Saturday, October 3, 1942
CLOUDBUSTER
Page Five
Looking Backward,..
(This is the second and final install-^
ment of a retrospective article on our
Pre-Flight School.
The first installment, which appear
ed in the first issue of the Cloudbuster,
reviewed the history of the station
from its beginning at Swain Hall early
in March, 19i2, to the busy days early
in May, when officers and crew toiled
together bringing order out of chaos.)
By Everett Bracken, YSc
CPOs stood shoulder to shoulder
with second class seamen; lieutenant
commanders covered off in ranks with
ensigns. One officer took over the
duties of chief yeoman, which the sta
tion lacked, and sorely needed. He set
up a filing system that was hardly
Navy regulation, but it worked.
Alexander Hall was the scene of
bustling activity, for the Pre-Flight
school was beginning to burst its
seams, and urgently needed more
space. Several officers who had quar
tered themselves on the first deck of
Alexander, in rooms now occupied by
the Military Department, were the first
to feel the effects of the increased
tempo of the remodeling work. These
officers, Lt. Comdr. Graff, Lt. Comdr.
Micou, and Ens. Mack, led a hardy
existence in their make-shift quarters.
When asked about their “living condi
tions” during this period, Lt. Comdr.
Graff said, with feeling, “The radiators
were disconnected, the water was icy,
the hallways were littered with plas
ter and trash, the smell of fresh paint
was everywhere, and it was cold as
. . . .” We didn’t quite catch that last
word he said, but believe he said “ . . .
as anything.” Little Jack Graff, ten
year old son of our executive officer,
lived with his father in Alexander Hall
for two weeks, where he received Pre-
Pre-Flight training in a Spartan man-' academic staff and about nine hundred
ner. ' cadets at one time—for recitation pur-
By the time May rolled around, a poses,
few Chapel Hill merchant's were cau- A few days later a telephone PBX
tiously displaying Navy pennants and
gear. One patriotic gentleman in the
dry-cleaning business, who had offered
to clean navy uniforms free of charge,
surveyed the rapidly growing comple
ment of the station and quietly tucked
away the “free of charge” sign. (For
which he could hardly be blamed).
These first two weeks in May saw
many changes and developments in the
school. Alexander Hall was now
ready for occupancy, and the adminis
trative offices were moved from Swain
Hall. Some idea of the size of the
school at this period may be obtained
from the fact that the offices in Swain
Hall were completely emptied by three
trips of a rather small truck. One
telephone was installed in Alexander
Hall, an empty packing box was label
ed “post office,” and desks, chairs, and
typewriters were at a premium. A
room in the basement, formerly a bil
liard room, was set up as the disburs
ing office. Incidentally, blank checks
and funds were very slow in arriving,
so that the dignity of the Pre-Flight
School suffered 9, bit by the necessity
of “stalling” creditors.
Personnel now poured in—five or six
third class yeomen, a squad of six
Marines, led by Sgt. Faustin Wirkus,
the one-time White King of La-Gonave,
hospital corpsmen, radiomen and sig
nalmen, and civilian employees, were
put on the rolls. The commanding of
ficer arrived to stay at this time, and
gave the work and organization added
impetus.
A-lexander Hall was set up to house
about a hundred and fifty cadets, and
a temporary dispensary had been equip
ped in this building. Work was going
full blast on Caldwell Hall, which was
being remodeled to accommodate the
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110 N. Columbia St.
Cadet Spirit at UNC Game Applauded
The spirit of the regiment of cadets at the Carolina-Wake Forest
football game last Saturday has been the subject of favorable com
ment from Gov. J. M. Broughton of North Carolina, Dr. Frank P.
Graham, president of the University of North Carolina, and Dr.
Roland B. Parker, dean of men, Comdr. 0. O. Kessing reports.
In a letter received by the Commanding Officer, Dr.^ Parker
declared:
“May this office convey to you the thanks of the whole university
for the splendid spirit which the cadet corps gave to our football
team on Saturday. It was one of the finest demonstrations of spirit
and comradeship that I have ever seen. It helped the team and
helped to draw the members of the cadet corps and the student body
closer together.”
Similar praise is given in a letter from Denman Hammond,
president of the University Club,
“In behalf of the University Club,” he states, “I would like to
express our appreciation to the U. S. Navy Pre-Flight cadets for
the fine support they gave to our team last Saturday. Since the
game I have heard much comment on the ‘Carolina Spirit’ that the
cadets showed all during the game.
“In my opinion the exhibition of the cadets Saturday has done
more to unify the two schools than any other single thing since
the commissioning of the school. Speaking for the Club, what we
feel is the sentiment of the entire student body, we would like to
express our appreciation for their loyalty to our team, and to con
gratulate them on their own team’s victory over Harvard.”
switchboard was installed, and an ope
rator hired. An “Officer of the Day”
was appointed, and the Pre-Flight
School was i*eady to “receive visitors.”
On May 23 the elaborate and care
fully planned commissioning ceremony
was held in Kenan Stadium. Many dis
tinguished visitors were present, both
Naval and civilian, Comdr. Kessing of
ficially assumed command, and the U.
S. Navy Pre-Flight School became a
regularly commissioned Naval Station.
With this first big event past, the
personnel of the school now busied
them(selves gathering up loose ends
and polishing off rough edges in prep
aration for the first battalion of cadets,
who were due to arrive on the 28th
of May.
These young men arrived, two hun
dred and forty two strong, and gaped
at the officers and men and buildings.
These first cadets were, however,
quickly gathered together and march
ed to Manly Hall, their new quarters.
The civilian painters and workmen
walked out one door as the cadets
marched in the other.
The Pre-Flight School now took on
a new aspect—the physical work was
practically finished—the job now was
to justify the very existence of the
school by turning out hardened, tough
ened men who could “take it” in the
training which lay ahead of them in
their crucial flight training. Physical
fitness data was compiled and care
fully scrutinized from one week to the
next; progress was anxiously watched.
It was soon apparent that our “guinea
pig” cadets were proving themselves
in their ability to stand up under the
rigorous program which had been
planned for them, and everyone
breathed easier.
Many minor refinements were made
by the advent of our first cadets. A
cadet glee club was organized, and
soon made its first public appearance;
church services were now held under
the ministering of Chaplain Arendt;
it was soon rumored that “cokes” could
be obtained in a room in one of the
dormitories which had been designated
as a “cadets store.” (This room, pack
ed deck to ceiling, and bulkhead to
bulkhead, would not now contain the
cokes which are now consumed in a
single morning by our thirsty cadets).
After three months of drilling,
swimming, boxing, wrestling, hiking,
and other activities which were de
signed to produce clear heads and
strong bodies, the great day—Aug. 22
—finally dawned when the first bat
talion was ready to graduate. How
proudly this group wore their new
white uniforms and strutted before
their envious shipmates who had been
arriving each two weeks. This first
graduation was an affair which will
not be soon forgotten by those who
witnessed the event. Tears were seen
in the eyes of hardened Navy men as
they watched this first battalion, this
fruit of their labors, as they marched
in perfect formation in parade review
in Kenan Stadium. Rear Admiral
William Glassford, Jr., head of the
Sixth Naval District, who had come to
Chapel Hill for this event, said later,
“It overwhelms me—I had no idea that
such things were being done at the
Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill.”
Navy Personnel Urged
To Re-Examine
Insurance Policies
The Bureau of Naval Personnel ad
vises that all holders of commercial
life, accident, or health insurance pol
icies, examine their policies, or obtain
expert advice, to determine the fol
lowing points:
(a) Does the policy cover death or
injury inflicted within the United
States by reason of enemy invasion or
bombardment, or by reason of combat
with an enemy of the United States?
(b) Does the policy afford coverage
to persons in military service outside
of the United States?
(c) Are any of the provisions of the
policy waived or modified by reason of
the holder’s participation in aviation
activities?
(d) Does the policy provide the
protection originally expected by the
policyholder?
If the answer to any of these ques
tions is in the negative, the insured
should reconsider his privilege of ap
plying for National Service Life In
surance or of increasing the amount
of such insurance already held.
The Bureau urges all persons now
paying premiums on policies which af
ford little or no protection to com
municate directly with the issuing com
pany with a view of obtaining can
cellation of the policy with retroactive
prorated refund of payments for
periods where coverage has ceased.
Persons are not, however, advised to
cancel policies without first consulting
with the insurance company.
A varied military training already
lies behind William T. Councill, Jr.,
9th Battalion cadet from Hickory,
N. C. Cadet Councill has seen eight
months service in the Royal Canadian
Air Force as an aviation cadet, and,
in addition, six months service in the
U. S. Coast Guard.
CAMPUS CAFE
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BERMAN’S
DEPARTMENT STORE
EVERY DAY EXCEPT MONDAY
MARLEY’S