TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 31, 1943
THE BATTALION
PAGE 3
Trimming Tabs
Squadron I
Gentlemen, kindly relax as your
eyes start to scan' the following
tidbits of organization doings be
cause this should be the start of a
beautiful friendship and this edi
tor would appreciate instantaneous
notification whenever any Mister
feels his toes have been unduly
tread upon; afterall, we are mere
ly trying to keep the spirit of
frivolity alive—yet in its respect
ive niche. Furthermore, always
bear'in mind that all sincere sug
gestions and criticism are fully
Welcomed 24 hours a day.
Well, yours truly feels a strong
urge to reminisce concerning the
past few days of hectic tempo. We
will not forget for some time to
come our arrival at College Sta
tion and A. & M because our des
tination was an extremely well
kept secret until the very last mi
nute which is admittedly a “must”
these days. The current display of
himming, singing, determination
and utterly complete eargerness
on the part of all to varying de
grees proves that we are all more
(See TRIMMING, page 4)
Circling the Field
Squadron III
We have finished our first week
of flying and you can hardly say
that the men don’t like it. One can
hardly walk through old “Bizzell
High” without, “ . and all the
time I thought he had the con
trols!” “ .... a 360 degree turn
not 361 degrees!” “What’s that
in front of us . . . . and it turned
out to be the Academic Building.”
Gentlemen, you are really putting
everything into this flying and if
we keep on, all of us “hot pilots”
will be in there hitting those wing
ed Zeroes.
Fellows, why don’t we dig all
of these Carusos, shower trouba
dours and Gene Autrys up and
send them to Glee Club practice
on Monday and Thursday nights?
“Pops”, our director, is an all
around fellow and is really doing
his best to make our “Eager Bea
ver Glee Club” what it should
(See CIRCLING, page 4)
CLEANING, PRESSING
ALTERATION
Lauterstein’s
l . 4
M
.ii
y
I
Spotlight on Sports
By Bill Platt
LOUPOT’S
Watch Dog of the
Aggies
Squadron III strongly disagrees
to the statement in last weeks is
sue in regard to the Volleyball
Playoff with Squadron II. It was
stated that Squadron II had won
the Championship, this undoubt
edly was a misprint. The two
teams finished in a tie for first
place. It looks very much like the
two teams will have to meet
someday down San Antonio way
to decvide the Champ.
In a recent interview with Lt.
Segrest we learn that in the fu
ture all new incoming Squadrons
will have their swimming program
changed considerably. The initial
test will be the floating test, to
determine the floating ability of
the individual, which is very im
portant especially in large bodies
of water. In this test the indivi
dual is checked for a period of 8
minuts, those failing to stay
afloat for this length of time are
given further lessons. Many other
points are also stressd on the
men as all this will better fit the
men for any circdmstances which
may arise while in battle.
With our new Squadron I come
quite a few men who deserve re
cognition in sport circles. These
boys have hardly had time to set
tle down but in time we are sure
that they will give a good ac
count of themselves. In introdu
cing some of these boys we would
like to bring forth Mr. Herndon,
a young man 5 ft and 9 inches tall
weighing 190 pounds. He achieved
fame in high school having won 12
varsity letters. Late,* he went
on to the University of Oregon
where he played varsity fullback
on the squad. In the year of 1941
hescored the winning and only
touchdown against Oregon State
with a 40 yard sprint. This young
man has seen plenty of action and
should later on show his wares
for the Detachment. We also have
Mr. Alfred Hinkle, a former track
and basketball star for L. S. U.
In addition there are many others
who undoubtedly will also help to
liven up our sports program.
VISIT OUR SHOP OFTEN - - -
GET A HAIRCUT
And be neat and military
at all times.
AGGIELAND BARBER SHOP
North Gate
.George A. Martin Editor-in-chief-
Martin E. Israert, Jr,.—Managing Editor
W. D. West Associate Editor
James L. Anderson Associate Editor
A1 Lorenzetti Associate Editor
Kamon Martinez Sports Editor
James R. Marenzo Staff Artist
Robert P. Damsky Squadron 1 Editor
Johnny Jameson Squadron 3 Editor
Kenneth A. Pfeiffer Squadron 4 Editor
James D. Thomas Squadron 5 Editor
Joseph W. Tiffenbach, Reporter; Frank
J. Stiles, Reporter; William C. Daverman,
Reporter; Woodrow W. Harris, Reporter:
John D. Bante, Reporter; Francis W.
Hennessee, Reporter.
Wing News
Congratulations to Lieutenants
William H. Kettler, Troy M. Pick
ens, and Clifford L. Martin, who
were promoted to the grade of
First Lieutenants August 23.
These men received the hard
earned promotions through parti
cular ability, diligence and perse
verance. The news-staff and the
rest of the Wing take this oppor
tunity to congratulate and to ex
tend best wishes for their conti
nued progress.
Welcome to Lt. Donald R.
Whiteman of the Post Finance De
partment, who was attached to
this Detachment August 25th. Lt.
Whiteman’s office is in Post Head
quarters with Lt. J. H. Guthrie,
Jr. Incidentally, we ought to have
a particular fondness for the lieut
enant, for it is his duty to see that
we Beavers get paid on time at the
end of the month. Lt. Whiteman
comes from Scott City, Kansas, en
tered the Service Dececmber 21,
1942, was sent to Fort Logan, Colo
rado for reception and then to Fort
Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. At
Fort Harrison, Lt. Whiteman had
his share of spud peeling and
walking guard duty.
Lt. Whiteman was selected for
Officers Candidate School and pro
ceeded to Duke University at Dur
ham, North Carolina. After being
commissioned, Lt. Whiteman took
a short leave. Upon his return to
Duke, he received the glad news
that he was assigned to Randolph
Field, Texas, for duty in the Air
Corps. Lt. Whiteman is a gradu
ate of the University of Kansas
where he received his B. A. De
gree for his major in Journalism
in 1933. Lt. Whiteman is married,
has no children, is five feet, nine
inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, has
fair complexion, black hair, blue
eyes and a pleasing personality.
The Lieutenant is a member of
the National Kappa Sigma Fra
ternity and says that he is here
for “A degreening process.”
NEWS
Greeting and salutations to our
new cub reporters and editors
from Squadrons I, III, IV, and V.
It will be our honest endeavor
to maintain the high standards
carried out by the former Editor-
in-Chief, Managing Editor, and
members of the A. C. T. D. Staff.
We will strive to please.
There was a big turn-over in
the Detachment last week with
1
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TRADING POST
“Trade With Lou He’s Right With You’’
The Tailspinner
By W. D. West, Jr.
I won’t mention any names, but
on the fourth floor of G ramp,
Sqdn. IV, there are four boys
that seem to get into petty argu
ments, seemingly over nothing.
One wise fellow wishing to end
these arguments proceeded as fol
lows. the argument of the day
was about a mile runner. One fel
low said he knew this track man,
that he had broken two national
records and that no one could
beat him. Well, besides being a
rash statement, and for the love
of an argument, names began to
pass back and forth as to who
could out-run the track man. The
man that was determined to stop
the argument spoke up.
“Well, there is only one man
that I know of that can beat
him,” and he winked,” that is
Clark Kent (that’s Superman in
the funnies).”
The man who knew the runner
started to howl and laid a few
eggs before he was finished. He
had never heard of this Clark
Kent, whoever he is, couldn’t be
much. Every one agreed that Kent
could out run most any track
man alive, and so under such odds
he quit talking. I am also happy
to report the arguments have stop
ped.
THE RELUCTANT GUARD
Last week in the dead of the
night, I was suddenly awakened
by a sharp, “Halt!” by the guard
outside. “Who goes there?” he
said. The challenged man answer
ed in an obvious Southern drawl,
“Aw shucks, you wouldn’t know
me, I just got here yesterday!!!!”
Speaking of Southerners, as I
was passing down the hall yester
day, I heard a boy say, “My mo
ther would just swoon if she knew
I was living in the same room with
Yankee boys!!!”
FORMAL GUARD MOUNT
My room-mate, upon staggering
out of bed last week, told me a
wild story that happened the night
before. The story is as follows:
“I thought I was seeing things
at first when I saw the big black
things before my eyes, but then I
discovered they were rats. Millions
of them. Right before my very
eyes they held a formal guard
mount and even did ‘rats center’.
After they were given ‘fall out’,
they climbed upon the table and
began to fumble through Esquire
and the big attraction was page
42 in Cornet Magazine. Wow!!!!
They carefully raided our cookie
box, fell back in and marched
double file into the next room. I
might add that this vision came
about Saturday night after my
room-mate returned from Frank
lins.
the coming of Squadrons I and
V, and the return from furlough
and farewell to S. A. A. C. *C. of
Squadron II. I spent some time
over in Puryear and Law Halls
Friday and Saturday, just ‘‘nosing”
around. The majority of the men
were sad and downtrodden. I chirp
ed in and asked many students—
“Glad to leave, huh?”—“Hell no!”
came the replies. I can see their
viewpoints.
Many thanks to the Officers
for obtaining the free copies of
“Air Force” which are distributed
monthly. When you have finished
reading yours, pass it along to
another Beaver. Be sure to read,
“Riding the Messerschmidt May
tag” in this issue by Private Char
les M. Macko. It’s good.
A/S Jack Shaw, the former
Editor-in-Chief from Squadron II,
dropped in my room Friday eve
ning before his departure, bade
me farewell, and asked me to ex
press his thanks to the instructors
for their splendid formation they
flew in our honor at the review
Friday evening.
It was called to my attention
recently by Sergeant John Paris
that many men of this Detachment
are forgetting the proper manner
to carry on business in a Squad
ron Orderly Room. The Sergeant
pulled me into a comer by the
shirt buttons and suggested: “The
proper way to enter an Orderly
Room is to knock once on the
door, come to attention, enter and
state your business briefly, mur-
mer a gratis when said business
is completed and exit.”
(See NEWS, page 4)
Hedge Hopping
Squadron FV
As so often happens in this bu
siness of getting out a news co
lumn, a few changes have been
made, especially since the depart
ure of Squadron II has created a
few vacancies on the staff. So,
with more than a few slight mis
givings, we will endeavor to carry
on with some items which may
or may not be of interest to the
reader, hoping that our efforts
will not prove too boring.
' First, a few comments on the
recent track meet which was
staged during Squadron IV’s phy
sical training hour. Some of the
times turned in by the runners
were very good, considering that
most of them had been out of
competition for some time. In the
first race, a mile relay, Flight C’s
team of Widener, Stever, Whitney,
and Walker came from behind to
win by a margin of several yards,
in the good time of 4:08 minutes.
In the most fiercely contested race,
the open 440, Squadron Command
er Medaris turned on the heat to
nose out Wooten and Sage, after
trailing as far as the final turn.
Time for the race was 58 seconds.
The open 880 yard run saw Wat
son take the lead at the halfway
mark and finish well in front of
his nearest competitor.
Squadron IV, ribbonless since
its arrival here, now boasts the
“chow-hound” streamers, for the
best formation in marching to the
mess hall. According to those who
were near-by when the ribbons
were presented at the Friday re
view, guidon bearer A/S Kim was
so astounded when called forward
to receive them that he froze on
the spot. Now that we’ve started
with our ribbon collection, Squad
ron IV challenges any other squad
ron to take the streamers away
from them, and also warns Squad
ron III that their parade ribbons
are in imminent danger of being
captured.
With out a doubt the “smilin’est”
man in Squadron IV Saturday was
A/S Wood, lieutenant of Flight
C, when it was announced that
Flight C had walked away with
the honors in the personal inspec
tion. No less delighted were the
men of the flight, but the way
they have been laying it on some
of the fellows in A and B flights
will probably lead to some tough
competition next time.
With the need of academic sche
dules almost in sight, a new spi
rit seems to be pervading the
squadron. With only three more
weeks to go before the start of
their flying instruction, some of
the men are inclined to let down
on their studies. That is to be
avoided, especially since the men
have been warned by Captain Hill
that the emphasis is more and
more being placed on quality, ra
ther than quantity. The grades
here will play an important part
in classification at the SAACC,
more than in the past.
So let’s go, Squadron IV. Keep
on the ball, and the day won’t be
far off when you can turn in all
those old Physics and Math books,
and check out your own personal
Interstate Avenger.
And with pleasant thoughts of
three weeks hence, we bid fare
well to this column of idle no
things.
“EXHAUST”
Squadron V
Is there another squadron on
the campus who can claim the
honor of having twins in their
midst? Perhaps there is but how
many can claim the distinction of
having twins like Tom and Dick
Boning of Wilmington, Deleware?
There is a most unusual coinci
dence attached to their presence
here. Although separated by a
number of seats the two boys
made the same grade on their
Cadet Mental Test. Prior to this
the two boys attended Curtiss
Wright School and once more they
scored identical grades. On their
mechanical aptitude examination
twin scores again appeared on
their papers. Each is very fond of
basketball, football, and swim
ming and neither likes to dance.
Too bad boys, the monthly Wing
Balls have a wonderful reputa
tion for providing a good time
for all.
A bit of interesting news today
is the hero in our midst, Jim Lea-
sher. At the swimming pool du
ring a swimming test a member
of our clan became exhausted and
started to sink. Quietly Jim pulled
him to the side and helped him get
out, then re-entered the swimming
test and qualified.
Squadron Five turned out in full
force to witness Ernst Hoffman’s
Houston Symphony Orchestra the
other day. From the applause me
ter in my pocket his rendition of
Southwest Officals Bar Athletes
Who Have Played Three Years
Perhaps the biggest news of-4
tlie week-end was made by South
west Conference officials when
they decided Saturday to prohibit
athletes who have completed their
normal elegibility span of three
years from participating in con
ference football. The decision will
apply to Naval V-12 trainees as
well as the regularly enrolled stu
dents. The object behind this move,
as far as we can see it, is to at
tempt to equalize the six teams
who intend to participate in this
year’s conference. It might also
be mentioned that the officials
barred professionel players from
the conference rosters too.
At the moment there seems to
be only one case in sight where
the new ruling will take effect, but
that case may prove to be a seri
ous blow to Texas coach Dana Bi
ble. It seems that the boys from
down tealand way were counting
on Roy Dale McKays’s getting
sent back to T. U. for naval train
ing and being allowed to play.
But it also seems that McKay
completed his third football sea
son last year, so he/ would very
definitely not be allowed to play
under the new ruling. Tough luck
for the Longhorns, but they seem
to have enough material to make
up for it. Of course, there are o-
thers who will be effected by the
ruling, but this is the outstanding
case.
Sports Squibs From Here And
There: Aggies Shape Up Well
In First Scrdimmage.
As the days roll by the Aggie
team is slowly taking shape down
on Kyle Field. At the Friday after
noon practice the boys decided not
to practice Saturday afternoon and
the coach advised them that accor
dingly, the work this week will be
harder. The usual drills were held,
and the workout was concludede
by a short scrimmage session in
which the boys showed up well,
though not perfect by any means.
It is becoming more and more evi
dent, as the days pass on, that we
are going to feel the pinch of time
in a very weak spot. Time is one
thing we really need and the
question is “are we going to get
it?” Remember that the first
game is less than a month off.
According to Vic Emanuel’s co
lumn in Sunday’s Houston Post,
“Texas U. Is Eleven To Beat.”
Now we’ve never been one to
doubt Vic’s ability as a sports
scribe, but it does seem a wee bit
early for such predictions.
Special notice, especially to
freshmen! Here’s a statement from
Head Coach Homer Norton: “Tell
the boys that I am only too anxi
ous to have them come down and
watch the team practice. There
“Pavanne” drew the loudest ap
plause, although his entire pro
gram was arranged and conducted
in a manner which brought them
back to play a number of “speci
als.”.
Since our arrival here our May
tag Messerschmitt has been climb
ing slowly as we have tried to get
into the swing of everything but
our engine went to missing steadi
ly when we got our first glimpse
of the numerous physics books is
sued to us but our valve tappets
are adjusted now and all cylinders
hitting smoothly. Most of our men
have viewed physics with dread
but when questioned all have shown
determination to master said sub
ject.
It has been mentioned that
Squadron Five has the most men
to date that have already earned
combat crew wings as gunners,
radio operators, aerial engineers,
and one as a bombardier, to enter
Texas A. & M. At formations’ tai
lored shirt fronts dotted with sil
ver wings can be seen springled
through the ranks.
Our squadron participated last
Friday for the first time in the
regular review. A number of the
men have commented on the feel
ing that hits you during one of
the. reviews here. There is some
thing about it that touches you
and sets the reviews here apart
from those we have been in at
other fields and in different bran
ches of the service. For the first
time to perform in military re
views here under slightly different
procedures than we are accustom
ed too. Squadron Five drew favor
able compliments from our offi
cers. Perhaps the ribbons aren’t
won yet by our squadron but that
is only the first time.
• Guess I’d better cut the switch
es, cylinder head temperature is
too hige.
have been a few out there, but no
thing like we used to have. Some
may say that it doesn’t do the
boys any good, but I know it does.”
How about that Aggies, let’s go
down and watch that team!
Fish Tales
By Fish Ross
The Fish Ball is over, and once
again the fellows down in Dorm
No. 14 have quieted down. The
shouts and female talk have sub
sided, and everyone has happily
gone back to work, with August
27th only a memory, and the girl
friend something to really look for
ward to.
After talking to practically all
the Fish, and along with my own
personal opinion, I have come to the
conclusion that our Ball was def
initely a success. It seems that ev
ery girl on the floor really enjoy
ed the dance, and almost everyone
thought Valle a swell orches
tra. Perhaps the number of gals
present accounted for part of the
succes. Boy the beauty was run
ning loose. Many birddogs found
out that bird dogging isn’t so bad
after all.
Fish Clark claims his girl was
the prettiest girl on the flood (and
that’s hard to contradict) but
Fishes Manget, West, Crabtree,
Thompson, Moss, and many others
would almost swear that their
women would win Miss America.
Biggest wolf on the floor was
Fish Seawright. Not a girl got
passed him last Friday night. And
all sympathies go to our class
president, Fish West, who got
separated from that cute little date
of his from Houston, and was al
most “frantic.”
Fish Youngblood, who left for
Sheppard Field Sunday, was our
champion “late-dater”. He wasn’t
satisfied with 200 girls from 9 till
1:00, so he managed to grab a
Fort Worth gal, and finish off the
night.
Many compliments and praises
have been given the decoration
committee for their swell job of
beautifying the Grove. It took all
Friday afternoon in the hot sun
to do it, but they got it done. We
would also like to thank Mr. L.
D. Boone of the Student Activities
for his needed assistance in help
ing us plan our dance. Major Ler-
ner gave us some swell advice too.
Many souvenirs were collected
over the weekend both by Fish
and girls. The Fish found enough
lipstick to go into the business,
and the women found enough or
naments and pictures to load their
suitcases. Many other things were
found that, well, many other things
were found.
Our three day stay in Mitchell
wasn’t exactly pleasant. Of course,
when it’s 200 degrees at night and
your bed is steaming like the
Sahara, it isn’t bad. But when
the ants come and begin to knaw
on you, on your face, well, it’s time
to leave . . . and some Fish almost
did just that.
Fish Doughton claims that his
room smells sweeter than any
other room in the Dorm. There’s
another man going into business.
What business? Why, selling per
fume of course.
It looked like the true Aggie
Spirit the way Fish Chancellor was
telling his girl goodbye Sunday
at the R. R. Station.
Why was the Engineer’s sign
taken down from the fourth story
window? It was good spirit build
ing and really would have helped
our football boy’s moral.
Well, until next time, I’ll call it
a day. But remember that Bryan
Field is first, and Texas U. is gon
na be our goal. Let’s go in there
and BEAT THE HELL OUT OF
EVERY OPPONENT ....
WE HAVE
OUTLINES
In Almost All Subjects
Student Co-op
Phone 4-4114
One Block East of
North Gate