Freeman Army Air Field
Seymour, Indiana
CLASS 44-J

Contributed by Lt Col Bert J. Varady, Jr. USAF Ret
Son of Cadet Bert J. Varady
12/30/2017
Items from the Varady collection

 

Lt. A. Wesley Cable
Joseph W. Stephen
11/1944
 
Class Graduation Date (1944) No.
Enrolled 		 No.
Graduated 		2nd
Lieuts. 		Flight
Officers		 Eliminated Killed  Held Over
44-J December 23   242     18 0 3

Twingine Times
1944-12-22

Brigadier General Wm. O. Old To Give Commencement Speech

In order that members of aviation cadet class 44-J may be home for the Christmas holidays, graduation exercises will be held tomorrow at 9 a. m. in the post theatre instead of December 28, as previously scheduled. The cadets will receive their wings and appointments as flight officers or commissions as second lieutenants.

The 705th Band under the direction of W/O Mitchell Chetel will open the program. with the National Anthem after which Chaplain P. B. Henderson will give the invocation. The commencement speaker, Brig. Gen. William D. Old, will then be introduced by Colonel E. T. Rundquist, commanding officer of Freeman Field.

Brig. Gen. Old, veteran of the Burma campaign with more than 90 combat missions to his credit, is commanding general of the First Troop Carrier Command, Stout Field, Indianapolis, Ind. Regarded as one of the most skillful pilots in the area, he returned last June from the China-Burma­India theatre, where he was commander of the Provisional Troop Carrier Command which distinguished itself in the aerial penetration of Burma in the spring of 1944.

A graduate of Texas A & M College, and a native of Uvalde, Texas, General Old has nearly twenty years' service with the Army Air Forces. He had served in observation, heavy bombardment and fighter components of the Air Forces prior to his as assignment to Troop Carrier Command work. 

In recognition of his services overseas, General Old has been awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal. and the British Distinguished Service Order. He also wears the decoration of the Southern Cross of Brazil presented as the result of his participation in the goodwill flight to Rio De Janeiro made by USAAF units in November, 1939.

Names of graduates will be announced by Lt. Louis Rosenthal, school secretary, and Lt. Col. Howard Williams, director of training, will present the awards and wings. Lt Rosenthal will administer the oath of office followed by the benediction pronounced by Major James W. Faller. The program will be concluded with the playing of the Army Air Corps Song by the 705th Band. 

Tonight at 9 in the post gymnasium a dance for Class 44-J members, their immediate guests and Freeman Field officers will be held. The customary party sponsored by the newly commissioned men will be tomorrow at 5:30 p. m. in the Officer's Club.

Twingine Times
1944-12-29

Commencement Speaker Warns Of Task Ahead

"Peace on earth. isn't destined for this Christmas, but you men can have a part in bringing it closer by the time the next Yule­tide rolls in," Brig. Gen. William D. Old, commander of the First Troop Carrier Command with headquarters at Indianapolis; told cadet class 44-J at commencement exercises last Saturday in the post theater.

Wings and appointments as flight officers or commissions as second lieutenants were presented the graduates by Lt. Col. Howard Williams, director of training, while, Lt. Louis Rosenthal, school secretary, administered the oath. 

"Yes, it will be. your job to step in and help finish the job that has been started," Gen. Old said, "But remember -- it was a man-sized job to start with, and it still is."

Declining to predict when the war in Europe will end, the speaker, who served in the Far East as commanding general of the Provisional Troop Cartier Command during its daring aerial penetra­tion of Burma last spring, prophesied continued last-ditch resistance by the Germans, such as we have encountered so far. 

"The glowing victories about which we read almost every day in the newspapers may have softened us a little," the general said, "but the men who have been doing the fighting - both on the ground and in the air - don't work under the illusion that the war is nearly over in Europe, or that we can take a breather before finishing Japan. They know better." 

He compared the occasion at hand to commencement from high school, except that the cadets were now without a choice of business or profession, but facing the grim business of war. 

"In high school your classmates no doubt would have designated one of your number as "most likely to succeed," he said, "but here in the Army Air Forces your instructors have made certain that all of you -- not just one -- must fall into that category." 

He lauded American industry and the Army Air Forces for their coordinated achievement in building the most powerful and efficient air force ever known. With justifiable pride, he reviewed the accomplishments of the Troop Carrier Command, and also had words of praise for the work begun by the B-29's in regular attacks on the Japanese homeland. 

"It doesn't look like it's going to be a very merry Christmas for the Axis powers," he said in conclusion, "and, that little situation is due in large part to the Army Air Forces."

Jim West
Page last revised 12/30/2017
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