Vol. 3—No. 28
U. S. NAVY PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL, CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
Friday, March 30, 1945
French Cadet To Be Honored At Review
Bombing, Courage
Bring High Honors
To 15th Batt Cadet
A veteran of 18 combat mis
sions, including the Iwo Jima
campaign, Lt. (jg) Clayton M.
Emery, former cadet in the 15th
Batt here from Westport, Mass.,
has been awarded the Distin
guished Flying Cross, a Gold
Star in lieu of a second DFC,
and the Air Medal for heroism
displayed in aerial attacks on
^nits of the Japanese fleet.
The citations which accom
panied the awards reveal the
bravery of the 21-year-old TBF
pilot who scored three direct hits
On a Japanese battleship and a
i^ear hit which contributed to
the damage and destruction of
an enemy carrier.
Gold Star Award
The DFC was accompanied by
the following citation:
“For distinguishing himself by
heroism and extraordinary
achievement while participating
an aerial flight as a pilot of a
Carrier - based torpedo bomber
Plane on 24 October, 1944. In
the face of heavy and very accur
ate naval anti-aircraft fire, he
Participated in a damaging aerial
torpedo attack against units of
ap enemy fleet. As a result of
his attack three direct hits were
^ored upon an enemy battleship,
^is courage and skill were at all
hmes inspiring and in keeping
Mth the highest traditions of the
S. Naval Service.”
. The Gold Star was awarded
tor his part in an aerial attack
a TBF pilot on 25 October,
t944, when “in the face of heavy
^Pd very accurate naval anti
aircraft fire, he participated in
^P aerial glide bombing attack
Against units of an enemy fleet,
^Pd scored a near hit which con
tributed to the damage and sub-
^^quent destruction of an enemy
Carrier.”
^^evices Room Set Up
. With the setting up of the out
door table tennis tables in the
j^per and lower quadrangles,
|he east wing of Navy Hall has
^?en converted into a special de
uces room. New additions to the
novices include two automatic
^^Pi raters.
' ■ > 't? { 4?'
REUNION IN THE PACIFIC—The paths of five former members
of this Pre-Flight School, including the first commanding officer,
crossed somewhere in the Pacific recently, and fortunately only a
cameraman was present to do the “shooting.” Left to right are
Lt. Comdr. Thomas Carruthers, former first lieutenant here, Lt.
Comdr. Charles Speidel, ex-Cloudbuster head wrestling coach,
Comdr. James Crowley, head gridiron coach during the ’42 season.
Commodore O. O. Kessing, first skipper, and William Boerstler,
CBM.
Pre-Flight School
Easter Worship
To Start Tonight
Good Friday Vesper services
will be held for Protestants and
a mission for Catholics of the
Pre-Flight School and Chapel
Hill will start tonight as specml
divine services for Easter begin.
“Take Up Thy Cross,” will be
the subject of Chaplain George
Cummins at 1900 at Memorial
Hall, where the Vesper services
will be conducted. The Cadet
choir will sing.
The three-day mission at Hill
Music Hall also will begin at
1900 and will be conducted by
the Rev. John Renehan, a Re-
demptorist Missionary. Also in
cluded will be Stations of the
Cross and a sermon.
Tomorrow at Hill Hall will
be recitation of the Rosary, ser
mon and Litany of the Mother of
God. On Sunday a solemn High
Mass will be celebrated at 1000,
with the Rev. Edward Sullivan
as celebrant, the Rev. Francis
New Battle Film
Is On Way Here
“Fury In The Pacific,” new
battle film produced by the
Army, Navy and Marine
Corps, will be shown at the
Pre-Flight Theater on Satur
day, March 31.
The 20-minute film, which
will be part of the regularly-
scheduled program, shows the
intense action which took
place as American forces
wrested from the Japs the
tiny but vital islands of Peli-
liu and Angaur.
Nine photographers fell
while recording the battle.
Morrissey as deacon and the Rev.
Renehan as sub-deacon. Cadet
Edward Wipert of the 64th Batt
will be master of ceremonies.
Closing of the mission on Sun
day evening will be marked by
a recitation of the Rosary, ser
mon and solemn Benediction.
School Will Receive
War Bond Pennant
Saturday In Kenan
A military review will be held
in Kenan Stadium at 1100 to
morrow as the occasion for dec
orating French Aviation Cadet
Leonard Ermine for heroic ac
tion against the enemy, and for
presentation of the Comman
dant’s War Bond Pennant to this
Pre-Flight School by a represent
ative of the Commandant, Sixth
Naval District.
Rear Admiral Nomy, head of
French Naval Aviation, will pre
sent Cadet Ermine with the
Medale Militaire, which is the
highest decoration awarded to
non-commissioned personnel of
the French armed forces.
Disregard For Safety
Vice Admiral Fenard, head of
the French Naval Mission, will
(Continued on page 3)
FRENCH HERO—The Medale
Militaire, highest decoration
given to non-commissioned per
sonnel of the French armed
forces, will be awarded to French
Aviation Cadet Leonard Ermine
by Rear Admiral Nomy of the
French Navy in ceremony to be
held in Kenan Stadium tomor
row morning.