With The Men In Service

St. Thomas High Pals Stay Together

Two St. Thomas Catholic High School graduates with this year's class who have been through the school's athletic battles together for the last four years, are going to do their training together for bigger battles on Uncle Sam's team.

The two are Patrick James Markey, known to his intimates as Shanghai, and Douglas Roos. Both youths have joined the Marines and will receive basic training, at least, at the San Diego base. Pal left to report for duty Monday, while Doug is scheduled to report on a Saturday. 

Both boys are only 17, although Pat has been taken for a 20-year-old for more than a year now. Pat stands well above six feet high and weighs In the vicinity of 200 pounds, Doug, smaller and more compact, looks older than his 17 years, too.

For the past three years, Pat and Doug have been mainstays on the Catholic school football team. Pat playing at guards or tackle and Doug holding down one of the end positions. Doug also served in the Irish backfield now and then. Pat won all-state honors last year as a guard.

Both boys played basketball, first for Father John M. Lynch, last year for Father Robert Allen. Doug shone a bit the brighter on the hardwoods but Pat won his letter for sustained effort and gained as many plaudits from his teammates. As captain of the past season's cage team, Doug stood out as one of the top scorers in the Catholic League and was named an all-state Class C guard. Both boys were active in Catholic Youth Organization softball programs.

As a serviceman, Pat will have quite a record to live up to if he equals his father's achievements. Pat's dad, Frank B. Markey, served as a platoon sergeant in World War I for four years, from April 26, 1916 until May 1, 1920, was twice wounded in action, received the military Order of the Purple Heart medal with Oak Leaf cluster and was cited in regimental orders for exceptional leadership. During 1941-42 he acted as post commander of Ann Arbor's Disabled Veterans unit.

Pat’s home here is at 307 Maple Ridge, while Doug, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Roos, lives at 533 Elizabeth St.

Doug Roos

Pat Markey

Trains Air Cadets

Ensign John K. Moser, of the United States Naval Reserve, a former instructor of English and speech in the college of engineering at the University, is now on duty at the U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School, in Athens, Ga., training aviation cadets.

Ensign Moser recently completed his indoctrination at the V-5 Instructors School at Chapel Hill, N. C., and will aid in the twelve-week course of study and conditioning for future Navy Fliers in his new position.

A native of Wapakoneta, O., he graduated from the University here in 1938 and later received his master's degree here, also.

John Moser

Skilled Tank Mechanic

Corp. James Rene Steiner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Steiner, 6560 Scio Church Rd., has been graduated recently from the Armored Force school tank department at Fort Knox. Ky.

At Maxwell Field

Two Ann Arbor boys, members of the Army Air Forces, who are training to he pilots, have arrived at Maxwell Field, Ala., which is a pre-flight school for the pilot-trainees. The boys ore Virgil G. Peck and Herbert W. Morris.

Herbert is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Morris, 1507 Abbott St., and was a sophomore in the University when he was called to active duty.

Virgil, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn E. Peck, 818 W. Liberty St., and was employed by the Dow Chemical Co. prior to his enlistment.

These two boys will undergo nine weeks' intensive training at Maxwell Field, preparatory to beginning their actual flight training at one of the primary flying schools.

Brothers In Service

Corp. Neil A. Rauser who has been serving in the Army since January, 1942, has been joined by his brother, Donald, who was inducted in March, 1943.

Sons of Mr. Albert Rauser, 113 Hill St., Neil is in the coast artillery while Don is an infantryman.

Don, 18, graduated from Ann Arbor High school in 1942. He played on the baseball, football and basketball teams while in high school and pitched for both Blue Front and Grennan and Clague in softball games last year.

Don reported at Fort Custer, and is taking his basic training at Fort Jackson, S. C. He enjoys army life and is captain of his battalion basketball team which has won the regimental title and is now playing for the division title. However, he does feel that 105 degrees in the shade is too hot for him.

Neil is likewise captain of his battalion baseball team, and he got his experience playing for the Oldbrue city softball team. He is still interested in the city leagues and asks in his letters how the teams are shaping up this year.

Neil is a graduate of Ann Arbor High also and was employed by his father at the Rauser Outfitting Co. before he entered service. He is now a corporal technician in service in Puerto Rico.

Don Rauser

Neil Rauser

Becomes Corporal

William A. Kirstein, 19, who was inducted into the Army Feb. 20 of this year, was promoted to the grade of corporal on June 12.

"Bill" is the nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Veigel, 1501 S. State St., and graduated from St. Thomas High school in 1942.

Until entering the Army he was employed at Willow Run as a riveter.

Corporal Kirstein is now in the Engineers Corps of the Army at Camp Claiborne, La.

William Kirstein

Will Know Motors

When Pfc. Raymond J. Schira, 19-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Schira of Whitmore Lake, gets through with his Army Air Force training, he should know considerable about airplane motors.

Pvt. Schira has already been graduated from an aerial gunner's school at Tyndall Field, Fla., and is now stationed at Sheppard Field, Tex., where he is taking a 130-day course dealing with motors. When he finishes there he will be sent to a factory for a six-week finishing course. Upon finishing his work at Tyndall Field, he received the coveted silver wings of an aerial gunner.

A graduate of St. Thomas Catholic High school with the class of 1940, Pvt. Schira reported for Army service at Camp Grant, Ill., on Jan. 25. He spent six weeks at Miami Beach before being sent to Tyndall Field.

In Gunnery School

Albert Lawrence (Albie) Curtis, 24, who played both baseball and basketball in city leagues, is now playing with another kind of ball at gunners' mate school at Great Lakes, Ill., where he is taking a 16 week course.

Albie, who is a second class seaman, was inducted March 6, and took his boot training at Great Lakes, Ill. He was employed as a printer before the time of his induction.

The son of Mrs. Anna R. Curtis of 911 Vaughn Ct., Albie is a graduate of Ann Arbor High school, where he was a member of the wrestling team. He also attended Michigan State Normal College at Ypsilanti.

Albie played basketball for Edward Brothers where he was employed and for King Seeley and was well-known in city parks where he played softball.

Albie Curtis

Marine Corporal

Robert I. Prieskorn, 20, of Ann Arbor, who enlisted in the Marine Corps on April 18, 1942, is now a sergeant in the headquarters company of the marines' signal corps unit stationed on New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

Corp. Prieskorn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Prieskorn, 607 Eberwhite Blvd., was a communications man before he became a Leatherneck, having been employed as an installer for the Michigan Bell Telephone Co. He began Marine duty May 11, last year.

After completing boot training at San diego, Calif., Bob was assigned to the signal corps and was sent to a telephone school at the San diego Marine base. Shortly after his graduation, about Oct. 1, as a private, first class, he sailed for overseas service.

He received his promotion to corporal on May 10 and then was transferred to the headquarters company. Corp. Prieskorn has spent part of his time in New Caledonia in a hospital but was fine at last writing.

The corporal, whose father was a radio mechanic in the Air Corps in the last war, is a lifelong resident of Ann Arbor and was graduated from St. Thomas High in 1939.

Corp. Prieskorn

Promoted To Major

Major Robert K. Fryer, a former Ann Arbor resident and student at the University, has reported for duty at the San Antonio aviation cadet center. He has received a promotion from captain to the rank of major.

Stationed In West

Louisiana and California have seen a good deal of Corp. Leo George Welke since he enlisted in the Military Police Oct. 1, 1939.

Corp. Welke started his training at Camp Beauregard, La., then moved to Camp Livingston, La., then to Fort Ord, Calif., next to Lindberg Field, Calif., and finally to March Field, Calif., where he is stationed.

Corp Welke is the son of Mrs. Anna Welke, 425 S. Division St. He is a graduate of Ann Arbor High school and enlisted In the Ann Arbor National Guard fifteen days before he was moved to Camp Beauregard.

Leo, who goes by the nickname of "Soupie," has two brothers in the Army. He had a furlough in May and it rained every day he was home, so that he did not regret the fact that since his enlistment he has heeded (with Army help) the maxim “Go west, young man.”

'Soupie' Welke

Brothers In Service

Dr. Raymond F. Smith, 34, son of Mrs. Ella Smith, 607 E. Ann St., has graduated from flight surgeons school at Randolph Field, Tex., as a first lieutenant and is now stationed in Erie, Pa.

He enlisted In the Air Force in September, 1942, at Harrisburg, Pa., and was sent to Miami Beach, Fla., for two months. From there he reported to Macon Field, Ga., for six weeks of training previous to reaching Randolph Field.

Dr. Smith graduated from St. Thomas High school in 1928, took his A.B. at the University here, and his M.D. at Marquette University in 1930. While in high school he was active in football and basketball, being captain of the basketball team his senior year.

He married the former Jane Schneider, of Pittsburg, Pa., on Aug. 20, 1940, and has a daughter, Marianne, two, and a son, Raymond, jr., one.

Russell P. Smith, 29, Dr. Smith's brother, chose the Navy as his branch of service and is now a seaman, first class, in the supply and disbursing department at the Naval Aviation cadet selection board in Detroit.

After attending St. Thomas High school and Michigan State Normal for two years, he was employed as a bank teller for the Ann Arbor Bank (University branch) until his enlistment in October, 1942, in the Naval Reserve.

On Aug. 29, 1942, he married Dolores Campbell of Kalamazoo, who is now living at their home at 607 E. Ann St.

Raymond Smith

Russell Smith

Brother Corporals

Corps. Alton L. and Donald E. Parsons, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Parsons, 307 North St., Chelsea, chose different branches of the service to distinguish between "the Corps. Parsons.”

Donald, 20, who was inducted on Jan. 19, 1943, is in the Signal Corps of the Air Forces, while Alton, 24, inducted in November of last year, chose the Infantry.

Don, who was a riveter at the bomber plant until his entrance into the Army, reported first to Camp Grant, Ill., then took his basic training at St. Petersburg, Fla. He was sent on March 4 to Camp Crowder, Mo., where he is training at the Radio School. He was made a corporal on June 11.

Alton was employed at the Hoover Ball & Bearing Co. as a tool grinder previous to joining the Army. He reported to Camp Grant on Dec. 2, 1942, and was sent to Camp Claiborne, La., for training in the infantry where he won three medals in shooting.

He is now going to school to be a sniper and a stalker. Alton became a corporal on April 19 of this year and was home on a 10-day furlough in May.

Donald Parsons

Alton Parsons