus on the men of the USS New Jersey, but books on men from any ship or shore base would be fine!

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Sounds like an interesting topic to study.
The very best bet for the social aspects of USN enlisted service: "Sailor From Oklahoma, one man's two ocean war" by Floyd Beaver 2009 US Naval Institute Press.

If you want to stretch your study to WWI Naval Service then "Torpedoboat Sailor" by C.M. Blackford 1968 US Naval Institute Press. This is a rare inside look at enlisted service of that time. Outstanding.

You probably know that most books are written by Officers and a good social history by enlisted men is very rare.

Some excellent books written by Officers though.

"Tin Can Sailor" C. Raymond Calhoun 1993 US Naval Institute Press
"Slow Dance to Pearl Harbor, A Tin Can Ensign in Prewar America, by Capt. William J. Ruhe 1995 Brassey's London UK
This is probably the best inside look at the social aspects of the young officer joining the fleet.

"South Pacific Destroyer" Russel Crenshaw Jr. 1998 US Naval Institute Press.

Bob B.