July 12, 1943 - Air Corps Denial Letter

Well, this was probably discouraging.  A letter dated July 12, 1943 to my father informs him that he does not qualify for Aviation Cadet Training (for the Army Air Corps.)  Now I am beginning to think that it was at this point he began eating so much to try to gain weight (not starting the previous year.)  He would have received this letter, and then tried for a little over a month to gain the weight he needed to qualify.

June 25, 1943 - Air Corps Induction Letter

The summer (especially the late summer) of 1943 was when things started picking up with Daddy's enlistment into the military.  He must have been very happy to receive this letter from the Air Corps directing him to report on July 8 for training.

May 13, 1943 - Navy Officer Candidate School Letter

My father must have really been reaching out to see what his options were regarding enlistment and training.  The Navy V-12 program was offered at his new alma mater : Millsaps College.  This would have initially kept him close to home and would be a nice option for the future.

Had he been accepted, he might have rubbed elbows with Johnny Carson.  The famous comedian and host of The Tonight Show joined the Navy in June of 1943 and received his V-12 training at both Colombia University and Millsaps College.

It was not to be, however, as Daddy got his first denial letter.  They do not detail the reason(s) for the denial, but I'm sure Daddy still felt like he could join the Air Corps.

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May 6, 1943 - Third Letter of Recommendation

This is the last of three letters of recommendation we found in Daddy's files with his scrapbook.  It appears that he was also interested in the Navy V-12 program; I will post the letter he received from the Navy V-12 in a week.

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If not on the radio on May 6, then I'm sure the news spread rapidly via newspaper that the Philippines had fallen.  Daddy's connection to the Philippines, while distant, would be part of his experience to come.

May 3, 1943 - Another Letter of Recommendation

World War II was still churning across both oceans east and west of Jackson, MS.  My father was nearly through is freshman year at Millsaps College.  Now that he was past the limitation of being 18 years old, he was making plans to join the Army Air Corps and be a pilot.

Never Give Up

While my father was still very young, he obviously had a "never give up" attitude already.  The Army Air Corps recruitment officer had already told him he didn't qualify because he didn't weigh enough.  Determined to be a P-38 pilot, Daddy ate like he had never eaten before.  He was naturally slender, as his father before him. Gaining weight at his age was harder than it seemed.

Guadalcanal and Millsaps College

Just before classes would have started at Millsaps College, the United States began the "boots on the ground" invasions in the Pacific.  Marines of the 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal August 7, 1942...Daddy's 18th birthday.