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

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5 ML ,fffAi9L .fdncdor N THE eve of graduation it becomes the duty and privilege of the editor to speak for his classmates, to interpret their feelings as they pre- pare to don the stripe and star of Ensigns in the United States Naval Reserveg to express their ap- preciation for the patience and kindness of the officers, and to offer their thanks to the officials of the University of Notre Dame and the people of South Bend who did so much to make our few free moments pleasant ones. But the power to deeply and accurately probe the emotions of 1100 fellow men is, unfortunately, denied even to editors of class books. Therefore, we must rely on those opinions most often expressed and those feelings most often observed among our fellow midshipmen. We Are Proud .... Proud that we are the first class of Midshipmen to be graduated from the United States Naval Re- serve Midshipmen's School at Notre Dame. This pride is only natural. Only four months ago, we were neighbors- neighbors in the forty-eight states of the union- engaged in the usual civilian pursuits. We were salesmen, we were farmers, we were attorneys, we were engineers, we were newspapermen-we were the men of Main Street. Then, suddenly, we became shipmates and our business became War, a business entirely foreign to our way of life. We have survived the uprooting and transplant- ingg the rigors of training and the necessity of mas- tering the rudiments of our new business. We are about to receive our commissions, the first to be granted at this school, and we are proud. More than that. We know that we have worked under the usual handicaps of the guinea pigs of a new project. But that very fact adds to our pride for we have had to dig harder, using in many cases makeshift tools and equipment, in preparing for this business of war. By this same token, however, our foundation for our new business is more solid than it might have been under other circumstances. Then too, we have pride in the fact that we played a part in laying the groundwork for this, Our Midshipmen's School. Classes that follow will benefit by our mistakes, they will have more and better equipment than we hadg they will have the honor of being graduated from the best Midship- menfs school in the country. We had a part in making it the best. But, proud though we are of these things, we are 68 even prouder that soon we will have the letters D-VQGJ, U.S.N.R. following our names. To each man in the class these letters have a special mean- ing, but to all of us they have one common meaning. First of all the V stands for Volunteer-this was our choice, something that we really wanted to do and not something that was forced upon us. G stands for General and means that we can be ordered to and fullfill any duty that will most bene- fit our country in its battle for survival. D stands for Deck and means that we have been given the well rounded training necessary to qualify us as deck officers. U.S.N.R. stands for United States Naval Re- serve. These letters mean that for the duration of the war we will have the privilege of serving as officers in the United States Navy, the branch of our country's armed forces which has done most of the ball carryingi' in this war. Yes, we are proud of all these things. We Owe A Debt Of Gratitude .... A debt to the officers of Our Midshipmen's School. It is a debt that we can repay in only one way-by justifying the confidence these men have shown in us as they taught us, guided us and finally accepted us as fellow officers. We know full well that these officers would much prefer to be at sea fighting our ships but the task of preparing additional officers for our countryis fast growing fieet had to fall on some shoulders and these officers did their duty well, and with- out complaint. At times, they were tough. But this business of war requires toughness. We can't deny that we didn't care one bit for an afternoon of athletics and executive drill on the same day that our muscles were begging for a period or rest and relaxation to recuperate from the shock of typhoid, tetanus and smallpox inoculations. Nor did we relish the un- ceasing string of quizzes and exams which caused some among us to take up permanent abode in the tree. But these same officers showed almost unbelieva- ble patience and understanding as they guided us through the intricacies of Navigation and Ord- nanceg the ramifications of Seamanship and the brain-defying technicalities of Damage Control. Their toughness, their patience and their under- standing were mixed in the proper proportions to help us bridge the immense chasm which lies be- tween civilian and military lifeg they also fitted us to better perform our duty in our new business of War.

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We wish to thank these officers and promise that we will repay their efforts in the Navy way-by performing our duty well. We Appreciate . . . Appreciate more than we ever will be able to tell the things done by the Officials of the University of Notre Dame and the people of South Bend to fill our free moments and relieve the strain of our four months of training. Notre Dame opened her doors to us. We were welcome at her football and basketball games. We were urged to use her facilities, to visit her art gallery, library and other buildings. We will never forget the exciting moments of the Fighting Irish football games, the welcome that awaited us as we made our first trip to Rockne Memorial, the general feeling of make yourselves at home, gentlemen with which Notre Dame treated its strange new guests. We thank you, Notre Dame. To the people of South Bend we can only say that you will always live in our memories. Your dinner invitations, your parties, your dances did much to build our morale. Loneliness and home- sickness were dissipated before your kindness and friendliness. You made us feel that you considered us your sons , and you filled the place of the parents, sweethearts and friends we left behind. Your Service Men's Center can well be your pride and joy. The Center quickly became our weekend headquarters. There you provided re- freshments, recreation and, perhaps more impor- tant, companionship . . . companionship that in many cases ripened into true friendships. Words cannot express our appreciation. We are determined. . . . Determined to do our utmost to succeed in this business of War that Freedom may soon ring from every mountainside. Wong! we Cayafain aa a The Navy is proud to number you among its officer personnel. The profession you have chosen is one rich in tradition, a tradition that will be perpetuated by your acts and your deeds. It has been our distinct pleasure to guide you in these early days of your prepa- ration and we know you have a foundation upon which you will build a very suc- cessful career as an officer in the United States Navy. You will always have a special significance to us throughout your entire Naval career, for you are the first to take your departure from this Midshipmen's School, and we shall watch your progress, your successes and your victories with particu- lar interest. You have confirmed our conviction that the fate and destiny of our nation rests in strong, firm, and virile handsg hands that will not only crush our enemies, but hands that will forever symbolize the guarantee of peace and security to all free and freedom loving peoples. You have demonstrated your willingness and eagerness to accept your new duties. Our most fervent wish is that you will in every adversity and in every success always Keep faith with yourself. In the words of the distinguished officer who addressed you on last Navy Day, Come home with your shields of honor untar- nished, or come home on them! 69 H. P. BURNETT, Captain, U. S. Nazyz.