Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-16
Boiling Field Soldiers Find
Youth No Bar to Promotion
More Than 50 Sergeonts There
Are Under II Years of Age

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The answer to the question Of
what chance men in the very youth
fil age brackets have in the military
service, where they are surrounded
by older men, is to be found at
Boiling Field. There more than
so sergeants, all under 81, are do
ing important work with the Army
Air Forces.
The youthful sergeants received
their grades because of extraordi-
narily efficient service in their re-
spective lines of work. Some are
doing jobs calling for unusual me-
chanical skill. Others are perform
ing important clerical duties. Some,
as skilled musicians, are helping to
tighten the strain of war by playing
in the post band, the official band
of the Army Air Forces.
A visit to the field revealed Tech
nical Sergt. Paul D. Mobley, 20,
whose home Is at Charleston, S. c.,
working as an airplane armorer.
Down on his knees in the planes
cockpit, Sergt. Mobley was testing
the post mount for a machine gun.
One Is Navy Mans Son. :
"Your mounting equipment is all
right" he commented to another
sergeant working with him" Then,
afte- checking again. This post
mount is secure, everything checks!
This gun looks good enough to me to
get couple of Japs!"
Testing the gun mounting is just
one of a few Of Sergt. Mobley's
duties. Others include cleaning car
bon from the gun barrels and replace
ing worn parts. He enlisted in Oc-
tober, 1910, and became a technical
sergeant last July. Love of the serv-
ice runs in his family. His father is
a chief boatswain's mate in the
Navy. Young Mobley expressed en-
thusiasm for the Army and said he
intends to stay in after the war is
over.
Another technical sergeant, Dom
aid T. Kirkton, 20, from Ell Paso,
ILL.,, enlisted in September, 1910.
His speciality is seeing that airplane
motors function properly. He may
be found at the field dressed in
fatigue clothes, listening for any
sound that might reveal a defect.
Or he may be found checking a
planes electrical system, carefully
looking over wires which run to the
instrument board.
Both Kirkton and Mobley have
been on South American flights.
Takoma Park Man in Band.
Also at the field was found Sergt
Jack Masch, 20, from Philadelphia,
carefully inspecting the outer work.
ings Of parachute. THE tackings
are o. K" he remarked as he ex-
amined heavy stitching which holds
together the strong fiat cords. He
then examined the seal, showing
the carefully folded parachute has
not been removed since 1t was
placed in its container. 1.-THE seal
is intact. The rip cord is IN place, :"
he observed.
Sergt. John J. Thomas, 20, Of
Bridgeport, Pa, keeps telephone
services in order. ct is o. k"
Sergt. Thomas says as he tightens q
screw holding a coil in the bell box.
In the Air Forces Band is Sergt.
Norman D. Gary, 10, whose home
is at 403 Carroll avenue, Takoma
Park, Md. He and Sergt. Harold
L. Copenhaver, 20, from Girard,
Kans., were practicing on French
horns, which they play as members
of the band. Both are fond Of
Army life.
Sergt. Gary, the son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Edwin G. Gary, is a graduate
of the Montgomery Blair High
School in nearby Maryland. He at
tended the University of Maryland
for a year and half and there
played in the student band. When
the Air Forces Band was being Or
ganized and talent was being sought,
Sergt. Gary was selected as one of
its musicians.
Sergt. Copenhaver enlisted last
April at Boiling Field, after having
worked here as War Department
clerk for about six months. He was
a member of the band at the Kan
sas State Teachers College, which
he attended for year
All Satisfied With Pay.
The more than so young sergeants
are from many sections of the coun-
try. The majority Of them are high