US Naval Reserve Midshipmens School - Capstan Yearbook (Notre Dame, IN)

Page 17 text:

Find out who's in charge. Xe cw five U31

Page 16 text:

LT. COMDR. RICHARD WAGNER, U.S.N. fRET.9 Executive Ojicer Early in September, 1942, the new Executive Offi- cer reported here and immediately turned-to on the many detailed tasks which arise in organizing a Mid- shipmen's School. This was not a new task for Lieu- tenant Commander Richard Wagner, U. S. Navy, as he was called from retirement to help organize the first Midshipmen's School of World War II on board the U.S.S. Illinois. Having previously studied to be an engineer, the Commander was graduated with honors from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1927. In the years that followed at sea he served on a battleship, destroyers, two heavy cruisers, and on the staffs of ComScoFor and ComCrusUS. His duties varied from Spot I of a new cruiser to Engineer Ofhcer of a destroyer and included staff work, torpedoes, catapults, radio and even a bit of aviation. He retired several years ago, following an accident, and entered civilian life to become the Commandant of a boys' naval preparatory school. Recalled to active duty in july, 1940, he became the Administra- tive Aide of the U. S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School in New York and served there continuously during its organization and expansion until trans- ferred to Notre Dame. I have had many interesting experiences . . . revo- lutions, earthquakes, rescues of shipwrecks at sea, fires and accidents . . . but none of these thrills could com- pare with the pleasure I had in receiving my orders to come back into the Navy to serve in World War II,', Commander Wagner declares. I12l

Page 18 text:

LT. COMDR. CHARLES XV. MYERS, U.S.N.R. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1922, Mr. Myers served as ajunior turret officer aboard the U. S. S. Arizona for twenty-one months. He re- signed from the Navy in 1924 and became a distribu- tor of petroleum products. Mr. Myers applied for active duty in December, 1941, and received his orders in February, 1942. As Senior Watch Officer, he heads the discipline department here. Mr. Myers was promoted to Lt. Comdr. in November, 1942. LT. CLARENCE N. SPRINGER, U.S.N.R. Mr. Springer began his career in the Navy as an apprentice seaman. After four months' training at Great Lakes in 1928, he boarded the destroyer U. S. S. Mareno. While at sea he was trainer on a broadside gun and mess cook for the chief petty officers. He took examinations for entrance to the Naval Academy and was appointed in July, 1929, graduating in 1933. He was employed by the Standard Oil Company of Indiana in August, 1942, when he was called to duty. LT. KENNETH I. C. KEEPERs, U.S.N.R. Mr. Keepers, materiel ofiicer here since the early days of the school, was graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1927, and resigned from the Navy the same year. He was called to active duty in 1940. Mr. Keepers was ordered to temporary duty at Pensa- cola, Florida, and then to Corpus Christi, Texas. Transferred to the Naval Reserve aviation base at Dallas, Mr. Keepers was officer in charge of the cadet regiment. He was ordered to Notre Dame from Dallas. l 14 ENSIGN HAROLD B. MILLER, U.S.N.R. Mr. Miller, communications officer, was an adver- tising executive before entering communications school at Great Lakes, where he was commissioned in January, 1942. He reported at Notre Dame in March, 1942. Mr. Miller is aide to the Executive Officer, ship's secretary, and administrator of outgoing and incoming messages. He was graduated from the Uni- versity of Illinois in 1936, having majored in psy- chology. His home is in Chicago. l