Campus Military Training
Dublin Core
Title
Campus Military Training
Description
Military training on the campuses of Madison County colleges goes back to the days of Central University when the chancellor and many of the faculty were ex-Confederate officers and emphasized the military side of education. Drill and cannon firing were an integral part of everyday student life at Central.
The Reserve Officers Training Corps came to the campus of Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College in 1936. The first professor of military science and tactics was Lt. Col. Charles W. Gallaher. He was assisted by Capt. Eugene M. Mink and Capt. William W. Ford. Among those commissioned in 1940 were Frank H. Wilcox, Raymond Huck, James T. Hennessey and Richard L. Brown, who were the battalion staff for that first graduating class. Among those commissioned during World War II were Fred Darling, William Stocker and Guy Whitehead.
After the graduation of the class of 1943, R.O.T.C. was replaced by the Army Specialized Training Program (A.S.T.P.) and the Women's Army Corps Program (WACS). It is interesting to note that President Martin recently announced that the WAC program was again to be offered at Eastern and women in uniform will again become a familiar scene as it was in 1943-45.
R.O.T.C. was re-organized at Eastern in 1945 under Lt. Col. John O. Taylor. This writer was commissioned via R.O.T.C. in 1951 after serving as regimental adjutant. We were the first non-veterans in the post-war era, although a part of our class were veterans. Col. William D. Paschall was the PMS&T and he was assisted by Major David Easterday and Major Willard Jones. Sgt. William Clark was one of our favorite instructors. Our class was at summer camp when the Korean War broke out.
We were trained in field artillery, but the unit changed to general training in the 1950's. Col. Joseph L. Pilant is presently chief regular Army officer assigned to Eastern.
Mention should also be made of the Berea College Navy V-5 or V-12 program which operated on that campus during World War II. Many Navy officers went on from the Berea campus to duty in the Atlantic and the Pacific.
The R.O.T.C. program turns out more officers than any other training program now in existence.
The Reserve Officers Training Corps came to the campus of Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College in 1936. The first professor of military science and tactics was Lt. Col. Charles W. Gallaher. He was assisted by Capt. Eugene M. Mink and Capt. William W. Ford. Among those commissioned in 1940 were Frank H. Wilcox, Raymond Huck, James T. Hennessey and Richard L. Brown, who were the battalion staff for that first graduating class. Among those commissioned during World War II were Fred Darling, William Stocker and Guy Whitehead.
After the graduation of the class of 1943, R.O.T.C. was replaced by the Army Specialized Training Program (A.S.T.P.) and the Women's Army Corps Program (WACS). It is interesting to note that President Martin recently announced that the WAC program was again to be offered at Eastern and women in uniform will again become a familiar scene as it was in 1943-45.
R.O.T.C. was re-organized at Eastern in 1945 under Lt. Col. John O. Taylor. This writer was commissioned via R.O.T.C. in 1951 after serving as regimental adjutant. We were the first non-veterans in the post-war era, although a part of our class were veterans. Col. William D. Paschall was the PMS&T and he was assisted by Major David Easterday and Major Willard Jones. Sgt. William Clark was one of our favorite instructors. Our class was at summer camp when the Korean War broke out.
We were trained in field artillery, but the unit changed to general training in the 1950's. Col. Joseph L. Pilant is presently chief regular Army officer assigned to Eastern.
Mention should also be made of the Berea College Navy V-5 or V-12 program which operated on that campus during World War II. Many Navy officers went on from the Berea campus to duty in the Atlantic and the Pacific.
The R.O.T.C. program turns out more officers than any other training program now in existence.
Creator
Dr. Fred Engle
Date
5/31/1972
Rights
Content may be freely copied for personal and educational purposes with appropriate citation. Permission is required to reprint.
Files
Collection
Citation
Dr. Fred Engle, “Campus Military Training,” Madison's Heritage Online, accessed March 29, 2023, https://madisonsheritage.eku.edu/items/show/785.