Marquette University NROTC - Porthole Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

Page 83 text:

w-Qm TI THE GBAIAUTES To the graduating members of the Marquette University NROTC and V-lZ Units: To you gentlemen who have received your commissions or are soon to receive them, your Commanding Officer would like to offer his personal congratulations. In addition, I want to throw in a little advice based on my ob- servation of quite a large number of young officers out in the Fleet. First of all, When you get an order from proper authority -- OBEY it, promptly, com- pletely and cheerfully. If you have informa- tion Which might affect the superior officer's decision, make it known to him, respectfully. If the order stands, give him a cheerful, Aye, Aye Sir and carry it out just as enthusias- tically as though you agreed 100 70. Remem- ber, your superior officer, through greater knowledge gained from experience, or because of information of broad plans not available to you, has good reasons for his order. Secondly, be proud of your uniform and What it stands for. Insist always on the proper respect for your position as a representative of the Navy and, of course, be particularly careful to avoid any action Which might lower that respect. Third, set your sights high on any job as- signed to you. Don't just try to get by. No matter how insignificant your assignment may seem, consider it the most important job in the world and try to do it better than it has ever been done before. Constantly work to improve your knowledge and broaden your usefulness to the Service. Don't be satisfied to just do your job well-- prepare for the greater responsibility Which may suddenly come your way. Be ready for it. Your f rior officers may be too busy to devote 8! much time to your instruction and guidance. As officers, you should, on your own initiative and in your spare time, learn other phases of a naval career to broaden your usefulness. The young officers Who realize this right from the start are the ones Who pass up their shipmates and get by the selection boards later for the higher ranks. In this connection, remember that every ac- tion and every attitude of yours from this day on Will be reflected accurately in your record, which accumulates and follows you the rest of your life. Last and most important-the greatest priv- ilege of a young naval officer is his oppor- tunity to deal closely With the enlisted men. When the men in your division respect you and your judgment to the point that you are the natural person for them to turn to for advice and help, you are successful. If you have any ideas that you can fool these men- forget them! They will soon have you pegged as a phoney --the bluejackets as a group are the smartest group of young men in the world. Loyalty down to your men is as important as loyalty up. Be loyal to them and they Will be loyal to you. Be firm, but just and honest to them and you Will get dividends in loyalty, respect and obedience. They are great boys. My heartiest Wishes that you Will have a very successful naval. career and deserve a HWell Done at the end. Sincerely yours, C. H. SIGEL Captain, USNR

Page 82 text:

IUH LAST HIUBS AT MABIUETTE And now the last few steps are taken and we are standing upon the platform receiving our commissions. This hour is the last of the hours spent in waiting, the last of the long hours spent hoping for attainment . . . the last of the hours at Marquette. It is a somber moment. We forget our varied differences which may present themselves in realms of thought, religion and creeds, and live the moment for the exalted moment that it should be . . . the moment of commissioning. It is an hour with more than thirty-six hundred particles of time. It is an hour, one hour . facing endless hours of the future. On some future date we shall stand upon the deck of our new home, a naval man-of- war, and it will be the hours that have passed that we will remember. Yes, we will remem- ber . . .and the hours will come back . . . -Hours that threw a blanket of fog over Lake Michigan, a fog through which emerged the tiny hulls of naval YP boats . --Hours that were spent on liberty hours that were joyous and happy . . . Periods that would offset the duller and blacker moments of a routine and well-disciplined life . . . These were hours that were always welcomed and never wasted, for in our very contact with Marquette, Milwaukee and the environment of the Unit, we were building . . . building a foundation . . --Hours that were boring and tiresome in Stratford and Brooks . . . Hours of studying and cleaning rooms and learning to be officers. We had a goal and the time passed slowly, but we were getting there . . . Yes, we were getting there --Hours that were rayed with sunshine as an entire regiment passed the reviewing stand while the band played stirring music, making us glad we were a part of our great Blue and Gold Service. Big Mike was there with the Colors for Mike would always be iiwaving a flag, but this was an emblem he was truly l80i proud of. Versackas, Jennings, Geib, Pooler, Snider and Sjoberg were all a part of these hours. They were there . . . and we were there -Hours in which we danced with our girl- friends and sweethearts . . . Hours against the backdrop of Winter's falling snow or Sum- mer's moonlit nights. We thrilled to beauty and the sweetness and purity of this . . . our exotic youth . . . eHours that on Sunday found us within the beautiful spacious temples of worship . . . renewing allegiance and faith to one we would always recognize as greater and more power- ful than existence itself. Yes, we could be reverent and worshipful before the presence of Him who gave us the oceans to sail . . . --Hours in which we came to know men like Donald Iaehnke and Donald Clark . . Hours in which to build the spirit of Robert Blanz. These were hours that we can remem- ber . . . but can they? Rows of crosses on Luzon hold no memories . . . only visions, and the Visions are dead . . . visions which now no longer exist, which were only dreams . . . but even now . . . are a part of the hours . . . -Brewer ball games, naval science lec- tures, tire-fighting schools, working parties at small stores, Hbooster shots at sick bay, all the hours of training in campus buildings-e the Engine House, Johnson Hall, Science build- ing . . . and Gesu's spires . . . these are all of the hours . . . And now we are walking proudly down the steps of the platform . . . Ensigns in a great Navy . . . and the hours all come together in a triumphant flourish. Now only the beautiful moments exist for us. In this moment, we are at the end of the rainbow and its gold. The Navy is proud . . . Marquette is proud . . . We are proud . . . and somewhere in the distance a clock peals forth Vibrantly, for the hours . Yes, they also are proud! a meWVE'W'EFL A q - a -A 7 t .' s'm'fvy'i,-'wao mu ,.

Page 84 text:

It was with mingled feelings that Marquette University received the news of the de-commis- sioning of its Navy V-lZ Unit. We are happy that Marquette was selected to cooperate with the Navy in this program, and I think we can be justly proud of the contribution which the University made through it, to the war effort. We regret that the de-commissioning ot the we were happy and privileged to have with us. At the same time, we rejoice that we still have the Navy associated with the University through our Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The history of the Unit since its inception on July 1, 1943, will probably be told in those terse terms with which our Navy characteris- tically describes even its most glorious achieve- ments. That account will tell little, if any- thing, of the difficulties which preceded the organization of the V-lZ Unit at the University, difficulties which seemed insurmountable and were overcome only through the gracious co- operation of the Bureau of Naval Personnel with the assistance of Marquette's good friends. This account will tell little, too, of the excellent team work between the Navy per- sonnel assigned to Marquette and the Uni- versity's administrative and teaching staff which made the Unit outstanding. I should like, therefore, to convey our appreciation and gratitude to all who have been associated with the Unit and who contributed so gener- ously to its success. To them and to the young men who have gone and are going forth into the Navy's officer ranks, I bid Godspeed and God's choicest blessings. Marquette is happy to have the Navy's tra- ditional Hwell done on this operation. We say farewell with regret but with pride and satisfaction in our V-lZ Program's achieve- ments and success.