NAVY V-12 PROGRAM

NAVY V-12 PROGRAM. WORLD WAR II created a great demand for military officers. To assist in solving this need, the United States Navy began officers' training at colleges and universities in a project called the V-12 Program. The project was unique because men were officer candidates in an enlisted status while attending civilian schools under contract with the navy. (1)

In March 1943 the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE was approved by the navy for V-12 basic and specialized war training. With this approval, the university became one of three schools in Iowa (St. Ambrose, Iowa State College (Ames), and the University of Dubuque) and 131 college and universities across the United States. (2)

The University of Dubuque welcomed the program at a time when enrollments in college were falling. Because of the program, many students who would not have been able to afford it received a college education. Local residents who smoked found another benefit of those in uniform. The navy regularly supplied seamen with packs of cigarettes at the ship's service price of thirteen cents. (3)

On April 2, 1943 exams and physicals were given to the Naval Reserve Class of V-12. When the program began on July 1, 1943, three hundred participants in the program entered the university. (4) On campus, the men wore uniforms, served under navy discipline, and were paid fifty dollars per month as apprentice seamen. Navy regulations required that seamen give 52-58 hours per week to classwork. There was one hour of military drill, one hour of navy organization and five hours of physical education. Other university activities could be participated in as long as they did not interfere with study. The university calendar was changed to the quarter system so that a seaman could complete his college work in two years and twenty weeks. This was the Dubuque Plan. As men completed training, new men replaced them. (5)

One of the first extra-curricular activities was the organization of a V-12 band. The group performed at dances and parties. (6) Robert E. Carpenter was the only native Dubuque resident in the group.

In surpassing their quota in war bond sales, training groups were placed on an honor roll. In 1944 the university's class was one of 17 out of 120 across the nation in surpassing their goal of war bond sales. (7) Yearly inspections of the entire program were carried out by a training officer from the ninth naval district. (8)

In October 1944 the program saw an enrollment of 528 including 21 cadet nurses and 215 V-12 men. That year the University of Dubuque's theological seminary was approved as a training school for navy chaplains. (9) By 1945 it was felt that because the war was being won and many universities had opened naval reserve officer training programs the V-12 program's end was near. (10) The V-12 program ended at the university the day before the pep rally preceding the first homecoming weekend (October 19-20, 1945) at the university since 1943. (11)

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1. Kruse, Len. My Old Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa: Center for Dubuque History--Loras College, 2000, p. 70

2. Ibid.

3. "V-12 Trainees Get Smokes From Navy," Telegraph Herald, February 13, 1945, p. 10. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aFRFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7LsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4742,2466542&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

4. "Two Officers Head Program," Telegraph Herald, June 6, 1943, p. 8. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FUlFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o7sMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3355,468958&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

5. Kruse, Len., p. 71

6. "Navy V-12 Band Concert Scheduled," Telegraph Herald, September 29, 1944, p. 2. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QtJkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wnUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1227,2105397&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

7. "Navy V-12 Unit on War Bond Honor Roll," Telegraph Herald, August 13, 1944, p. 8. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1u9iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rXUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4665,4302865&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

8. "Yearly Inspection Made of V-12 Unit," Telegraph Herald, August 30, 1945, p. 17. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m0djAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K3UNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3181,3082551&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

9. "Pick Seminary for Navy Unit," Telegraph Herald, September 12, 1944, p. 12. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NdJkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wnUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3310,357067&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

10. "Naval Program to Remain at 'U,' Telegraph Herald, April 2, 1945, p. 7. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y1thAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_3UNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3305,1012808&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en

11. "Homecoming at UD First Since Early War Years," Telegraph Herald, October 14, 1945, p. 13. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2FRhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RHUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4156,739327&dq=v-12+program+dubuque&hl=en