The Citadel - Sphinx Yearbook (Charleston, SC)

Page 33 text:

Qftaem E5..'lt2itl'l1'tI Let it first he said that among our numhers are two from the preceding class and one from the class pre- ceding that. However. the majority oi us consists ol those entering The Citadel on August 31. l942. As we arrived at our destination hy laus. train, plane, etc., we passed through Lesesne Gate and saw what seemed to us a most awe-inspiring sight. Vve clazedly wan- dered around and were told to go to that loig building called the armory. Shortly the dazed feeling vanished as fourth-class regulations went into effect. P. T. and lxlurray Barracks quads were covered with over one thousand straining and sweating udoo-waclcsn-for ours was the largest class ever to enter The Citadel. Of the First lew weelis we can recall standing in line waiting to get our only pair ol trousers pressed: Sir, what was that hugle call torn: severe reprimands for saluting sergeants: and numerous other recruit stupid- ities. As the time passed we found that our tirst fur- lough--two days lor Thanksgiving-had arrived. Ev- eryone unalale to malce the trip home in such a short time dashed madly for the hotels lor a night of free- dom. Ahout this time the Enlisted Reserve Corps was he- E. UQ 1 DJ E. 9: K4 5. fu T fi: 'J CD fn Q.. 5. 5 C 5 I-3 T' fo T' 'Ti E rn z U ro o -P fo D- -0' O 1 'P ...-H.. Q X W X UU gf' ' l X f ww... Q, Q Q. 0 Utvtl Y mit W. main here long, hut there was a hope ol linishing one year, Al-ter the l-irst-classmen had received their rings, our tirst real furlough came. Vve all gralmhed a few he- longings and ran lor home. At returning time we were ready to come hacli. hut we wanted to stay just one more clay. Nve came hacli to the customary restrictions lor three weelis. But time passed along rapidly. Because a new class was arriving, we were taken oft the lourth-class regulations. The immediate result ol this was immense joy. hut later everyone regretted not having a lull year ol this linest ol Citadel traditions. ln Fehruary some live hundred ol our numlmer were called to active service in the Enlisted Reserve Corps and the Air Corps Reserve, as a result ol our coun- try's more intense war etlort. ln the midst ol war came the centennial celehration with all its pomp and cere- mony-something never to he forgotten. ln April, an unprecedented event occurred. The Army sent an Army X 4 ytttwl i 'X , xltlu MP!

Page 32 text:

:gy ,g 1 M :J NX , 9 Vi W? A QQ! W, ,- 5 X, B. BUFORD WATERS Vice-President 0l9iTirP1'5 nf EEM1 Cilzlmf- ROBERT S. SHEPHERD Presiden! Miss ALICE LUCILLE LANCASTER Sponsor EDGAR B. FELDER Secre laryjlqreasurer 28

Page 34 text:

' . , QEQ5- A Y ' fr!! at-'x -e - ' in 1- ,,,,-. f -A . .1-. . '-:..,fw,. mfrr- .. , 3 Specialized Training Unit here. About that same time. our first- and second-classmen were inducted into the army and sent baclc to Finish the year prior to going to Officer Candidate School. ln June we lelt for a furlough of three weelcs, to re- turn under new and different conditions. Academic activities were changed from a semester basis to a quarterly basis. The school was now running tyvelve months a year lor the first time in its history. The ma- jority of our class did not return: there were no first- classmen: and the returning second-classmen were to leave for lxledical School in November. Along with this came the advent of cotton trousers for summer uni- forms. Another first in the history ol The Citadel. The A. T. P. Unit had increased in size until ili- nally it occupied three barracks. A new fourth class came in at that time, also, looking like all other new recruits that had been here, except for the fact that most of them were very young. It was a hot, grueling summer with possibly not more than one momentous event. With the end of our first summer as upperclassmen came a weelcs furlough, which seemed rather short alter our hard summer. The end of the furlough brought a new class, which was formed into one com- pany and which soon became a craclc outfit. November came: our second-classmen left: and XV6, the third class, were now the ranking class. lxlany ol mlm, mms: nu ' 1 751 HIIIH' Q umm ll' N ' .-ff . Q N ,, ,E 4.45 X 'CVM 1 ,nm-W us were given responsibilities that we never expected so soon. We were doubtful at First, but a little experi- ence showed us that we could do the job. About this time The Corps was enriched by the return of two First-classmen, Bob lxflobley and Don Spenser. As a result ol' wartime conditions of travel, we did not get a Thanksgiving furlough, so that made us even more eager to get home at Christmas. With quiclc farewells, we rushed off to furlough, still wanting that extra day when the time came to return. Upon returning we were greeted by the usual re- strictions for three weelcs. We all settled down to our last quarter's worlc as third-elassmert. This quarter marlced the departure of the A. S. T. P. Unit and once again grey was the only color to be seen in section formations. With the usual last-minute cramming for exams, we ended the year in which our number, but not our spirit, was reduced to approximately one-fifth of what it was at our arrival. The great majori-ty of our class had left for the service. Now we were second-classmen. At last we had reached the last half. We began to realize that we were beginning to shorten the infinite distance to grad- uation. With spring came the familiar experience of seeing cotton shirts on the quadrangle instead of the woolen ones. Soon our next furlough was upon us. and we were home lor a short while once more. We returned rather reluctantly at the thought ol' the hot