Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but does anyone know anything about the USS Roxane (AKA-37)?

by thetoristori

My grandfather is turning 90 and we are having a big party for him. I'm making a video for him and know he was part of the USS Roxane, but I don't know if he saw any action. Before he was assigned there, he did a lot of fighting in Italy. Here's the wikipedia page.

Is there anywhere where I can get a picture of it? I live in NY so I'm close to many museums. Where is my best bet to find more information about it?

SnarkMasterRay

Navsource is a popular site for information and photos on US Navy ships - their Roxane page is here, but she's one of the ones they have no photos of. One option you have is to visit the National Archives in College Park Maryland as that facility contains the Bureau of Ships records for the war. 5th floor is the photographic division - call their number and see if you can get transferred to the photo division's desk and ask if they can see if there is a folder for AKA37 in 19LCM (Record Group 19 is Bureau of Ships, 19LCM is a special subsection reserved for BuShips photography, organized by hull number). They won't be able to do much more than tell you IF there is (might be one photo, might be none, might be OH MY GOD HE'S GOING TO GO NUTS WITH THIS!!!!!!) a folder or not, but if so, you can either show up in person with a scanner or hire a researcher (make sure if you do to focus on the ones in the list that are in the DC/Virginia/Maryland area - top one listed is in Florida for example).

There is a regional NARA branch in New York City, but their Navy records are focused on local commands - New York Navy Yard, for example, and unless you know she had some yard work done there it's not really worth following up with them.

The NARA staff has severe restrictions placed on them as to what they can answer and do for people due to volume - so if they don't give you everything right off the bat don't get too mad. They have a ten-day turn-around time for written or e-mailed correspondence so I would really try a call first to see what they can do that way if you can get through. I'm a researcher myself (different coast) and go there about once a year. Feel free to PM me any NARA-specific questions you might have.

Source: I do this