Vol. 3—No. 27
U. S. ^E-ii^i.IGHT SCHOOL^CHAPEL HILL, N. C.
Friday, March 23, 1945
:i5aLIAlS(
Jap Suicide Planes Hit
But New Pre-Flight Officer Survived
Despite being aboard a 350-
foot LST when she was struck
three times by Japanese suicide
planes, Lt. Harry W. Lawson, as
signed to the Military Dept, at
Carolina Pre-Flight, is very
>Tiuch alive to tell about it.
The narrow escape of Lt. Law
son, who recently came aboard,
happened on D-day in Mindoro
and although his shirt and wrist
'vatch were blown off in the at
tack he sustained only slight
burns and a minor shrapnel
'vound.
Lt. Lawson’s tour of duty here
Represents his second stop at
Chapel Hill. In December, 1942,
he went through the second V-5
officers’ indoctrination class here.
One of his two sons in the Navy,
Ens. Richard G. Lawson, also
^ent through Carolina Pre
flight School, winding up with
jhe 28th Batt in August, 1943.
^ns. Lawson now is flying a
^avy bomber in the Pacific.
Blown Through Hatch
Lt. Lawson was executive of
ficer of NABU-5 (Navy Air Base
Unit), when Jap planes struck on
^ December morning as the LST
ll^hich he was aboard neared
Mindoro. The first wave had
(Continued on Page 4)
Pre-Flight School
Worships Easter
In Special Services
Special divine services for
Easter have been announced for
personnel of this station.
On Wednesday, March 28, the
Jewish Passover will be observ
ed in the Carolina Inn, starting
at 1900.
Good Friday Vesper Services
will be held for Protestants in
Memorial Hall on March 30, be
ginning at 1900.
For Catholics a three-day Mis
sion will start on Good Friday
at 1900 at Hill Music Hall and
wind up in the evening of Easter
Sunday.
Spencer Entertains
University of North Carolina
girls of Spencer Dormitory will
be hostesses at an “open house”
for members of the 68th Batt,
11-R-B and 4-R-B on Sunday,
March 25, from 1400 to 1745.
Refreshments will be served.
^fTER JAPS FINISHED—Hit three times by Jap suicide planes,
he LST which was carrying Lt. Harry W. Lawson (inset), of
Carolina Pre-Flight burns fiercely as crews of nearby craft fight
he fire off Mindoro last December. Lt. Lawson, who came aboard
recently, escaped with only minor injuries.
MOVES UP—It’s Comdr. James
P. Raugh now, following the
promotion last week of the Caro
lina Pre-Flight School’s skipper
from lieutenant commander. All
hands join in congratulating the
captain on his scrambled eggs.
Red Cross Drive
Here Nets $1,808
For ’45 War Fund
A 50 per cent increase in total
contributions over 1944 was
rhown by Carolina Pre-Flight as
the Red Cross War Fund drive
came to an end this week. De
spite a 25 per cent reduction of
station personnel, a total of $1,-
808.60 was contributed this year
as against $1,199.41 last year.
“The support of the drive by
all hands was excellent,” said
Chaplain Cummins, chairman
for the station drive. “The
cadets’ contributions were very
fine, exceeding that of last year
while having fewer numbers
aboard.”
The Academic Department,
with all persons contributing,
gave the largest departmental
amount, $309.50. Officers con
tributed $522.25 a s against
$245.28 last year. Cadets gave
$1,006.35, to $913.63 in 1944,
and enlisted personnel jumped
from $18 to $120.50.
Civilian employes, who gave
$22.50 in 1944, contributed
$159.50.
3,887,364 In Naval Units
Naval strength as of 31 Janu
ary 1945 totaled 3,887,364, in
cluding 3,242,400 in the Navy,
474,814 in the Marine Corps, and
170,150 in the Coast Guard.
Unrelenting
French Cadets
Outwit Nazis
As Saboteurs
Expert saboteurs and masters
in the art of outwitting the Nazis
are included in the French con
tingent undergoing training at
this Pre-Flight School.
Unrelenting resisters of Nazi
rule, a score of French cadets
here once fought the enemy bit
terly as members of the under
ground movement in France be
fore the liberation and now are
preparing to return to the fight
in their country’s struggle for
freedom.
While names and places are
necessarily restricted, typical
cases may be cited to illustrate
the daring and heroism display
ed by these cadets against the
Nazis.
Having been called up twice
to work in Germany’s slave la
bor battalions. Cadet A escaped
the first call through use of
counterfeit papers, and the sec
ond time, with things hotter than
ever, he joined the Maquis. His
job was to sabotage the French
railroads and German communi
cation lines.
Wire Cutting Difficult
Rail sabotage was accomplish
ed either by dynamiting the rail
road or, in most cases, by remov
ing the rails in the turns or on
the bridges so as to stop traffic
as completely as possible. In
this manner the train, when de
railed, blocked traffic in both di
rections. Cadet A participated in
11 successful ventures of this
nature.
Cutting the underground tele
phone wires was more difficult,
for they were enclosed in two
tubes, one of lead and the other
of steel, and covered with hemp.
The tubes usually were six to
eight inches in diameter and
stretched along the main roads
about three feet underground.
To destroy them the Maquis had
to dig trenches and either cut
the tubes or drive long nails in
(Continued on page 3)
Keep Off The Grass
Pre-Flight School personnel
are requested again this spring
to cooperate with the Univer
sity’s “Keep Off the Grass” pro
gram to protect sodded areas
around the campus. All hands
are urged to walk on the walks
to give the grass a chance.