Vol. 2—No. 23 U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill, N. C. Saturday, February 19, 1944 Capt. Hendren Honored by British Govt. Friends of Captain Paul Hendren, USN, will be interested and pleased to learn that he has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order by the Brjitish Government for “daring and inspiring leader ship in command of the USB PHILADELPHIA in operations which led to the capture of Sicily by Allied Forces.” Offensive in The Central Pacific By Ens. W. 0. Shanahan, USNR Academic Department Conclusions drawn in the mid dle of a campaign, especially when they are not based upon first-hand material, must always be tentative. However, some broad generalizations about the conduct of the war in the Pacific may be based upon one of our greatest offensive victories: the conquest of the Marshalls. It is now perfectly clear that the successful prosecution of the War in the Pacific does not wait upon the collapse of the Third Reich. Enough war material is See OFFENSIVE, pa^e U Lt. Cmdr. Crockford Head of Navigation Course, Is Detached Among the four officers detach ed during the past week was Lt. Comdr. Horace D. Crockford, PSNR, head of the academic de partment’s navigation course, who ■'vas transferred to NTS, Platts- burg Barracks, Plattsburg, N. Y. Lieut. Stanton H. Miller, USNR, has been named to succeed him as I'ead of navigation. Three other officers detached 'vere Lieut. Charles H. Speidel, USNR, head coach of wrestling, ^nd Lieut. Michael A. Cielusak, ^SNR, platoon officer, both trans ferred to Commandant, Twelfth Naval District, San Francisco, Cal., and Lieut. Dallas L. Alford, ^SNR, instructor, N & R, trans ferred to NAS, Pensacola, Fla. New arrivals here include Lieut. Willis H. Miller, USNR, in structor, ENS, and Lieut. Howard Haak, USNR, athletic depart ment, both from the U. S. Navy t*re-Flight School, Del Monte, ^al., and Lieut. George M. Joyce, ^SNR, recognition instructor, fj'om NAGS, Purcell, Okla. Tops in N & R Tops in recognition of ships and planes is Cadet W. 0. Manry, 40-H-3, who chalked up the per fect mark of 4.0 in the final exams and finished the N & R course with the high average of 3.95. Manry came through other academic courses unusually well, also, registering final course aver ages of 3.5 in ENS, 3.46 in aerology and 3.34 in navigation. Classi&cation Survey Made Of Crew Here The Navy Department’s classi fication survey of all enlisted men on shore stations reached the Pre- Flight School last Monday and Tuesday when a group of six classification experts rapidly but systematically interviewed mem bers of the crew here. Aim of the survey, according to BuPers’ Enlisted Classification Section, is to put “the right man in the right billet.” To accom plish thiSj every enlisted man’s background, hobbies, physical characteristics, educational and vocational experiences are re corded through personal inter views, and the information be comes a permanent part of the in dividual’s file. * The survey is intended to bene fit both the Navy and the men themselves. Based on results ob tained, the men, within the limits of wartime necessity, are channel ed into assignments for which they are best fitted and therefore are able to advance the farthest. On the other hand, the objective is to See SURVEY, page i 41st Battalion Dance Planned for Feb. 26 A graduation dance for mem bers of the 41st Battalion will be held in the Pine Room of Lenoir Dining Hall on Saturday, Febru ary 26. There is no charge in volved and free refreshments will be served. The swing section of the Pre- Flight band will furnish the mu sic, and special entertainment by members of the battalion is being planned by a committee composed of Cadets Palmer Carson, Morton Lyle, J. F. Johnson, and R.' S. Rutkowski. Dancing will start at 2030, and end at 2315, with taps for the 41st coming at 2400. Breaks Indoor Swim Record CADET R. G. HOWARD, 42-L-l, of Buccaneers, established a new indoor swimming pool record for cross chest carry on Feb. 10 with the speedy time of :24.8. The previous best mark of :26.3 was established by W. E. Farr, 43-A-2, of the Kingfishers.