Lee S. Manwill, Salt Lake City, Utah: an interview by Luke Kelly, July 11, 2001: Saving the legacy tape no. 267

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Lee Manwill Jul 11,2001 eyes; being near sighted." The Signal Corps is classed as a cmnbatant arm. I aid. " combatant arm?" He said, "Yes." And I said, "What's the reason [i r that?" They aid. "Well, they haven't changed it yet. During World War I the Signal Corps laid t lephon lines for the infantry." So that's why it was a combatant arm. Of course, they don't do that now. But they didn't have walkie talkies, or anything like that, you know. So it was telephone lines for the infantry. But they said, "You can go to the Chemical Warfare OCS. You qualify for OCS." I passed the exam, and I had a high enough I.Q., and this and that and other. "You can go to chemical warfare because that's a noncombatant service," which I did. I went to Chemical Warfare OCS. And in ninety days I became a shavetail they call them, or a ninety day wonder, and a 2"d lieutenant. And just before we graduated two-thirds of them washed out. I was among the lucky third. They did all kinds of things to make you blow up. I was sitting there at breakfast one day, and my companion, a real nice Jewish boy by the name of Dave Schlonski was sitting by the side of us in the mess hall. And the tack officer came up and said, "Cadet Schlonski, that will be three demerits." And Schlonski sat at attention and said, "What for sir?" He said, "Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. You buttered a half a slice of bread, and it's ungentlemanly to butter more than a quarter slice of a bread at one time." And he got three demerits and lost his weekend privilege. You can see why these guys would blow up. But I could see through it all. He made it, too. But I could see through it all. We'd take it, you know, because we had to. 23