Show Navy Preflight Study Develops Sterling Steeling Qualities By BILL BONI BON CHAPEL HILL N. N C. C July 16 Wide World World The The The khaki- khaki clad youngster was indescribably bly weary but he still could grin What do I think of this course he said I think that if I live through it Ill I'll be able to fly without wings I That's the best sentence one-sentence critique Ive I've heard yet of the United States navys navy's preflight training program a program aimed at supplying the navy air arm every two weeks with some 1200 hitting hard-hitting aviation cadets cadets cadets ca ca- I who have been Indoctrinated ed with navy tradition built up to peak physical condition and jammed to the ears with as much essential education as can be packed into a week 12 course The navy has set up four of these preflight schools schools here here at atthe atthe atthe the University of North Carolina Carolina Carolina Caro Caro- lina and at the Universities of ot Georgia and Iowa and at St SL Marys Mary's University of Califor Califor- nia If It the Chapel Hill establishment establishment is truly typical of the group and there seems no reason reason reason rea rea- son to doubt it is then this must be one of the most enthusiastic undertakings this country ever has seen Starts at Top That enthusiasm starts at the top with Captain A A. W. W Radford and Lieutenant Commander Tom Hamilton in Washington who conceived and worked out the plan It fires Commander O. O O. O Kessing the skipper of this station and It runs through the officials instructors and coaches down to that same weary youngster youngster youngster young young- ster who asked on his questionnaire questionnaire questionnaire ques ques- why he had signed up for this back breaking back breaking course replied Because aviation is the best way to get a a crack at the enemy enemy enemy en en- emy and our navy air force Is the best in the world Frequently during his 12 weeks here this youngster the age limit Is 26 the average about 22 and the 1000 odd 1000 odd others with him must wonder what possible connection there can be between putting a Gruman Gruman Gruman Gru- Gru man Avenger into a power dive and the things he learns at Chapel Hill He Is taught a wide variety of sports is schooled in naval history history history his his- tory and the routine of standing standIng standing stand- stand Ing watch is marched and countermarched countermarched countermarched coun coun- ter marched in order close-order drill goes on mile 40 overnight hikes and digs drainage ditches with pick and shovel Yet every item Ite on the schedule schedule schedule sched sched- ule is there for a definite purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose and when this schools school's first class of some graduates graduates graduates ates gets out of here in hi August they will wiIl Be r rough o 0 u ugh g h enough tough enough and smart enough to hold their own or better with any foe in to hand-to-hand combat Know Mathematics l Know enough mathematics and physics so that aeronautical engineering will come easily and and navigation wont won't remain an impenetrable mystery Be trained to take care of themselves under all possible conditions and circumstances even to disarming enemy guards if it captured Be able to identify identity types of al allied allied allied al- al lied and enemy aircraft literally literal literal- ly in a split-second split and In the same space of time to size up accurately the strength of enemy enemy enemy en en- emy air formations which may maybe maybe maybe be encountered on patrol Know how to swim so well that if forced down at sea they will be able to keep themselves afloat at least five hours Have learned enough of navy discipline to respond to commands commands commands com com- mands by instinct and enough of navy leadership to be good young officers Be fully aware of the meanings meanings mean mean- ings trigs and implications of this war of survival and well weIl acquainted acquainted acquainted ac ac- ac- ac with the nazi and Japanese Japanese Japanese Jap Jap- anese ideologies To learn all this they bound out of bed at each morning morning morning morn morn- ing march off to their first I classes at remain at work until 11 1140 40 return to work from 1 to in the afternoon spend another two hours in paced fast-paced organized sports activity devote an hour and a half to evening study and turn in finally and gr gratefully each night at They have military instruction instruction instruction tion under supervision of Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieu Lieu- tenant James P. P also regimental commander learning learning learning learn learn- ing first aid ordnance and gun gunnery nery seamanship the fundamentals fundamentals fundamentals funda funda- of ballistics the handling handling handling han han- of small and light machine guns Academic instruction under Lieutenant Howard Hamilton I former professor at Ohio State and older brother of Tom Hamilton Hamilton Hammon Ham Ham- ilton mon takes in mathematics physics identification of ships and aircraft and the essentials of naval service Train In 9 Sports Physical and sports Instruction instruction instruction tion under Lieutenant CO Commander Commander Com Com- mander Harvey Harman former former former for for- mer mer Rutgers and and Pennsylvania football coach gives gies them compulsory compulsory compulsory com com- training in nine sports provides corrective exercises when necessary and tests their competitive ability in inter- inter squadron games within the school and varsity contests against college and service teams and other preflight schools In every class whether it be bein bein beire in ire a lecture hall or on a football football football foot foot- ball field there is an unmistakable able sense of serious almost grim concentration on the business business business busi busi- ness at hand For this the explanation explanation ex ex- is very simple One of the assistant football coaches whose head man is Lieutenant Commander J Jim i m Crowley not long away from Fordham expressed it for the academic and the athletic staff when he said Theres one ne thing that none of us dares forget for even even a moment If It youre you're careless in coaching a football team and as asa asa a result one of your players misses an important tackle you may lose the game But if we slip up tip on on a single single single sin sin- gle thing he here e If we neglect to teach these boys a single thing we know it may at some future date cost the life lite of one of ot those lads That's something for which none of us would want to be re re- re- re |