[303rd-Talk] Volunteers?

[John Jenkins]

Greetings, as was once said --

        It seems probable to me that different procedures existed at different times during the war.  Being unable to locate the little wallet-size card I was once given when I enlisted, memory will have to do.  In early 1943, not having yet reached my 18th birthday, I was able to enlist in what I'm fairly sure was called the "Army Air Corps Enlisted Reserve" as a private.  This enlistment was specifically for the Aviation Cadet program.  At the time I was allowed to request the month in which I would be called to  active duty, as long as I had reached the age of 18 at that time.  I was also given the card I mentioned to show the local draft board when it was time for me to register with them.

        When in basic training, we sometime-to-be Aviation Cadets held the enviable rank of private, which designation was changed to "Aviation Student" during the about 10 weeks spent in what was known as a "College Training Detachment".  This was changed officially to "Aviation Cadet" when we successfully passed through the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center following the earlier training periods.  The only exception to this that I can recall concerned a few individuals who entered the overall program holding enlisted rank previously earned.  For some reason they were still known as "Aviation Students" and could wear the insignia of rank once held after being declared eligible for further training.

        Although I remember a very small number of individuals who seemed to be "working the system" by bouncing from one part of the Aviation Cadet program to another, the sense of it all was that every one who became a Cadet was a volunteer, and continued so unless eliminated from the program for a specific reason.  In my navigation class, I cannot recall anyone asking to be let out for any personal reason.  While in crew training, there no doubt were some who were having second thoughts about the whole thing, or who just could not manage the activity required.  The first Flight Engineer assigned to our crew was on the elderly side (about 40, I think), and arthritic to the extent he could not readily get the airplane refueled upon our return from a training flight.  So a replacement was found for him.

                                                        John I. Jenkins