Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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became a model of efficiency for other schools to follow. Then the men arrived, the first bunch from the South, the next launch from Penn- sylvania. They received a very friendly welcome and liked the place and the people. They entered into Knox life, es- pecially the social aspects of it, to the very limit of their rather stringent regulations. They were really Kin the Armyv and Knox came to know what army life is. It is no exaggeration to say the future flyers soon dominated the campus. In the spring it was no longer a novelty whatsoever to see a uniform on the campusg no matter which way the observer looked there would he smart, well-trained flights of Air Corps men marching. They sing as they marchg as often as not, the song is Hail Knox All Glorious. All of Seymour Hall, the YM CA, and the Beta and Fiji houses were used to house the men. All rooms had double- declier hunks like the old private- dining room in Seymour shown at right. Daily inspection as illustrated was one source of ffgigxji There's a line outside the tele- phone booth. There may he a line inside, too, and the number is probably 4515 Main. But there were compulsory study per- iods, too, as shown at right. Among the more pleasant pas- times of a soldier are the few free minutes each day for games like ping pang and chess, Slight- ly less pleasant are the lang, long hours of walking guard duty. At right the corporal of the guard issues instructions.

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AIR FGRCE The 302nd College Training Detachment fAircrewD is the Army Air Corps' official name for the pre-pre-Hight training pro- gram on the Knox campus. In mid- February Major Julian Blue and his staff of five commissioned and ten non-commis- sioned officers arrived. The weeks follow- ing were filled with feverish preparations for the enlisted men who were to arrive the first of March. Alumni Hall became army propertyg so did Seymour. The Betas and Phi Gams were told they must evacuate their houses. Knox men found new houses to live in around the campus. Faculty mem- bers spent long hours learning to teach new subjects-over ninety-five per cent of them were to have jobs teaching the army. Under the leadership of Harold Way, newly-appointed Assistant to the President, a training program was devised which later Singing ax they go, a flight of Air Corps .fturlenls head: north on Cedar Street. Nearly every hour of the day, from seven till ten, the Army wa: either studying in or marching in front of the library. The Air Corps men all eat in Seymour Hall-in shifts, of course. Each flight oc- cupied one of the long table: which replaced the ala' family-size tahles which had previozuly been urea' in the dining room. The men pronounced the food excellent. '

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PRESENTATION GF I-IERGISM AWARDS a i Barely virible from the crowd becaure of the rain was tlue actual presentation of the heroism awards. Captain Ford here pin: the Distinguished Service Cross on Mrs. Heller. On April 26 of this year Willard Field was the scene of the first public military review ever to be staged on the Knox College campus. Ar this review the dual decora- tions of the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart were awarded to Lieutenant Clifford Heller, Army Ranger, who was killed at Casablanca, French Morocco, November 8, 1942. By order of General Dwight B. Eisen- hower, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Heller re- ceived these medals, which were presented by Captain H. R. Ford of the Knox Col- lege Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit. The Distinguished Service Cross was be- stowed on Mrs. Heller for her son's valor above and beyond the call of duty. Mr. Heller received the Purple Heart in recog- nition of Clifi's meritorious service and wounds received in action. The presentation of the awards was ac- companied by a battalion review, in which participated the several hundred trainees of the 302nd College Training Detachment of the Army Air Corps. The military band under the direction of Mark Bibble, was also composed of Air Corps students. The senior members of the Knox ROTC unit formed an honor guard for the service. Ir was Mrs. Heller's desire that these awards be made on the campus of her son's alma mater and in the presence of his many friends. Cliff was a member of last year's graduating class and was one of the most popular students in school. As a climax to his military career at Knox, he was named the outstanding company com- mander and was awarded the Hill trophy, which is the highest honor to be presented by the military department.