Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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THE COLOR GU.-XRD carries and protects rlxc ilflflibiilll and school colors. ,'Xbox'e are Surgeanrs Hill LIIIL xiun- son and privatrrs Robinson and Cranclell. Sei'gt:i11.i1Ls Lanclon gmc' l3ll'1I'f'4,l'-1' and privzites lloyrlsrun and Clrandell comprised the gurirtl dii1'i11g nlosi, of the year. ll iff l1'-ifiililfCi'l'lf'ili'l wli rifle illl-ll mini?-rwriwi at 'ln' iv+:jgii-- nip' 1' drill pn-ii i mt: Wi' 'i l 1 3' '.iQi'le::, nQrr11v.fl1'.rly. :'1 li e l .intl I N-i'1:-mg, 'j.lll'vi.1i11 llfulie lib' 'lif'l -1 1.11.1 1 rms in - 1 i'.lRlT.l'lif 16 The Knox R.O.T.C. battalion is an in- fantry unit. Some of the topics included in the basic and advanced courses are applic- able to all branches of the service, others are strictly infantry problems. The fresh- men study the basic . infantry Weapon, the rifle, rifle marlcsrnan- ship, military cour- tesy and customs of the service, sanitation and first aid, military organization, map reading, and leadership principles. On Monday afternoons they are classed as pri- vates and are the chief targets of upper- classmen's attempts to instruct their com- panies in the intricacies of military drill. Second year students in the basic course take up the automatic rifle, the character- istics of infantry weapons, musketry, scouting and patrolling, and combat prin- ciples. Some of them serve as corporals and privates first class in their respective companies. The basic courses are open to all stu- dents, the rule in past years has been to re- quire either military science or physical education of all freshmen and sophomores. This year the enrollment in military was al- most 100 per cent and the physical educa- tion work was supplemented by the com- pulsory calisthenics program. Under the new quarter system basic students will re- ceive no credit toward graduation from their military courses. Credit will still be given advanced course students. These lat- ter are chosen by the officers of the depart- ment to fill a limited number of vacancies Capproximately twenty-twoj each year. Advanced students wear a regular commis- sioned officers uniform and are paid by the government. As juniors they assume the more responsible positions of sergeants on the drill field, their class Work is aimed I directly at the information and training needed in directing an infantry platoon. They study the machine gun, mortars, Held fortifications, offensive and defensive com-

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standing abilities and personalities of the commanding ofhcers. Colonel E. D. Porter, who was promoted to the rank of Colonel of Infantry in January of this year, was head of the department and the Professor of Military Science and Tactics. His wide range of knowledge Galena! po, Zm -d Cacquired from years 4-f Man of service in the reg- ular army - includ- ing service in the Philippinesb, his military bearing, his efficiency, and his amiabiliry made him respected and admired by the men in the unit. As one student stated it, Fd certainly like to serve under a man like the Colonel when I get in the armyf, Lieutenant Harold R. Ford, a graduate of Knox in the class of 1938, returned to his Alma Mater to teach after two years as a young commissioned officer in the service. He acted as adjutant and taught the fresh- men and juniorsg the latter particularly profited by his Hrst-hand advice relative to solving the problems they would face when detailed to active duty. lnlllf Olil7llQl.iRS FRONT ANU QIIiN'l'l2R include the four' company eonnnanders, Cadet Captains Draper. lilane, Heller, and Fnlle, and Cadet I.ieutenant-Colonel Meliamy in the from row. ln the second row .ire the :ompany guidon bearers and behind them are the cadet first and second lieutenants of Lhe unit. As this pit- ture was snapped, Draper was present- ing the insignia of the infantry. cross- ed rifles, lo his eoinpany'x sponsor. Martha Wfelsh. The other captains followed suit immediately thereafter. .JJ ba! 1 -1 15

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bat, aerial photography, chemical warfare, and general leadership. Before 1942 it had always been the custom for advanced students to attend a six weeks training camp during the summer following their junior year. Because of the limited facilities, this year's junior group was not required to attend summer camp. As a result, however, they will not receive their reserve commissions immediately up- on graduation as in the case of the members of the class of 1942. The seniors are the commanding officers of the battalion and its four companies. They are given ranks ranging from cadet second lieutenant to cadet lieutenant-col- onel. This year's senior officers had a big job: the number of students in their com- mand was much greater than before. Also the seniors found their class work even more serious than in previous years. The study of company tactics and administra- tion had a new immediacy. It became their personal responsibility to the hundreds of men who would later be under them to know-and know thoroughly-everything the army expected of its second lieutenants. In addition to their regularly scheduled class work they met for three hour sessions with Colonel Porter every Friday afternoon during the spring. The top-ranking senior officers during the year were Cadet Lieutenant-Colonel Donald McKamy, Cadet Major Willard Ralf, and Cadet Captain Rob- Qto page 20D il'i5ii'ill'lll 5 i i 'l'ii'l 15'iV'VW ilu' 'ml' U'51'3l I K militias l,s,1tlt11,. .tml li.rirI.zi:'1 lil,-llc .mil lnieuitlr fiff'ff'1'i'V llli' li'-ll'-lll fl - l ll if H ll ' lil 'll' 1 1 N ii.llQ iillliI, V-.vi-.wig ,xml l3lim uf' Qmupaxiy' id. l3nLa'sf.n WV fi-ll'l1lU llVilIW' 41 'l 1lVffi'i'1- V ' l'V'H-1'f5fl 'f - ll-lVlX-f 4- L.1jui.tiix lilam' .mai l,.lL'l.?iCI'l.ElliN l'il1gwLz'w:1i, Kin 3, ficll, 111' 'I'lmin.w. ,mil 5.Hi'1Nl. i. 1-li i.Li21wD,:.nu' K ..p:1m filli-.1-n. XY',11i.,.Y-,- .'.g' 4 ,, ,,x,,,.' pl Nm k Tum grgvlwx. 1, i-551.1 R ll'lllf'5l V-VL l 5'Vl l'i'--'V'fV- 4 l 'WV-1' fi 'l Ji Ill' l'-iv' .mls lxi mx. fmxiwi, iiwtlzx, .14-.ii ftiuui wi u.,n,'V1n1Ln'. 17