Archives West Finding Aid

The Viola Gentle Papers consists of materials related to Gentle's experience as a passenger on the S.S. Andrea Doria, surviving the collision with the M.S. Stockholm, and being rescued by the S.S. Ile de France.  The materials include correspondence, audiotape interview, menus, travel documentation, a photograph, and newspaper clippings.

The correspondence includes a letter from Gentle to Piero Calamai, the captain of the Andrea Doria. Gentle also wrote a letter to Alvin Moscow, author of Collision Course: the Classic Story of the Most Extraordinary Sea Disaster of our Times (1959), identifying inaccuracies in his text based on her individual experience. Additional correspondence includes letters to Gentle from fellow survivors describing their recollection of the event, sharing information about insurance claims for lost belongings, and discussing the subsequent lawsuit between the passenger ship companies.

The collection also includes an interview by radio journalist Colin D. Edwards.  Titled "The Andrea Doria Disaster," the 1/4" open reel audiotape interview of Gentle was conducted shortly after the accident.

In addition, the collection includes items related to transatlantic travel on the S.S. Andrea Doria, including 10 lunch and dinner menus from the Italian Line with food descriptions in both Italian and English. Gentle's personal travel documentation includes a tour itinerary, Andrea Doria passage documents, passenger list, and U.S. customs forms.

In relation to the collision and subsequent sinking, the collection includes a black and white photograph that depicts the damaged Andrea Doria. Several newspaper clippings describe the collision, rescue efforts and personal stories of survivors.  Included in these clippings are several photographs of and interviews with Gentle, describing her recollection of the event and her experience on the S.S. lle de France.