Wichita State University - Parnassus Yearbook (Wichita, KS)

Page 31 text:

1 OWE ALLEGIANCE TO .... To awaken in the student an appreciation of the obligations of citizenship, to prepare him to dis- charge his duties as a citizen, and to qualify him as a military leader - - - this is the mission of the Beserve Officers' Training Corps as outlined by the United States government. The super- vision here this year was under the command of Lt. Col. Robert H. Barrett, who was aided by Maj. Martin D. McAllister, Capt. Harry L. Lewis, and Serg. Francis McCarty, all officers of the United States Army. Less than two months before the Armistice, the Students' Army Training Corps was established at Fairmount College on September 18, 1918, by Capt. William P. O'Neill, Cavalry, with 212 students. Two months later, Lt. Col. Oscar I-Ioop, Infantry, arrived to become the school's first professor of military science and tactics. Since then the size of the unit has steadily increased. Colonel Barrett, Infantry, assumed duties of commandant of the University of Wichita R. O. T. C. on August 14, 1936, relieving Lt. Col. George W. Price, who was transferred to Fort Howard, Maryland, after six years of continuous duty here. Colonel Barrett came to Wichita from Fort Hayes, Ohio, where he commanded the First Battalion of the Tenth Infantry. A native of Virginia, Colonel Barrett was edu- cated at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He is a graduate of the Advanced Course and the In- fantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, the Com- mand and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and is carried on the General Staff Corps Eligible List. Colonel Barrett entered the regular army as a second lieutenant in 1913, and has served on the Mexican border C1914-19151, in the Philippines C1915-19175, and with the 26th Division in France H918-19195. ' Major McAllister was transferred here from Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, on February 22, 1936. He attended Texas A. Sf M. before en- tering the army and served with the Second Divi- sion overseas from February to August, 1918. He is also a graduate of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, the Command and General Staff School, and is on the General Staff Corps Eligible List. Captain Lewis was graduated from Tennessee Military Institute in 1911 and entered the army from the University of Pennsylvania. He saw service in the Philippine Constabulary H913-171, the Panama Canal Zone C1922-25, 1928-315 and came to the University from Fort George Wright, Washington, on june 29, 1935. Sergeant McCarty was assigned to duty here September 1, 1933 and has charge of the care of government property and records. He entered the f27l service in 1911, and with the exception of a short period at the Cavalry Officers' School at Camp Stanley, Texas, during the war, has spent his 25 years of duty in the Infantry. A native of this state, he holds a reserve commission with the rank of major in the Adjutant General's Department. Enrollment in the local R. O. T. C. is not com- pulsory as is training in land grant colleges. This year 374 students received training in the unit which is organized as a battalion of four com- panies, each composed of three platoons. Cadet officers command each company and the band. For six years the local school has been awarded the blue star at the annual federal inspection con- ducted by corps area officials. The star is sym- bolic of the highest rating of excellent and is a goal for which all in the unit strive. Shortly be- fore the end of school, the annual company and individual competition is held at which time awards are made to the best company, squad, and individuals of each class. This is climaxed with a battalion parade. Each company in the unit is rated monthly as to its efficiency. To the winning company goes the designation of Honor Company and a gold streamer for the company's guidon. The rating is based upon drill attendance and inspection of equipment. Heretofore, the band has won the honor twice and Company C once. Members of the first year Advanced Class are required to attend a six-weeks summer camp which is held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. While there they receive instruction on the infantry weapons, fire the service rifle, pistol, automatic rifle, and machine gun, perform scouting and pa- trolling, and carry out principles studied in class. This year Colonel Barrett has been appointed senior camp instructor and Major McAllister his assigant. Sergeant McCarty will be acting ser- geant major of the camp. Range instruction for this year has been under the supervision of Major McAllister who has greatly improved the efficiency and firing condi- tions of the small bore range. Each first year advanced man must qualify before going to camp but all R. O. T. C. men are eligible to receive instruction. This year class teams fired in corps area matches. The women's rifle team placed sec- ond in the meet at the Kemper Military Academy. Several members of last year's graduating class are now on one year's active duty with regular troops under the provision of the Thomason Act. Lt. Elmer Zelsman and Lt. Edwin Miller are with the 17th Infantry at Fort Crook, Nebraska: Lt. john Haas is stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, with the Second Cavalry, and Lt. Robert Colver is at the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arse- nal, Maryland.

Page 30 text:

hw 2m........,,, U. S. ARMY Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Barrett Major Martin D. McAllister Captain Harry L. Lewis Sergeant Francis McCarty E261

Page 32 text:

SCABBARD AND BLADE O F F I C E R S Glen A. Soderstrom ..,...7.........,............................., ...,................... C aptain Herman I. Frankenberq ........ ...,.......... F irst Lieutenant Robert E. Strain ......,....7,.,... ..,.,... S econd Lieutenant Darwin Cramer Reed i....,.. ..........,.. F irst Sergeant E281