1919
Short Month, short notes—
Bob Paisley was about to leave his duties with F.E.A. at Washington when he was grabbed up by the Army and given a special temporary commission as a colonel, and sent out of the country on a very important mission. He expects he will be back in about sixty days.
Louie Munro was placed on inactive duty by the Navy, and is again on the pay roll of Doremus and Co., and is located in New York rather than Boston.
Russell H. Potter has formed a national public relations organization, known as Russell H. Potter Associates, with main offices in the RCA Building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Mr. Potter, who was former head of the New York regional office of the Office of Price Administration, resigned as national promotion director of American Airlines. The new firm will handle accounts in the industrial, labor and political fields, and will soon open regional offices in Washington, Chicago, and Hollywood.
Commander Henry Siegbert USNR writes from somewhere just before Christmas:
I was sorry not to have been able to see any of the old gang when I was up in the States recently now that I have been overseas nearly twentysix months, I am patiently and hopefully awaiting orders and I can assure you that I would welcome some stateside duty. This part of the world has become very quiet and I can't say that it interests me particularly after the activity of the past two years. I thought I would give you some dope on myself and my family so you can bring the class records up to date. I have joined the select group known as "Brass Hats" and all I can say is that you have to return that many more salutes I was awarded the Bronze Star by Admiral Ingram and given the commendation ribbon by Admiral Ingersoll this makes the left side of your blouse look as though you had seen a lot of action whereas all I have done is to give the other fellows the orders.
As regards the family side—my oldest daughter is now a freshman at Wellesley and my younger one is threatening to go to Stamford next year so you can see that it won't make any difference where I go in the States, I'll be near one of my daughters—no prospective sons for Dartmouth' I guess I'll have to look for them in my son-in- laws.
Best regards to all the boys and I hope I will get a chance to see you early in 1945.
We acknowledge with thanks recent word from Charlie Warner, Herb Fleming, Jim Davis, Max Norton, Red Colwell, Spider Martin, Jack Ross, Bri Greeley, Rock Hayes, Jim Pelletier, Bob French, Batch Batchelder, Tom Bresnahan, Mai Drane, Ax Warden, Louis Munroe, John Chipman and Lowell McCutcheon.
An example of just the kind of letter most parents never get from sons in service is reproduced in part. It may (who knows?) go out as a clipping to one or more boys who may use it as a guide for writing home:
I called his daughter when I got back and was invited to dinner with the family at the officers' club. It took little or no time for me to get into the swing of Christmas spirit with roast turkey, egg-nogs and be-striped captains all trying to make me feel at home.
I got down here the third of December after five months of continuous grind and "dog-eat- dog" competition. This place is wonderful. There is absolutely nothing to compare with it in-so-far as relaxation facilities are concerned. Within the station limits there are an eighteenhole golf course, a stable and bridle path, deep sea fishing, sailing, motor boating and many other facilities, such as movies, bowling, dancing, etc. The only trouble with the last item is the difficulty of getting a partner. I don't know of any cadets with whom I can dance—We're not allowed to even speak to any of the some 1200 WAVEs on the station.
It is small cost, however, because we are at last treated like officer candidates and gentlemen instead of "boots". No more metal trays and wooden-topped, bare tables and long chow lines. Instead we have China plates, linen table cloths, and mess attendants to wait on us.
Our first week, as all first weeks at a new base are, was spent in indoctrination. We were "given the 'word' " on everything and had our commission physical exam. We then attended classes on survival on land and sea, poisonous gases, their detection, antidotes, and protection from; and high altitude effects on humans. We had demonstrations of all kinds of life rafts, flares, smoke bombs, water stills, gas. masks and whiffs of all the gases, and were given a ride in the "Dilbert Dunker", a plane fuselage in which you are strapped and immersed in a pool, simulating a crash at sea. We were then "taken for high altitude 'hops' " in a decreased pressure and temperature tank with heated units and gas (oxygen) masks. We were allowed to "ascend" to altitudes of 35,000 and 40,000 feet where the temperature was 53° F. We volunteered to take our masks off and experience "Anoxia", a wonderful, drunken, sleepy and otherwise indescribable feeling which precedes complete unconsciousness. It's caused by lack of oxygen. We also experienced aeroembolism, similar to diver's "Bends." Painful, but disappears upon returning to lower altitudes' and higher pressures.
During our first week we were also allowed to state our preferences for final squadron training, whether fighter, dive bomber, torpedo bombing, scout-observation, multi-engined land bombers or patrol bombers (pig boats). Mine were in that order. We were told of our assignments last week and I was given my first choice.
At the end of the first week we were brought twenty miles north-east to an auxiliary field for basic training in SNV Vultee "Valiants" (Army: BT-13 "Vibrators"). They really are a solid hunk of plane with 450 horses out in front (540 h.p.). A low winged monoplane with flaps, changeable pitch propellers and radios—two-way. Fortu- nately the landing gear is fixed and does not retract, so I haven't had occasion to land with wheels up. Had 3 duals, a safety check, 2 solos, 7 formations and one night hop. Have 2 more formations and 3 nights to go and then I go to instrument squadron, where we fly SNV's (Army: At-6 "Texons"). For 6 weeks we do nothing but "Blind" flying in a hooded cockpit with an instructor. Also "Fly" Link Trainers.
The only trouble about getting my first choice is that I'll be sent to as soon as I finish my remaining hops, "pig boats" and scout observations—all carrier based trainees (the reminder) are trained in •. Training for carrier duty is a bit longer but I've worked fifteen months now so I can wait a little longer. Will have "the bird" in about five months.
When Comdr. John H. Chipman foundtime to think about good old U.S.A. in termsof future education, he produced an articlewhich furnished food for further thinking.It appeared in the November ALUMNI MAGAZINE under the title "Exchange Education"and might well form a base for creation of aspecial Post-War Department in one or moreof our colleges. We are facing conditionswhich differ from those existing in 1919,when less than two years of war permittedmany to pick up interrupted studies and complete their courses.
With three years of war now behind us and no immediate end in sight, what is the future for many men who left college as freshmen or who did not have any college training when enlistment or draft took them into service? How many are there, eager for higher education, who may be held on foreign soil after peace is won, to police devastated countries? Will the Government arrange university courses abroad for such? What is the outlook for boys who were not able to complete V-12 programs or those taken out of Army college programs and placed in active service abroad ? No doubt but that educators are busy planning for unusual years ahead. Are parents doing anything to help such plans? Are the boys themselves making any plans and are they at all aware of what may be in store for them? Education in wartime has continued with less distortion than one would imagine, and we can be sure that Dartmouth is ready, willing and anxious to adapt itself to future needs. If we can gauge the needs now and get fixed intentions from those boys who left college almost before they were started, as well as those who were headed for college, but never had the chance to get there, we may as individuals aid the future composite picture.
James E. Hitchcock, assistant secretary of the Insurance Co. of North America, Fire Insurance Division, has been transferred from Philadelphia to Boston. His transfer to Boston gives him the added title of Manager of the New England Division, with headquarters at 805 Insurance Exchange Building, Boston 9, Mass.
Secretary, 103 Aviemore Drive New Rochelle, N. Y.
Treasurer, Hanover, N. H.
