January 6, 1944 Dear Dr. Allen: Thanks a million for the Christmas Issue of your most welcome Newsletter. You have no idea how Mrs. Brown ahd I pour over the interesting contents of it. If it is as welcome to others as it is to us you arecdoing more than your share to help bolster the morale of all the boys in service. God Bless You Doc, Keep up the good work,and I for one assure you---your efforts are certainly not in Vain. I was especially in hopes you would make some re- ference to the basketball game you had with the Hutchinson Navy Air Base because that is to be my next assignment. That is, I am told thet. I have received no official written notice, and in the Navy you never count on movig until you get it in writing from the Bureau of Personnel in Washington. So I just have un- official word. Should I make the move, I am surely going to get to Lawrence and see you and all others, plus that basket- ball team that my Dad sends me clippings concerning. Here's hpping for an early visit. ~ Last week it was our good fortune to go up to San _ Pranciseo. There we met Ensign and Mrs. Ernie Vanek, Ensign and \ 1 \ i ude MPR eer ue? sia Mrs Gerald »arker, and Ensign Herman Fischer. It was all Navy. We also bumped into Ensign Carl Jessup at Treasure Island. It was just like home meeting so many Kansas people. We had great fun running down California an d for once we were in the majority, Wheat a great feeling that is. You have no idea how these trans- planted natives can rave. Our final parting words were that we would all get together back in good ole Kansas when this darn thing is over. Good luck to Doe and all the boys who are keeping KU on the basketball map.We get the scores out here and that's. about all, but we still have our spirit and memories of the wonderful games we saw and play over and over every time we meet. as always, THE NAVYATOR WO» Il, IN@ 3S U.S. Navy Pre-FLicHt ScHooL, DEL MonreE, CaLir. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1943 The Christmas Message By CHaAPLaIN Warren L. Wor When Christ was born history turned the corner. Time was mere speculation Before Christ. Now men had an objective to attain and time was measured in terms of After Christ. Thus, Christmas Day more than twenty centuries ago became the pivotal point for man’s relationship between him- self and time. So, Christmas held once the destiny and destination of man. But Christmas in 1943 is so dif- ferent: Life is so very different. We do not know our destiny nor destination. We know .that we fight for the freedom of the world. We know that we will win the war. But in between, that which we know will be and the now, there is so much that is unknown. Therefore, one of the thoughts that we must have today is a thought from the yesteryears of man. It was on the first Christmas that certain men said “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass.” That pilgrimage of those men quelled the questionings in their hearts. Just so, if we would find per- sonal peace in the midst of turmoil, let us make a mental journey to that humble manger which gave confidence and direction to those men in olden time. When they saw that which “God had made known unto men,” they found the answer to their helplessness and they also saw their hope. So in the Christ child at Christ- man we very easily find our way. We see that Christmas is a fact and a faith. Perhaps, iti s only in the sim- plicity of that.scene; that we find our answer to the questions of our time. For the fact is told simply “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” So in that Christmas story our fight against tryanny and our per- sonal feelings can be embossed on hearts that will some day realize the truth of “Peace on earth, among men good will.” We will see it is not a myth, it is not a mockery. It is something that can and will be. We will see our destiny and destination. We will fill the world with men of good will—men who know that man was made for love, because A Merry Christmas A MESSAGE FROM THE CAPTAIN “Greetings to all hands and best wishes for a Merry Christmas. “To the Eighteenth, ‘good luck and happy landings.’ I expect to be on deck for the graduation of the Nineteenth.” G. W. STEELE Ten Officers Get Transfer Orders Only ten officers received orders this week but business on the half- deck is expected to increase to the rush stage during the next three God is love, and that the love and joy at the Birth of Christ will be the anSwer that we seek to “Peace on earth, good will towards men.” This is the message that Christ- mas will bring one day. This is your hope if you have lost your way. weeks since all except approxi- mately 40 officers aboard have been “alerted” (as they say in the Army) and will be shoving off for new stations when orders arrive. Those who got orders and their destinations: Lieut. Storrs, Bun- ker Hill, Ind.; Lieut. Nicholson, Georgia Pre-Flight; Lieut. Patrick, Olathe, Kas.; Lieut. Strang, Ot- tumwa, Ia.; Lieut. (jg) Diggs, Natcheloches, La.; Ens. Coupe, San Francisco; Lieut. (jg) Salog- ga, Hutchinson, Kas.; Lieut. (jg) Callagan, San Diego; Lieut. (jg) Murphy, San Diego; Lieut. Pendle- bury, San Francisco. School Observes Christmas With Special Service Christmas, 1943, finds the per- sonnel of this school with mingled feelings concerning the future but to all the immediate past has been a huge success. s For the Eigh- 8 9 teenth Battalion py yesterday was a meal ieee chxy highlighted by its graduation to Naval Air Sta- tions for primary flight training. Ensicn Brown Fs Officers, €M- His Christmas Party listed men and a success. their families and friends, last night joined with the cadets in a highly successful Christmas party in the Bali room,arranged through the efforts of Ens. Brown, the Wel- fare and Recreation officer, and Chaplain Wolf. Before the party all hands partook of the special Christmas dinner and cadets had their dates for the dance as their dinner guests in the mess hall. Officers brought .their families and friends aboard for the dinner and a majority stayed for the party. A party for children was held yesterday afternoon in the Recreation Room. Late yesterday the cadet choir sang Christmas carols at the home of Captain and Mrs. Steele and at Sick Bay. Today at 0900 Chaplain Wolf will conduct the Christmas service in the chapel. Preceding the serv- ice will be a 30-minute program of Christmas music by Craig Nelson, Sp(W)lc, organist, that will be given over the public address sys- tem. Special musical selections dur- ing the service will be the Christ- mas Hymn by Michael Praetorius and the Navy Hymn “Eternal Father Strong to Save,” sung by the cadet choir. Cadets of the Catholic faith will attend a Christmas service at 0900 at the Royal Presidio Chapel, Mon- terey. For those cadets who are so in- clined, there’ll be dancing tomor- row at the Mission Ranch, Car- mel, from 1400 until 1700. THE NAVYATOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1943 THE NAVYATOR Vol. I, No. 35 Saturday, December 25, 1943 Published every Saturday for the personnel of the United States Navy Pre-Flight School, Del Monte, Calif., at no expense to the Navy. Cartan GeorcEe W. STEELE, USN (Ret.) Commanding Officer Lreut. Compr. Georce D. FirzHucH, USNR Executive Officer Lreur. W. D. Partner, USNR Public Relations Officer Harvey Petersen Is Honor Man In The Eighteenth The Eighteenth Battalion today will pack its Christmas gifts along with various and sundry other gear and prepare to shove off tomor- row for the Nav- al Air Stations em, at Norman, 2 } Okla., and Hut- e a chinson, Kans.; ; X Set having dispens- “ey ed with the grad- uating ceremon- ies yesterday aft- ernoon. Of the 220 men leaving, 80 will welcome the New Year in at Norman and 140 at Hutchinson. Speakers yesterday were Lieut. Comdr. Fitzhugh, Lieut. Meyers and Lieut. Kolf. Ranking man in the Eighteenth was Harvey Dallas Petersen, pride of K-2, from Albion, Neb., who recorded a composite grade of 3.57 Runner-up was John H. Hoober, K-1, Lancaster, Pa., who knocked off a 3.54 and was tops in the bat- talion in officer aptitude with a 3.65 mark. - Petersen was second to Hoober with 3.60 and Robert M. Neigel, K-3, Irvigton, N. J., posted 3.55. Alexander M. Loposer, Jr., War- ren L. Lungstrum and William E. Finnerty dominated the ground school department. Loposer, K-3, New York City, had the high grade of 3.70 and Lungstrum, K-2, To- peka, Kans., had 3.69. Finnerty, L-3, Staten Island, N.Y., had 3.62. Joseph C. Fischer, L-1, Monti- cello, N.Y., the obstacle course ex- pert, neared the maximum grade in athletics with his 3.92 and he was closely followed by John R. Hy- deny e- Arlingtony dex, 5-915 and John C. Hayes, K-1, Barstow, Calif., 3.90. CaveT PETERSEN The Eighteenth’s honor man McBRIDE, BLAUL LEAVE Two members of the Ship’s Com- pany were transferred this week for duty outside the continental limits. Those transferred were B. J. Mc- Bride, SM3c, and T. J. Blaul, Sic. Movies for the New Year’s weekend are “No Time For Love,” with Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, Saturday, and “Happy Land,” -with Don Ameche and Frances Dee, Sunday. “Silent Night! Holy Night!” ATTENTION, ALL CADETS: Comic Strip Commencement Address Worth Remembering AST October 17 in the comic strip, “Terry and the Pirates,” Artist Milton Caniff hit a new high in method of presentation. His Colonel Corkin informed Aviation Cadet Terry Lee of the successful completion of his training course and welcomed him into the Army Air Forces as a fighter pilot (buzz-boy). And in doing so, delivered a commencement address that received wide acclaim through- out the nation’s press and has been preserved for posterity in the Congressional Record. The Colonel’s speech was a memorial one and is well worth re- membering by all aviation cadets —Army and Navy — when times comes to don those wings. Following are Colonel Corkin’s remarks. Save them, read them occasionally — and remember- them! a Col. Corkin hits the ‘I’m going to jack-pot make a speech—and it’ll be the last one of its kind in captivity—so don’t get a short circuit between the ears. “Well, you made it. You're a flight officer in the Air Forces of the Army of the United States. Those wings are like a neon light on your chest.... I’m not going. to wave the flag at you, but some things you must never forget. “Every country has had a hand in the development of the airplane but, after all, the Wright brothers were a couple of Dayton, Ohio, boys—and Kitty Hawk is strictly North Carolina. The hallmark of the United States is on every air- craft. “So you find yourself in a po- sition to defend the country that gave you the weapon with which to do it. ... But it wasn’t just you who earned those wings. ... A ghostly echelon of good guys flew their hearts out in old kites to give you the know-how—and some smart slide rule jokers sweat it out over drawing boards Mitton CANIFF to give you a machine ‘that will keep you up there shooting. “T recommend you for fighter aircraft and I want you to be cocky and smart and proud of be- ing a buzz-boy. But don’t forget that every bullet you shoot, every gallon of gas and oil you burn was brought, here by transport pilots who flew it in over the worst ter- rain in the world! You may get the glory—but they put the lift in your balloon! “And don’t let me ever catch you being high-bicycle with the enlisted men in your ground crew! Without them, you’d never get ten feet off the ground! Every grease monkey in that gang is right be- side you in the cockpit—and their hands are on that stick, just the same as yours. “You'll get angry as the devil at the Army and its so-called red tape. But be patient with it— some- how, the old eagle has managed to end up in possession of the ball in every war since 1776 — so just humor it along. “Okay, sport, end of speech. When you get up in that ‘wild blue yonder,’ the song talks about, remember there are a lot of good guys missing from mess tables in the South Pacific, Alaska, Africa, Britain, Asia and back home who are sorta count- ing on you to take it from here!” The Navyator orchestra, under the direction of Bandmaster Mann, will be the attraction at the Happy Hour next Friday night. TODAY Aboard Movie — “His Butler’s Sister,” Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone. Showings at 1910 for cadets and at 2100 for officers, Ship’s Company, guests. Ashore State Theatre—‘Claudia,” Dor- othy McGuire, Robert Young. Carmel Theatre — “Destroyer,” Edward G. Robinson, Maguriete Chapman. TOMORROW Aboard Movie — “Northern Pursuit, Erroll Flynn, Julie Bishop. Show- ings at 1310 and 1500 for cadets. Officers and Ship’s Company at- tend 1500 showing only. Ashore 1430 Nineteenth Battalion Graduation Dance, Monterey Pen- insula Country Club. 1400—Dancing, Mission Ranch, Carmel. State Theatre—‘Watch on the Rhine,” Bette Davis, Paul Lukas. Carmel Theatre—‘Hit the Ice,” Abbott and Costello. FRIDAY 1900 — Happy Hour featuring Navyator Orchestra. COMING MOVIES Saturday—“No Time For Love,” Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMur- ray. Sunday—“Happy Land,” Ameche, Frances Dee. ” Don Nineteenth To Dance The Nineteenth Battalion’s last official social function will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Mon- terey Peninsula Country Club in the form of the graduation dance. The Navyator orchestra will sup- ply the tunes. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1943 THE NAVYATOR Pace THREE ‘Physical Fitness Index Mark of 139 By J. E. Johnson What the Tests and Measure- ments division thought was just another Battalion has developed into the best all-around outfit to be graduated from this School. This startling fact was brought to light this week when facts and fig- ures concerning the Eighteenth were announced by Lieut. Neufeld. After double-checking the test- ing results, Lieut. Neufeld came forth with the announcement that the Eighteenth had the highest av- erage of all battalions since the school went into commission, Feb- ruary 13, 1942. In accomplishing this feat the men of the graduating group broke one battalion average, tied another and ranked extremely high in the remaining three tests. Top muscle man in the battalion was John E. Johnson, K-2, Wes- terly, R.I., whose amazing physical fitness inder of 139 was eleven points higher than the record of 128 established by W. N. Clawson of the Second, ’way back in May. During his high school days at Stonington, Conn., Johnson was not a star athlete and limited such activities to tennis—all of which is another point toward proving the theory that ardent participation in athletics isn’t necessary in obtain- ing physical excellence. The Eighteenth set a new mark for pushups by averaging 29.50 which broke the old record of 29.25 made by the Sixteenth. And the speed-agility record of 30.21 seconds, sete by the Seventeenth, was tied. The Eighteenth averaged 10.25 chins, 22.33 inches for the jump-reach and had a physical fit- ness index of 87.66. Cowden Simpson, L-1, Dallas, Tex., had the high mark for the jump-reach with a leap of 29% inches and John R. Hyden, L-l, Arlington, Tex., accomplished 56 pushups to take the individual title in that department. The top speed-agility time of 27.4 seconds was recorded by Emmert C. Emory, K-3, Perry, Ia., and A. B. The Eighteenth’s testing cham tas is pions . . . Emery (speed-agility); Simpson (jump-reach); Talley (chins); and Hyden (pushups). The most “physically fit” cadet to be graduated from this school ... Cadet J. E. Johnson, whose index totaled 139. Craig Nelson, Sp(W)Ic, choir Talley, Jr., had the most chins with 21. the Carmel Mission. director and organist, last night played for the midnight Mass at Officers Who Have Passed ‘A’ Swim Test Total 154 Excellent cooperation with the Athletic Department’s swimming program for officers has estab- lished a record for the other Pre- Flight Schools to match and Lieut. Gary doubts that the task will be accomplished. All officers aboard—from the exec down and including the heads of all departments—are participat- ing in the program outlined by Lieut. Comdr, Wickhorst that re- quires all hands to pass the “A” test. Figures announced this week by Lieut. Gary indicate the success of the plan and are a challenge to other activities under CNAPrim- slic. Lieut. Gary’s records show that 154 officers have passed the “A” test. Of this total 19 have com- pleted the “AA.’’ Seventeen have passed the “AAA” and 36 have credit for the maximum test on the list—the maintenance. The Athletics department has set the pace and has only five off- cers who haven’t completed the “A” test. Eight military officers have yet to be checked off the list and seventen academics officers have not completed the minimum requirements. Of the 30 officers yet to pass the “A” fifteen have passed some part of it and should complete the en- tire test by the end of next week. Coronados Stay Atop Standings, Vindicators Next The Coronado squadron, win- ners of the winter season competi- tion in the Sports Program, last week maintained the swift pace and again topped the standings. The new system, started last week, has the four remaining squadrons—Coronado, Vindicator, Catalina and Hellcat—each field- ing two teams in wrestling, boxing, basketball and swimming. Leading units last week were the Vindica- tors (1) and the Coronados (2), each with thirty points. The Vin- dicator unit lost a pair of basket- ball games in five starts while the Coronados suffered only a swim- ming loss in five outings. Tied for the runner-up spot in the weekly standings were the Catalinas (2) and the Coronados (1), each with 25 points. Hellcats (1) and Vindicators (2) ranked next with 15 points and the Cata- linas (1) and the Hellcats (2) brought up the rear with 10 each. The leading Coronado squadron gained its 55 points by taking seven victories and losing only one basketball game and one swimming meet. The Vindicators of Company A rank second in the cumulative standings with 45 points with the Catalinas next with 35 and the Hellcats at the bottom with 25. The standings: Coronado 55 Vindicator 45 Catalina 35 Hellcat 25 Seventeen Choristers Go With Eighteenth Chaplain Wolf and Craign Nel- son, Sp(W)lc, choir director, wish to thank the following men of the Eightenth Battalion for their par- ticipation in the cadet choir: John H. Binkley, Allen G. Blomberg, Eugene A. Bundy, Aaron H. Drumright Jr., Warren J. Ellison, Emmert C. Emery, Neal S. Fox, William N. Hunter III, Daniel J. Keulin. George E. Millard, Richard C. Mullins, Richard D. Specht, Fred J. Verse, Roland L. Webb, Clar- ence W. Willis Jr. Lawrence Blankenship, James H. Barnard. Male Call by Milton Caniff, creator of “Terry and the Pirates” Tasty Dish On The T/O WHATS THIS G-1, XY WELL, MISS G-2,G-3, 6-4: LACE, EVERY STUFF I/M ALWAYS | COMMAND HEARING ABOUT HAS FOUR IN THE ARMYY FUNCTIONS- ITS LIKE cal i gOG, THIS... So => au SS) s Dy y, GAL2 a HO IMPOSE YOUR WILL ON PEOPLE, YOU GOTTA HAVE SOLDIERS LIKE ME, SEE! -THATS G-1, THE PERSONNEL , SECTION- AND YOU ARE THE BY OBJECTIVE 1 WANTA ATTAIN! bie) a21asag sadedsmany died Aq painquasip ‘yy1ue> woriw Aq E461 44BUAdoD G- 16 MILITARY INTELLIGENC! -I GIVE YOU THE 0,0.,5EE THAT YOU'RE NOT CONVOYED SIZE UP THE POSSIBILITIES, ESTIMATE MY CHANCES -AND WA MAP MY CAMPAIGN... y LL G-3 1S OPERATIONS ANC ) TRAINING - I THROW MY TACTICAL FORCE EVACUATION... INTO ACTION... I SAY, ‘HIYA, BABE, WANTA SMOLDER ON A SOLDIER'S SHOULDER?’ ...AND 6-415 \1 GETIT! WHEN SUPPLY AND } YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO SUPPLY ME -THEN YOU = EVACUATE! Pace Four THE NAVYATOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1943 The Christmas mail rush . . . Specialists Toney, Kahn and Law- rence weather the deluge. Testament Of Youth (NOTE—We reprint this letter which ap- peared in the Reader’s Digest some months ago because it is one of the finest utter- ances that has come from this war. Its simplicity of style and dignity of thought place it in the classe occupied by the truly great letters of the world.) A letter from a U. S. Naval flier, missing since the Battle of Mid- way, to a friend at home: “The fates have been kind to me and when you hear people saying harsh things, about American they all are. So many times that now they have become common- place, I’ve seen incidents that make me know that we were never soft, never weak. “Many of my friends are now dead. To a man, each died with a nonchalance that each would have denied was courage, but simply called a lack of fear and forgot the triumph. If anything great or good has been born of this war, it should be valued in the youth of our country, who were never trained for war, who almost never believed in war, but who have, from some hidden source, brought forth a gallanery which is home- spun, it is so real. “Out here between the spaceless sea and sky, American youth has found itself, and given of itself, so that a spark may catch, burst into flame, and burn high. If our coun- try takes these sacrifices with in- difference it will be the cruelest youth, you will know how wrong }. Navy War Bond Sales Up For Third Month For the third consecutive month Navy War Bond purchases to- taled more than $25,000,000 when November sales aggregated $25,- 078,425 to personnel in all activities within the Naval establishment. This total was the fourth largest in the history of the Navy War Bond program. Of the November sales, $15,- 591,696 represented bond purchases by civilian employees of the Navy under the payroll savings plan; $7,140,544 were allotment pur- chases by uniformed personnel of the Navy; Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and $2,346,185 were cash purchases by uniformed and ci- vilian personnel. Service At Air Base At 1000 today, Chaplain Wolf — will conduct a special Christmas service at the Monterey Naval Air Base. The cadet choir will partici- pate in the service with a program of Yuletide music. ingratitude the world has ever known. “You will, I know, do all in your power. to help others keep the faith, My luck can’t last much longer. But the flame goes on and only that is important.” V7 Fen oS , y SENCRITAS THE CADETS FOR NITE GEFCKE KCHRISTMAS ” SUPPER 11S FINALS ON : THe PACK TeEST— TRROANN lea ht 4B MONTE: CHILLY AROUND HERE FOR CALIFORNIA S 0 < ENsiGN Koo = LEAVES FOR NORFOLK: VA GE SS