Selecting The Best
World War II Army Air Forces Aviation Psychology
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
“All of the men here either have a Ph. D. or masters
and a few bachelors. Most of them
majored in psychology and are screwballs.
They live it day and night. You
probably won't know me when I come home.
I will have a northern accent (3 boys from Texas in our Unit) with a
psychological drawl. I am fortunate
because they are all very nice and it is more like being in college than in the
army. My ratings, if any, will come very
slowly because of the stiff competition, and also I don't amount to much because
I didn't major in psychology. Some
think my job is only temporary while others say I can stay if I want.
“. . . The food here is twice as good as it was at
Perrin. We eat in Cadet Mess, served,
instead of cafeteria style, tablecloths and napkins, have milk three times a
day and best of food.
“I got my
bag mixed with someone else's and now I am a corporal. I was lucky because the bag I lost had all
of my winter clothes and I won't need anything that was in it except maybe the
raincoat. I will get it straightened
out before long.
“I haven't bought any clothes yet, but I am going to
because I will need them. I am well
satisfied here and am fortunate to be here probably, but there is one drawback,
I am too far away from home. I will
have to work 7 days a week but when I get to where I can get a weekend pass I
will be home. I must close, but will
write in time for you to get another letter this week.
Love,
Jack”
One of the three Texans referred to in the letter
was thirty eight year-old bachelor Sgt. William T. Gibbs, acting first
sergeant, a tall, lean individual with impeccable tastes who used a cigarette
holder similar to that of President Roosevelt’s, but would not listen to the
President’s Fireside Chats for fear of being persuaded. Bill, with a B. B. A. from Baylor, entered
service from a comfortable civilian position as administrator of an estate for
a lady in Lufkin, Texas. He took a
liking for me because I talked like a Texan, was not a Yankee, nor a psychologist. His assistant was Cpl. Jack A. (Jockey)
Baker, “Detachment Supply Man” from Lexington, Kentucky with an A. B. in
journalism, U. of Notre Dame and an M. A.
in sociology, U. of Kentucky who served as a Psychology Assistant at U.
of Ky. before the war. 6
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Book Details
About the Book
Seven months before Pearl Harbor the Chief of the US
Army Air Corps foresaw the need for a large air force, and approved
establishment of a Psychological Research Agency to select pilots, navigators,
and bombardiers. Psychologists from
leading University Psychology Departments were commissioned, ordered to active
duty, and began developing an aircrew classification program.
On enlistment in the US Army Air Corps, the author
was assigned to Psychological Research Unit #2, San Antonio, Texas, and quickly
trained as a psychomotor examiner, a part of the two-day testing program to
select the finest aircrew candidates.
Between July 1942 and the end of World War II, 600,000 men were examined
to select the best pilots, navigators and bombardiers the world had ever
seen.
Selecting The Best gives the reader a view of tests, officers
and enlisted men at two of ten examination sites and the School of Aviation
Medicine, Randolph Field, Texas. After
three days at PRU #2 in 1942, John Steinbeck reputedly called the program,
“America’s Secret Weapon.” Excerpts
from letters, diary, official reports, and a reminiscent symposium tell the
story of how, by selecting the best, psychologists saved lives and training
time, and contributed toward winning World War II.
About the Author
The author first became interested in letters when
searching for a doctoral dissertation subject at the University of Kentucky in
1950. Letters and related personal
documents enable readers to discover a story, one medium used by the former AAF
Sergeant to tell World War II Aviation Psychology’s story of selecting the
world’s best pilots, navigators, and bombardiers.
This 82 year-old psychologist, and his wife retired
to rural Texas roots and enjoy a lakeside 17 acres - gardening, mowing,
photography, writing, and worshipping at a local Baptist church. Recipient of hundreds of old family
documents, he has published one other book, “Albert’s Hidden Treasure” based on
personal documents and is co-authoring a third book with his oldest son.