Evening star., 1942-05-19
Two-Fisted Fighters,
Superforce Will Be
Commands Of Air
Football, Boxing, Soccer
To Develop Spirit ef
Teomwork, Aggression
(This is tue first of three stories
on the Napys neiD aviation physi-
cal training program.
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

Associated Press Sports Writer.
In the not too distant future the
United States Navy will start turn
ing loose against the Axis powers
the toughest, roughest, most physi-
cally accomplished set Of fighting
pilots that ever kicked a plane about
the sky.
They will be the first products OF
1t. Comdr. Tom Hamilton's new
naval physical training program
the first Commands of the air
Their entry into the world conflict
will herald a revolutionary change
in pilot training and serve notice on
the Axis powers that this Nation
has decided to fight on the basis OF
no holds barred.
This new super air fighter, when
he has completed his IL months OF
training, will know-among many
other things-about all there is to
know about "hand-to-hand" fight
ing. That is only refined way OF
describing back ALLEY fighting. He
will have been taught by experts.
All Must Be Aggressive.
He will be able, in case his plane
Is disabled and he lands in the
water, to keep af1oat for four or five
hours or to swim or miles in full
equipment. That is the minimum
prescribed by Comdr. Hamilton.
From long hours Of boxing he will
know how to absorb punishment and
how to throw his Sunday punch" ."
He will have a highly developed
feeling for teamwork and aggres-
sion, derived from football, basket
ball and soccer. From actual eX-
perience he will know how to live
off the ground" how to survive for
an indefinite period in wilderness or
desert and eventually to return to
his unit.
He still will be a gentleman,
Comdr. Hamilton hastens to add.
The Navy is not lowering It's stand
ard in that respect, and mothers
need not fear that their sons Will
be demoralized by this new training
It has been found necessary TO IN
stall. But he will be hard-bitten
gentleman, extremely dangerous TO
the enemy and with the greatest
chance of survival under all cond1-
tions that any fighting man could
have.
Too Many Found Unfit.
Every flyer who Is able TO save
himself by his own efforts and re-
turn to the fight represents saving
of about $12,OoG-the cost OF his
training" said Comdr. Hamilton
realistically. And it puts US that
much closer to eventual victory"
How important and necessary the
Navy considers this radical new
method of training its airmen best
may be judged, perhaps, by the TACT
that it will add five months to the
period previously required to turn
out q fighting pilot-a year instead
of seven months. 1t is bold sacrl-
flee to make in wartime, when pilots
must be produced by the tens OF
thousands. But, painful to say. it is
necessary because our young men
have grown soft in the last 20 years.
1--WE had to face it," said Hamil-
ton soberly, too few applicants for
naval hying-much less than half
have been able to pass the physical
exam. And too many who did pass
originally have been unable to stand
the gaff.
Training Starts May rs.
"I ha' TO say it, but the Ger
mans, at least, were far ahead OF us
in their pre-fight physical training.
We are going to catch up, fast"
The first of the Navy's new pre-
flight physical foundries will open
May % at Chapel Hill, N. c., and at
Iowa City, Iowa, site of the State
universities. One June II the Sec
ond two will start at Athens, Ga,
where the University of Georgia is
located, and at Moraga, Calf, home
of st. Mary's College. Each will
handle about 1900 cadets. Eventu-
ally the system is designed to turn
out 10000 flying commandos each
year.
Next: Hamilton pleads for increased
college athletics0