He graduated number one in his class of 500 aviation cadets.
Their course of instruction, however, was essentially the same as that for aviation cadets.
He was appointed an aviation cadet on February 5, 1941.
With a station complement of about 2,500 officers and men, the initial aviation cadets began their training.
He then joined the Air Force as an aviation cadet.
It was bad enough being an aviation cadet without having to act like a soldier in the blistering heat every Sunday afternoon.
On 3 April, he was discharged at his own request to accept an appointment as an aviation cadet.
As aviation cadets we had solved the problem by starching our flight suits.
At the age of 17, he became an aviation cadet after passing the examination in Sacramento, California.
This was before the day of aviation cadets; officers were accepted for the flight training program only after at least two years of sea duty.