In honor of all the Yalies who served in uniform throughout the generations, an initiative was recently launched to preserve and promote understanding of Yale’s contributions to the military history and national defense of the United States.
Spearheaded by the Yale Veterans Association (YVA), an alumni organization dedicated to supporting veterans and the military community, and in collaboration with the Yale Visitor Center, the Yale Military History & Traditions Tour (virtual) consists of over 40 historical and contemporary images with in-depth descriptions covering the background and culture of military service at Yale since the Revolutionary War.
According to U.S. Navy Commander Erika Monique Schoenthal ’16 MBA, chair of the YVA board of directors, who became actively involved with and led this effort soon after joining the board, the idea behind the Tour was inspired by an appreciation of the interconnectedness and interdependence of the military to Yale and vice versa.
“Yale history, New Haven history, and U.S. military history are intrinsically linked,” she said. “From the Revolutionary War to the return of ROTC on campus, every Yale generation has been shaped or touched by veterans in some way.”
Schoenthal, who has spent over 20 years in uniform and during her career has deployed to such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, added that delving into the research and interviews for the Tour fostered greater respect for the service and sacrifices of the Yale veterans who came before her.
“In speaking with Yale veterans and doing the research, I loved hearing the personal stories and memories of these veterans,” she said. “The Tour became a way to share our story throughout Yale’s history.”
These sentiments were shared by Lieutenant Gabrielle Fong ’16, president of the Yale Veterans Association and a U.S. Navy veteran who continues to serve in uniform in the Navy Reserve.
“Yale’s history is steeped in military history, and Yalies have served in all of the United States’ wars and conflicts,” said Fong, who also worked on the Tour. “I hope alumni and members of the Yale community learn something about the intersection of Yale and military history that they didn’t know before.”
Fong, who, while a Yale undergraduate, was a midshipman in Naval ROTC and commissioned as an officer as part of the first full class of Naval ROTC students on campus since 1972, added that the opportunity to be involved in the Tour was especially meaningful for her.
“As a history major, I have always taken a great interest in Yale’s military history, and I wrote my thesis on the history of the ROTC programs at Yale,” she said. “I wanted to be part of capturing and sharing Yale’s long tradition of military service with others.”
Fong expressed her high regard for Yale not only as an institution of higher learning but also as one that promotes civic duty, social responsibility, and service.
“One of Yale’s greatest strengths has been its students and alumni’s commitment to public service,” she said. “I’m proud to be part of that legacy as a veteran and excited to continue seeing the impact of military service on Yale’s history.”
According to Nancy Franco, director of the Yale Visitor Center, the decision to collaborate on the Tour was an easy one.
“The Yale Veterans Association approached us about documenting this important history,” she said. “Creating an online tour was one way to honor that history.”
Franco added that while it took some time to complete the Tour, the results were well worth it.
“This was a very long process, but I think the entire team looks back on this project with great pride,” she said. “I think it’s a great example of an unexpected collaboration leading to notable results.”
In mentioning other Yale staff members who contributed to the Tour, including Holly Hermes, the university liaison for Veteran & Military Affairs, and Hope McGrath, research coordinator at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Franco also shared her thoughts on the desired impact of the Tour.
“I hope this tour helps inform alumni about Yale’s rich military history and that Yale veterans feel recognized for their service.”
Thanks to Michael Lotstein, Yale University archivist, for his assistance with this article.
