Page Two CLOUDBU STER Saturday, May 27, 1944 CLOUDBUSTER Vol. 2—No. 37 Sat., May 27, 1944 Published weekly under the supervision of the Public Relations Office at the U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill, N. C., a unit of the Naval Air Primary Training Command. Contributions of news, features, and cartoons are welcome from all hands and should be tuimed in to the Public Relations Office, Navy Hall. ★ CLOUDBUSTER receives Camp Newspaper Service material. Republication of credited matter prohibited without permission of CNS, War Department, 205 E. 42nd St., N.Y.C. ★ Lieut. Comdr. James P. Raugh, USNR Commanding Officer Lieut. Comdr. Howard L. Hamilton, USNR Executive Officer Lieut. P. 0. Brewer, USNR Public Relations Offi^cer ★ Editor: Dr. (jg) Leonard Eiserer, USNR Assoclate Editor: Orville Campbell, Y2c Cruising with Covey By David Y. Coverston, Ylc, USNR ' As the last cadet marched out of Kenan Stadium last Wednesday, leaving behind the exercises commemorating the second anniver sary of this Station, I found myself looking back through a mental book of memories com piled during two years and a month of duty here. Upon the request of the Cloudbuster, and with your permission, here are a few ex cerpts from which I consider to be one of the most vital chapters in Naval history. My first view of Chapel Hill came in April of 1942. At that time the village teemed with civilian college students and as yet was un aware of the impending deluge of aviation cadets. The villagers viewed the few officers and men who had preceded me with a great deal of curiosity, and asked several hundred questions a day, questions that none of us could answer any better than they could. Headquarters at that time were set up in Swain Hall, formerly used as the NROTC headquarters and now used as the mess hall for V-12 students. Commander John P. GrafF, at that time a junior grade lieutenant, had his office there, with the notation “Executive Of ficer” following his name and rank. In the next office, surrounded by blackboards and other schoolroom gear, sat a dozen or so of ficers, busily making up the rules and regula tions that were to guide the incoming cadets. About a week after my arrival, the entire group was moved into what was called “K” Dormitory, now known as Alexander Hall. Then the fun began. Dungarees became the uniform of the day. Officers and men worked shoulder to shoulder, setting up bunks, work ing on watch bills, and endeavoring to get ready for the first battalion. Finally it was ready, and on May 23, 1942, the school was commissioned. Before a huge crowd. Chaplain C. N. Neyman, USN, de livered the invocation and Dean R. B. House of the University of North Carolina intro duced the chairman of the day, Honorable Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy dur ing World War I. Governor Broughton ex tended the greetings of the State to the Navy, and President Frank P. Graham of the Uni versity welcomed the unit to the campus. Com mander Thomas J. Hamilton, USN, spoke and Commander O. 0. Kessing, USN, read his orders and took command. The watch was set by the Executive Officer, Lt. (jg) John P. Graff, USN (Ret.), and Chief Boatswain’s Mate Boerstler, USN, piped down. On May 28,1942, the first battalion arrived, 242 strong. The Navy, the Country, in fact, the whole world, eagerly watched the new experiment. Three months later, on August 22, 1942, they had their answer. At graduation exer cises held in Kenan Stadium, featuring an ad dress by Admiral William Glassford, Com mandant of the Sixth Naval District, the initial group of pre-flight hardened lads marched in review, muscles bulging, eyes sharpened, filled with the fighting spirit that marks a true American. September 19, 1942, the Cloudbuster was born, bringing to the Station stories of inter est concerning the station, personal sketches of officers, men, and cadets, plus the ever- pleasing MISS LACE of Milton CanifF, creator of “Terry and the Pirates.” The first football season opened, the lineup laden with officers and cadets who in years previous had been seen on AH-American and All-Star teams. They played a heavy schedule of eleven games, winning eight, tieing one, and losing two. During October of 1942, Kate Smith, “The Songbird of the South,” came aboard and pre sented her broadcast to the cheers of all hands. Also on the program were two Hollywood favorites, George Murphy and Jane Wyman. Major John Smith and Captain Marion Carl, Marine flying aces, visited the station at the same time, Major Smith being featured on the broadcast. The Marine aces had shot down thirty-five Jap Zeroes between them. November rolled around and Commander (now Captain) 0. 0. “Scrappy” Kessing, the first Commanding Officer, received his orders and went to sea. The Command was taken over by his former Executive Officer, Lieut. Commander John P. “Packy” Graff, who was promoted to Commander, and the Executive Officer’s job was taken over by Lieut. Com mander James P. Raugh. The year 1943 came into being, and the Pre- Flight School sponsored a dance in honor of the President’s birthday. During the month of January the New Navy Dispensary was completed, and the entire staff moved from their cramped quarters in Alex ander Hall into the spacious and super-modern structure used today. March of ’43 saw Navy Hall opened for the benefit of the cadets, and today it is one of the most used buildings of the School. April came and the regiment was treated to the warbling of lovely Helen O’Connell, a for mer singer with J. Dorsey’s band who was here visiting some lucky cadet. The same month the Synthetic Devices building was opened for the benefit of Naval Personnel. Another visitor during the month was Major Joe Foss, USMCR, the first flyer to equal Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker’s combat record of World War I. Major Foss had shot down twenty-six Jap Zeroes. The first anniversary loomed into sight. The reviewing stand filled with dignitaries, a typical “Scrappy” Kessing letter was read, the cadet regiment passed in review, and a proven program turned its eyes toward another year of training, which could only end in ulti mate victory. 7,223 cadets had entered the school during the first year of its existence. The heat of July 1943 brought several thousand V-12 trainees to the campus, and competition for the favors of the co-eds be came intense on week-ends. It was all in fun, however, and the cadets still held ground. The huge outdoor swimming pool opened in August, cadets, crew, and villagers alike de lighting in its cooling depths. Football season came again, and this time only cadets were allowed to participate. Being younger, inexperienced, and not so big, they only played six games, winning two, tieing one, and losing three. Just before Christmas, Lord Halifax, Brit ish Ambassador visited the School and gave it high praise. A few days later Vice-Presi dent Henry A. Wallace came aboard, com menting favorably on the precision-like work ing of the activity. 1944 appeared on the scene, bringing Larry Adler and Paul Draper to entertain. One of the cadets leaped on the stage and assisted the harmonica master without revealing that he had been a member of Borah Minnevitch’s Harmonica Rascals. Last month, our second Skipper took leave of the station for a more combative part in the war. Commander John P. Graff was off for Africa. He turned the command over Lieut. Comdr. James P. Raugh, his former Executive Officer, and bade us all a fond far^' well. The new C. 0. immediately appointe the leading American Ace of World War spoke to the cadets and received one of th® greatest ovations ever given a speaker at this activity. This brings the story up to date. It has been a lot of fun watching this Station grow from a handful of officers and men to its present size of 1,353 cadets, 219 officers, and 157 cre"^ members, and an experience I am proud to have had the privilege of being in. 13,803 cadets have entered this school, today many of them are fighting in comb^ areas all over the world. Our first two SkiP' ■pers are also in combat areas, one in th® Pacific theater of war, and the other in th® European theater of war.