Air Force Technical Training Detachment - Echelon Yearbook (Haverford, PA)

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PAST PERFECT HIS is a task for which an fl. llcnry or Frank Stockton would be better suited than a class historian. For this is a story without an ending, at least the ending is a matter of conjecture. XYhile this lady or the tiger element is the strongest handicap which we face, it is not the only circum- stance which makes the task a dirlicult one. No one preceded our unit whose history might serve as a guide and, most assuredly, none will follow to take advantage of our experiences, mistakes and difficulties. It was a hrisk Saturday morning in early lfehruary when the advance guard of the :Xir Forces, consisting of l,t. Superko and Sgt. 0'llanlon, arrived at llaverford-a Quaker institution with an enviahle academic reputation which, under the progressive leadership of President lklorley, was undertaking the difficult accommodation of tradition and principle to the current demands of a world at war. 'lihe first members of the new unit hegan to arrive on February 9th. From then until lXlarch lst new arrivals contimied to make their appearance, until finally the unit was all present and accounted for. 'lihe unit was typi- cally :Xmcrican in many respects--heing practically a small melting-pot in terms of regional, economic, educational, and social hackgrounds. About half of the men came from various .-Xir Corps Replacement Centers where they had acquired some training and an expressed sense of superiority over jet-ps fresh from civilian life. The remainder of the personnel came directly from civilian life-either as memhers of the IQRC or as civilians engaged in a wide variety of activities. Outhtted, more or less, as soldiers, and organized into a functioning unit, the men turned as with one mind to the task at hand. The men at Haverford soon learned that, despite their environment, they were not merely students. Nor were they to he exclusively regarded as sol- diers. Rather, their statins was a comhination of the two-clearly indicated hy the uniform they wore and the hooks they carried. 'lihe situation in which they found themselves prevented the rigorous training and strict discipline of the army camp, hut the exigencies of war necessitated conditioning and training in addition to the ahsorption ofa highly technical course. For twelve months their lives were to follow three distinct hut decidedly independent channels which, in order of increasing interest, were as follows: academic, military, and social. :Xcademically the men have undergone a rather strenuous schedule of some 44 hours of study each week. 'lihe studies undertaken included physics, mathematics ffroni algebra to calculus--it didn't make any differential to us J, vectorial mechanics, geography, and history and lfnglish. By means of an intensive hasic course in the scientific fields, rhe Air Force men who quali- fied would he prepared to undertake any field of advanced technical study wherein their services might he needed. 'lihe history of the academic program may he divided into the reigns of Richard the Lion-llearted and that of King Carl. During the reigns of these men, the wind tore many leaves from our family tree and there was frequent precipitation from the tear-ducts. However, the henevolence of these rulers revealed their sincere concern for the welfare of their charges. For twelve months our lives hecame a nightmarish succession of quizzes, tests, and examinations. ,Xfter a period of Saturday local quizzes and na- tional uniform examinations from Chicago, it was not unusual for the he- wildered lfal to inquire of the medical of'l:icer in what quartile he had placed

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on a routine physical cht-t'k-up, 'I'Iit- WH-tliit-stlziy Nut- C'luh ht-t'anu- a regu- lar institution wht-n il was tliscovt-rt-tl that sonic ol tht- nu-n sullt-rt-tl lroni last tluartilitis. 'l'ht- mt-inht-rship was not rt-sirit-it-tl In a lt-w aiul its coni- position varit-tl lirom wt-ck io wt-t-k. ln l t-hruary tht-sc intcnsivt- t-llorts nl men and stall will comt- to a climax wht-n tht- unit dons t-ap and khaki In receive certilit-ales at ctimmt-uct-mt-nt. ilillk' military sitlt- ol our Iilt- at llavt-rlortl has consistt-tl ol a comhinalion of routine training and hotly-huiltling and mort- exciting and init-rt-sting t-vt-nts antl practises. Within lht- liniitt-tl time availahlt- t-at-h day tht- atliniiustratiou has producetl a unit wt-ll traint-tl in elost--ordt-r tlrill lSgt. L'lt-avt-land J. ilht- conscientious efforts ol Sgt. Sloinzui and l'vt. lfown have raised tht: gt-nt-ral level ol' physical litnt-ss ol tht- unit. Calisthcnics, regular hurtlling ol tht- obstacle course, cross-country runs, the pt-riotlic Air lforct- physical litut-ss tests, and a witlc variety ol sports have all het-n utilized in this prograui. 'lihc athletic program was marked hy a rivalry distinctly regional in flavor. The provincialism of tht- Chit-agoans and New Yorkers gave rist- to cries of blind allegiance and indoctrinatiou. Apparently, dwelling near the stockyurds or lzbbets Fit-ld facilitates a lilootl transformation which al'- lects onc's sanity and creates a blatant candidate for the local chamher ol' commerce. Growing out ol thc squatlron's use of the college swimming hole was a program to tt-ach the men how to validate Archimedes' principle and to adapt their strokes, splashes, antl kicks to the conditions ol war. 'lihis functional swimming course was highlighted by a tleinonstration at the Haverford School. Along strictly military lines the unit received the henelit ol innumerable training hlms. l'he maneuvers of tht- lirst and third academic breaks con- tributed to the accumulated basic training ol' tht- men: tt-nt-pitching, chemi- cal warfare instruction, long antl arduous marcht-s Luo wonder XYashington's men were so ragged when they got to Valley lforgt-lj, overnight hivouacking, and instruction and practise Qlfort Dixj in the use of arms. Lt. Cummings and Sgt. Harding shared the task of instruction in this phase of our training. Wlieii tht: unit made its second trip to Fort Dix in November, nearly SU per cent of the men qualified on the M 1 Rifle. Major Frey, the able and respected commanding olhcer of the Haverford post, took merited pride in the appearance and marching etlicicncy ol' his men. Consequent parades oil post lthrough Ardmore and at the Merion Cricket Clubj helped make the unit more a part of the community and expressed the men's appreciation for the warmth with which the local townspeople received them. The parade through Ardmore was in support of a drive hy the .-NRC for blood donors. 'lihe large number of mt-n from this post who have served as donors on every drive during the past yt-ar is a record of which we art- all vt-ry proud. That first public parade was It-tl by the unit's newly organized hand led by Pvt. hlohnson. Since that timt- our musical organization has performed regularly at Retreat and Review, antl on invitation at Shihe Park. the Belle- vue-Stratford Hotel, and the Cricket Club. Inspections were regular evt-nts during our stay at llavt-rlord. Room and personal inspections were weekly occurrences on the basis of which indi- vidual merits were awarded. ln addition, tht-se inspections were tht- dt-vice used to qualify men for the tlrill competition to decide cadet orlict-rs for the week. l'eriodically, the post was inspected by a high ranking oflict-r. ilihest- inspection tours rt-vt-alt-tl that Haverford was one of the ht-st school posts under the liastern 'l'echnical 'l'raining Command. Rctrt-at and Rt-view wt-re two regular, hut meaningful. lt-aturt-s ol' the past year. lxvery evening, in the tradition ol the st-rvice, the unit marched