Evening star., 1941-12-06
Navy Air Cadets Talk
Girls and Planes, Not
War, Reporter Says
Life at Base in Florida
Described; Most Mishops
OF Non-serious Nature
Bv SHELAH GRAHAM.

vi INUU-SSIiOu i>OtoiG
Rv SHEILAH GRAHAM,
Correspondent OF The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance
MIAMI, Fla. Dec. 6.-The United
States Navy will include 18 aircraft
carriers by l945. The men assigned
TO the planes on the huge floating
hangers are trained under Com
manding Officer G. F. Began at the
Miami Naval Air Station, Opa -Locka
(about 20 miles from Miami Beach,.
Here. against a background of
what at first sight appears 10 be a
supersWank country club. hand
picked cadets receive the final polish
IN a course of flying that lasts from
five TO seven months before winning
the coveted wings and reporting for
Pacific or Atlantic air duty.
How do they work, how do they
live. how do they play what do they
hope for. now and in the future, the
Young eX-college flyers average age
23l who but for the present emer-
eenCv would be training or working
as LAWYERS. journalists. accountants,
and statesmen?
Girls. Planes Chief Topics.
This reporter was surprised when
talking with several cadets 10 find
that the present war occupies less
than a secondary place in thoughts
and conversation. The talk is about
equally divided on the subjects of
aviation and girls. The one time
heard the war mentioned was when
a cadet. on the verge OF emerging
as an ensign, remarked:
If we fight I hope it will be with
the Japanese-theyr easier 10 lick
than the Germans A big percent
age of the trainees who must sign
up for four wears in the U S. N r.
want 10 remain IN aviation as a
peaCetlme career. as flyers with
commercial transport companies or
IN the plane manufacturing end.
AS cadets. the BOYS receive SIS a
month plus $40 which they give back
for living subsistence. Ensigns are
paid S205 a month plus $40 If quar-
tered outside the base There are a
few wealthy boys among the cadets.
but most Of them live on their pay.
The flyers are the best dressed.
best housed, best taken care of
talmost to pamperlng point of any
section in the United States fighting
services. While the boys at Opa- :
Locka do not quite sleep on box
spring mattresses, the beds have
nothing Of the Army cot about them
and there are only two 10 each room
The naval base has two huge
swimming pools. one for the officers
and cadets, the other for the enlisted
men. There are also SIX tennis courts
for each group. And two squash
courts. And movie theater. There
is an officers club-dues 81 a month
in which there is very popular
bar (the drinking sort and where
dances are held every other Satur-
dav.
The cadets. with an exception here
and there. 90 not drink hard liquor
during flying hours. But after the
last plane comes to earth on Satur-
day the bars in the vicinity do a
rip-roaring trade. There is 10 flying
at all on Sunday and the accumu-
lated steam of the week finds a
needed outlet on Saturday night.
Can't Marry for Years.
Cadets are prohibited from mar
riage for two years after volunteer
ing for service. But several of the
BOYS find the urge of matrimonv
irresistible and there have been
some secret weddings. The rest of
the boys hunt the female of the
species with a happy nonchalance
Uhere is an abundance of vacation
ing ladies IN nearby Miami. And
patriotic hoSteSSes with an eve for
the Navy give parties and ask for the
attendance Of the young flyers in
numbers up to IS.
An allowance of $50 goes to every
cadet for his uniforms. which usually
cost double the amount allowed
Each tralnee has two white uniforms
(which look pretty good against q
Miami evening background. one
blue uniform and as many in khaki
as the flyer can afford.
A tremendous trade in second
hand cars goes on around the base.
Girls, fun and Miami being 20 miles
away, the boys feel the need of a
ground CONVEYANCE, w,.'Ch they buy
on arrival, sell when they leave
But it isn't all playing Not by
a long way. The Gay for a cadet
at the Miami Naval Air Station
begins at $50 IN the morning. For
30 minutes he is allowed to pull
himself together, sweep out his
room. make his bed and dress.
Breakfast a big breakfast. is at
s am. He reports to the hangar
a half-hour later And al I goes ur
for his frs fight, He Is fying
practically all Gay with brief returns
to earth for food and Catnaps. Sup
per IS served from ) to pm.
Lights out" sounds at 9:45 pm,
but the cadet must be in the base
by 9:l5 pm. with the exception
Of the aforementioned whooping-it-
up Saturday.
Minor Accidents Frequent.
The planes, in which the cadets
learn to be good flyers, are hneo
up on the big fields ana in the three
huge hangers and they are not
exactly new Accidents are fire.
quent, but usually of a on-serious
nature-a wing is sCraped in land
ing, propeller bent or tai
buckled.
A cadet with engine trouble made
a forced landing couple of DAYS
ago, and asked whether the fault
lay with him or his plane. we
reckoned she (the plane had one
more fight in her" he uas told