Evening star., 1942-08-12
Terrific Pace Gives
Human Endurance
No Consideration
Brutal Process Planned
To Produ,e Iron Lot
Close to Supermen
BY GRANTLAND RICE,

ANY O1le "Ilo "UuIu IthS " hlIoN
what the final word in no-imit
training is should go to the naval
air cadet schools at North Carolina,
Georgia. Iowa and ST. Marys.
Here you will run across a no
limit program for men who recoe-
nize no limit in what the human
system can stand.
We happen to know at closer range
what is happening at the cadet
school at North Carolina where
Comdr Keesing. Harvey Harman
and Jim Crowley are in charge.
Your eyes won't believe what
they see, a recent observer tells me.
These men are going through a
toughening that makes football
training camp resemble something
like picking violets.
These men are up at $50 and
for the next 10 hours or longer they
face assignments that would break
the heart of anything but an
iron OK.
Take Beatings-and Like 1t.
"fThe toughest type of football
the toughest types of wrestling and
hoxing-cross- country runs with
heavy packs-swimming under water
with their clothes on-rope climbing
and fence jumping-everything one
can think of to harden them physic-
ally and mentaly-to make them as
close to supermen in spirit and ac-
complishment as man can be made
Here Is one example, or two ex-
amples," our observer said. Il saw
a fight where an experienced, hard
hitting boxer was matched with a
novice. The novice was knocked
down with the first punch-a terrific
wallop on the nose-and lay there
In the ring.
This novice had just come to
camp. Then I saw another boxing
novice who had been in camp sew
eral weeks. In the fifth round he
was knocked down five times. He
apparently was clean out. The ref
cree then stopped the fight. AS he
did the battered and beaten novice
jumped up, knocked down the ref
cree and then tried to annihilate his
opponent.
No Pity Shown, None Asked.
That's the spirit they are building
up at North Carolina.
"The same thing is happening at
other camps. The men who take
these daily beatings are shown no
pity and no sympathy. They are
not looking for either. They know
the job they have ahead far more
than the Government or the country
at large today understands"
They are going through all this
In the belief that few of them ever
will come back. They are about the
finest patriots and have shown the
finest spirit I've evereseen. Those
who already have been around for
some time prove what you really
can do to human material when you
give it the full works.
Men come here who never have.
played football-who never have
thrown or kicked a football. Yet
within a few weeks these same men
show you amazing improvements,
They may not resemble experienced
football veterans, but at least they
resemble football players.
Will Be Worth Watching.
"They make up in spirit and hard
iflood and roughness what they may
lack in elemental skill. When they
bleck and tackle they give all they
have, plus trifle more"
Each of these four naval cadet
teams faces hard college schedule
of 10 or IL games.
They all have few experienced
players but not so many. And these
squads will be drifting in and out
there one week-and gone the next
So their coaches won't know Just
how long any team can last. This
will be the toughest coaching job
in the country, where team play
will be something hard to carry
along through any full schedule.
But they will be an interesting
bunch to watch" our observer says,
For you can gamble all you have
they will be in the best physical con-
dition any team will know, and they
will give every play everything they
have. I know all their coaches are
looking for many headaches.
War Will Find Them Fit,
They can't be expected to win
too many games from the terrific
college schedules they face. for there
will be more than a few strong col
lege teams this fall. Teams every
bit as strong as the teams of the
last few years.
But these teams will give the
crowds something to see in raw spirit
that will more than make up for any
minor deficiencies in football form
Il haven't seen all these cadet
camps. But I can say that the one
now at North Carolina is building
up group of men that will be better
equipped for war than any bunch
that ever went into action"
What about eirls?" one of The
men was asked. Listen" he said
"after a days work If Hedy Lama
and Lana Turner came along wee
throw rocks at EN-"
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