It has been . real challenge and an unusual pleasure that we have enjoyed
in working with ns officers and men of our armed forces, From Lieut.
A. He Buhl, the commanding officer of the Machinists' and Electricians’
Mates dence, together with Chief Starkey, Lieut. McGuigan and Lieut,
Zeller, - to Lieut. Randolph Neil and Lieut. Ben F, Douglas, and later
Lieut. Claude M. Smith, of the V-5 seve fliers, = to Lieut. C. A.
Michelman, commanding officer of the Navy V-12 program, and Ensign Hs. Le
Ware, athletic officer of this group, - to Col, W. L. McMorris, command-
ing the Army unit, along with Capt. Archie Morris and Lieut. Ben. F.
Clark, - to our Chief Specialists in the Navy - Ralph Hayes, T. Je Odom,
Bob Garver and Don Davis - working with a civilian staff, the experience
has been one continuous administrative and physical education beehive.
With our. buildings taxed to their capacity, there has been a for-
bearance and en appreciation of the other fellow's job that has been
surprisingly pleasant. Most of our officers in all branches of the
service have been men skilled in competitive athletics. Football,
Basketball, track and baseball have been the competitive laboratory in
thich these men have learned to work together and at the same time to
drive and inspire their men. to a fine pitch of physical conditioning .
that quility so needed by our fighting forces.
Ensign 4, L, Ware, the athletic officer for the Navy V-12 progran,
was an outstanding wingback on the Texas Christian University teams in
1938, 1939 and 1940, He was co-captain in 1940, The predecessor of
Lieut. Claude M, Smith, Lieut. Ben F, Douglas, athletic officer of the
V~5, was an outstanding football and basketball player on the Grinnell
College teams as an saketscadesta and before coming here to assume his

position as athletic officer, was head football and basketball coach at

his alma mater, Grinnell College. Lieut. Smith, formerly great halfback