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Little is documented about the V-12 USC Unit. These men were attending the
[University of Southern California]
while in the V-12 Program. Those who were designated as Marines were in the
[SemperFi]
with the [USC NROTC Unit].
From The Log, Fall 1999:
When World War II ended, NROTC units on several university campuses were terminated and their midshipmen transferred to
other schools. In the fall of 1945, the Midshipman of Redlands Univeristy NROTC Unit were loaded into buses and sent, half
and half, to USC and UCLA. Some of them who were captured in a photograph from the USC unit are thought to be:
Allan H Stubbs, CDR Kerr USN (ret), Robert F Smith, M Pratt ?, Madison ?, Marvin Ross Bigelow, R. E. Roehl, D. E. Welton,
H. C. Hostetter, P. R. Duckworth, W. J. Purdy, J. P Finch, J. D. Harshman, Carr ?, Stone ?. R. L. King, R. S. Bray, H. T.
Vaum, Warren Christopher. And perhaps Sherwood, Smith, or Harshman.
From The Log, Fall 1999:
Hi Bill,
I finally found the USC/Redlands file and it was right under my nose all the time. The unit transferred from Redlands to
USC in October of 1945. At the time the war was over and the Navy was rapidly winding down all the officer programs to demobilize
as fast as they could. We stayed at USC until 30 Jun 1946 when we were all discharged and some of us entered the Naval reserve
as apprentice seamen. That summer most of us were on the 52-20 club, and working as civilians. I worked in a steell mill for
a while but that was too hard on my delicate body so I quit and went to work for the industrial city
of Vernon running a survey crew. One day I got a letter from the Navy asking if I were interested in participating in the
Holloway Program. Under this arrangement they would give us Midshipman commissions and then guarantee USN commissions on
graduation but we would be obligated for two years of service for the one year (our senior year) of schooling they would
provide. Then we would have a choice of staying as career officers or resigning. If we left the service at this point we were
obligated to seve 6 years in the reserve. Uncle Sam always gets his return on an investment. That is why so many of us from my
class ended up in the Regular Navy. They paid us a stipend of fifty dollars a month and paid for all our tuition and books which
at USC was quite a bit of money. We all had to have part time jobs to make it but the hard times were fun and it permitted all us
peasants to graduate from a big univeristy. I think I prize that Midshipman's commission as much as I do my Captain's commission!
One thing about this arrangement, we were all young and full of piss and vinegar and it led to years of high adventure. I really didn't
mean to get so long winded when all you asked for was the date we came down from Redlands, but I suspect as we get closer to buying the
farm we enjoy looking back, especially if you can find a sympathetic listener.
With warm regards, CAPT Paul Trejo, Class of 1947.
Below is a listing of some of those men who are accounted for. If you have more information, please contact
the Webmaster.
Thomas H JOHNSTON
[Bio]
Jack L SELK
[Bio]
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