University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Reserve Officers' Training Corps records
University of Idaho
UG 60
3 cubic feet
9.32 gigabytes
39 files, 10 folders
5 DVDs
1894-2016
good
Records from the Army, Navy, and Air Force ROTC programs at the University of Idaho. The Navy ROTC records include documents related to Commander Roderick L. Mayer.
English
.
The records of the ROTC span the years 1942 to 2016 with the bulk of the material covering the years 1950 to 1990. Included in the records are commencement programs, newsletters, alumni material, personnel reports, newspaper clippings, photographs of training exercises, and Navy ROTC records related to Commander Mayer. The Army, Navy, and Air Force are represented in the records.Additional scrapbooks, clippings, newsletters, and photographs were added in 2022, including photos of spring camp at Fort Lewis, annual rafting trip, women, National Advancement Leadership Camp, written histories, Raider Rendezvous in Elk River, charter.
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) was established at the University of Idaho in 1916 under provisions of the National Defense Act. The War Department authorized the creation of a two-year compulsory course of Senior Division ROTC. Before 1916, the University of Idaho administered a Military Science and Tactics department with Brigadier General Edward Chrisman as the program's first professor. The Military Science facility in the University's Memorial Gymnasium is known as the Chrisman Room.
Commander Roderick L. Mayer, a Navy pilot, was shot down while flying an airplane over North Vietnam in October 1965. Mayer was listed as missing in action for over a year, then as a prisoner of war until October 31, 1977, when the Navy presumed him killed in action.
Mayer was born in Lewiston, Idaho, and graduated from Lewiston High School. Recipient of a University of Idaho Naval ROTC scholarship, he was graduated cum laude from the University in 1961 with a bachelor of science degree.
The records transferred to Special Collections and Archives in 1987 and 1988 were in no discernible order when received and were subsequently organized by military branch, content of information, and type. The order of the records received in 2010 was retained, and the records were placed in acid-free folders. The newsletters received in 2012 were appropriately integrated into the collection. Later donations of scrapbooks were dismantled to prevent further deterioration of photographs and items. Clippings not able to be removed from scrapbook pages were photocopied.
The records of the ROTC were transferred to the University of Idaho Library in 1987, 1988, 2010, 2012, and 2016.
In 2007, Marilyn Sandmeyer processed records of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) transferred to the University of Idaho Library between 1987 and 1988. In 2012, Julie Monroe added University Accessions 2010-016, Navy ROTC records related to Commander Roderick L. Mayer, and 2012-012, Navy ROTC newsletters. In 2022, Amy Thompson added scrapbooks and other historical materials from University Accessions 2016-08 and 2016-09.
Collection is open for research.
Digital files of the User Digital Files (DVDs) are located on the archive drive. Folder path: Z:\Processed Collections\University Groups\UG 060 (Reserve Officers' Training Corps records). Contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives for access or questions.
Please note the digital materials of this collection are in bup, ifo, and vob formats formats, and copies are on DVDs.
United States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training Corps
University of Idaho/Washington State University NROTC Unit
United States. Air Force ROTC
College students
Colleges and Universities
Series 1: General Information
1942-1953
University directory
1943
1
1
Enlisted reserve corps luncheon
1943
1
2
Programs, dates
1951
1
3
Letter to parents
1942
1
4
Proprosed Military Science Building
1953
1
5
Series 2: Army
1944-1983
Organization charts
1951-1953
1
6
Roster of instructors
1953-1961
1
7
Personnel reports
1950-1961
1
8
Standing Operating Procedures
1951-1959
1
9
"Vandal Bugle" newsletter
1953-1955
1
10
"Vandal Cadet" and "Vandal Cadet Review" newsletters
1961-1976
1
11
Commencement programs, brochures, Military Science information, and letter to parents
1944-1983
1
12
Series 3: Navy
1942-2004
Commencement programs, memorandum, Navy Ball, brochures, 1977 Northwest Navy Competition Standard Operating Procedures
1942-1982
1
13
"Vandal Middie," "The Leader," and "The Lookout" newsletters
1948-1988
1
14
"The Idaho Navy Log" newsletter
1972-1988
1
15
Naval alumni material
1948-1980
1
16
Prisoner of War information (Southeast Asia)
1968-1970
1
17
Prisoner of War information (Southeast Asia)
1971-1973
1
18
Lieutenant Commander Roderick L. Mayer records
1969-1975
1
19
Lieutenant Commander Roderick L. Mayer records
1972-2004
1
20
Series 4: Air Force
1954-1974
Notices and awards ceremonies
1973-1974
1
21
"The Afterburner" and "Wingnut" newsletters
1954
1973
1
22
Series 5: Photographs, Slides, Negatives and Scrapbook
1972-1992
Orienteering meet (print)
1979-1981
2
23
Orienteering meet (contact sheets)
1980-1981
2
24
"Chrisman Raiders" training (contact sheets)
1980
2
25
Rifle Team (prints)
1980
2
26
Color Guard, Orienteering and "Raiders" (negatives)
1979-1981
2
27
Battalion activities – Leadership Days (prints)
1980
2
28
Battalion activities – Leadership Days (negatives)
1980
2
29
Junior training (contact sheets)
1980
2
30
Junior training (negatives)
1980
2
31
Army-Navy football (negatives)
1980
2
32-33
Leadership Activity Day (contact sheets)
1980
2
34
Leadership Activity Day (negatives)
1980
2
35
Junior Miss (print)
1980
2
36
Training (contact sheets)
1980
2
37
Training (negatives)
1980
2
38
Fall Commissioning (contact sheets)
1980
2
39
Fall Commissioning (negatives)
1980
2
40
Army ROTC personnel (print)
1992
2
41
Training sessions, Fort Lewis, Activity Day, physical fitness testing (prints and negatives)
1986-1988
2
42
Mountaineering Activity Day, Laird Park, upperclassmen (prints and negatives)
undated
2
43
First Aid training, Junior Miss, rifle team (slides)
1980-1987
2
44
Chrisman Room, Orienteering Club, Activity Day, Commissions (slides)
1980-1986
2
45
Tactical training, mountaineering (slides)
1972-1986
2
46
Fort Lewis, obstacle course, statue rededication, Paradise Ridge (prints and negatives)
1985-1988
2
47
Scrapbook material
undated
2
48
Army ROTC - Scrapbook 1
Box: O.S.
49
Army ROTC - Scrapbook 2
3
50
Chrisman Raiders - Scrapbook 3
1972
3
51
Chrisman Raiders - Scrapbook 5
1968-1989
3
52
Raider Rendezvous - Scrapbook 6, folder 1
1977-1979
3
53
Raider Rendezvous - Scrapbook 6, folder 2
1979-1980
3
54
Raider Rendezvous - Scrapbook 6, folder 3
1980
3
55
Raider Rendezvous - Scrapbook 6, folder 4
1980
3
56
Army ROTC Scrapbook - Scrapbook 2
4
57
Chrisman Raiders - Scrapbook 3
1972
4
58
Army ROTC Cadets - Scrapbook 4
1984-1990
4
59
Chrisman Raiders - Scrapbook 5
1968-1989
4
60
Raider Rendezvous - Scrapbook 6
1980
4
61
Information on General Chrisman, Chrisman Battalion, U of I Military Department accreditation, insignias
1939-1989
4
62
Scanned and printed copies of scrapbooks and binders used for displays (6 folders)
undated
4
63-68
Series 6: Films
1941-1961
Digital files of the User Digital Files (DVDs) are located on the archive drive. Folder path: Z:\Processed Collections\University Groups\UG 060 (Reserve Officers' Training Corps records). Contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives for access or questions.
Reels 1-6
1941-1961
Unboxed (Cage, Southwest shelves)
User Digital Copies
DVD 1 (reels 1-2): ERPI classroom
15 October 2012
1941
Aerodynamics theory of flight and Aerodynamics forces acting on an airfoil.
Digital
DVD 2 (reel 3): Version 1 Naval Aviation
15 October 2012
1941
Aerodynamics air flow.
Digital
DVD 3 (reel 4): Version 1 Story of Naval Aviation
15 October 2012
1954
Digital
DVD 4 (reel 5): Version 2 Story of Naval Aviation
15 October 2012
1961
Digital
DVD 5 (reel 6): Naval Aviation above and beyond
15 October 2012
undated
Digital