Naval Training School

The Naval Training School (Pre-Radar) was established at Harvard University in February 1942.  It was a modification of an existing program in communication engineering that had originated during World War I at Harvard University for the Post Graduate School of the United States Naval Academy.  The length of the program was five months, with new classes starting on the first of every month. The curriculum covered a broad course in radio engineering.  Instruction was supervised by Emory Leon Chaffee (Director of Harvard’s Cruft Laboratory) under the oversight of the Bureau of Naval Personnel.

The Naval Training School (Indoctrination & Communications) was established at Harvard University on July 1942 to train commissioned line officers of the Naval Reserve for work in communications aboard ships or at naval bases. The curriculum consisted of three months of general communications training and one month of more specialized training. Instruction was given by personnel of the United States Navy and Naval Reserve.

Archival Collections: Naval Training School

United States. Naval Training School (Harvard University). Records, 1941-1945. (19 containers):

  • Indoctrination and Communications: forms, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 599.229].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: list of students, undated. (1 folder). [Call number:  UAV 599.250]
  • Indoctrination and Communications: radio engineering material, including students’ grades, etc., 1942-1944. (1 box). [Call number:  UAV 599.258].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: registration blanks for radio engineering, 1942-1944. (7 boxes). [Call number: UAV 599.275.10].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: roster containing final averages, class standings, etc., 1942-1944. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 599.277].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: non-combatant course materials relating to class standing and final averages, 1944.  (1 folder). [Call number:  UAV 599.277.5].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: communications rosters, 1944-1945. (1 folder). [Call number:  UAV 599.277.10].
  • Indoctrination and Communications: curriculum, 1942. (1 folder). [Call number:  UAV 599.442]
  • Indoctrination and Communications: historical report, 1942-1945. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 599.445].  
  • Pre-Radar: roster, 1944. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 599.1277].
  • Pre-Radar: student cards (duplicate), undated. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 599.1283].
  • Pre-Radar: Conference on Modulation Detection and Receiver, 1943. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 599.1443].
  • Pre-Radar: Conference on Pre-Radar Curriculum, 1944. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 599.1444].

 

Correspondence of William Carman Calvert, 1944-1945. (12 letters). [Call number: HUD 944.11]. Contents Note: The correspondence documents Calvert's experience as a student at the Naval Training School at Harvard University.

Collection of publications of the Naval Training School at Harvard University, 1942-1943. (17 items). [Call number: HUE 61.813]

The first cruise: the classbook of the Naval Training School, Harvard University, [August 1942]. (1 volume). [Call number: HUE 61.813.1].

The Harvard scuttlebutt; the fountain of information, Naval Training School daily. (2 volumes). [Call number: HUE 61.879].

Navy pre-radar syllabus 1, July 5, 1944. (1 folder). [Call number: HUE 61.3144].

Mundorff, Roy M., and United States. Naval Training School. 1945. A Chronological Record of the Naval Training School (Pre-Radar) Harvard University, 23 June 1941 to 31 March 1945. (1 volume). [Call number: HUE 61.3145.1] 

Army electronics training center and Naval training school (pre-radar). History of the officers electronics training courses. (2 volumes).  [Call number: HUF 307.545].

 

Harvard University. Comptroller. Accounts receivable: ledgers, invoices, statements, etc. (2 volumes):

  • Accounts receivable - Naval Training School: statements of accounts for room and board, volume 7 kept as sample (A-Z), October 1942. (1 volume). [Call number: UAI 65.15.2.55].
  • Accounts receivable - Pre-Radar: statements of accounts for students' room and board, volume 1 kept as sample (A-Z), May-July 1944. (1 volume). [Call number: UAI 65.15.2.70].