Naval History and Heritage Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Abigayle Lutz, NHHC Communication and Outreach Division

Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Director, Samuel J. Cox, U.S. Navy rear admiral (retired), made remarks during a ceremony for the state historical marker of U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Sept. 30.

Established on Feb. 27, 1942, the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School at Chapel Hill was one of only five such schools in the country during WWII that prepared future naval aviators.

“The Pre-Flight School here in Chapel Hill played an integral part in the training of naval officers during WWII,” said Cox. “It is a privilege to be a part of the historical marker ceremony in which we honor those that served and the impact the school had on the surrounding community and our Navy.”

Around 20,000 trained at the school between 1942 and 1945, providing a great impact on the university and town both which had been suffering financially. Three future presidents spent time at the Chapel Hill preflight school, including George H. W. Bush, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan.

The Pre-Flight School hosted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was part of the Navy’s V-12 Officer Training Program, a program created in response to the Navy’s struggle with personnel demands during World War II.  

During the early 1940s, the Navy faced a critical need for commissioned officers to fulfill the demands of the war. Simultaneously, colleges and universities across the country encountered a decline in student enrollment. This was primarily due to the fact that young men who would have typically pursued higher education were either drafted into military service or voluntarily enlisted.

The V-12 program had a dual purpose: to train a significant number of officers for the Navy and to counterbalance the declining enrollment in educational institutions. Supported by federal government backing, the V-12 program provided funding for tuition at participating colleges and universities. These institutions offered courses tailored to qualified candidates, which included naval enlisted personnel recommended by their commanding officers and high school seniors who successfully passed a qualifying examination.

For more information on the V-12 program, please visit https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1942/manning-the-us-navy/v-12-program.html#:~:text=Under%20the%20Navy%20College%20Training,up%20with%20their%20school%20work.

NHHC, located at the Washington Navy Yard, is responsible for the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of U.S. naval history and heritage. It provides the knowledge foundation for the Navy by maintaining historically relevant resources and products that reflect the Navy's unique and enduring contributions through our nation's history, and supports the fleet by assisting with and delivering professional research, analysis, and interpretive services. NHHC is composed of many activities including the Navy Department Library, the Navy Operational Archives, the Navy art and artifact collections, underwater archeology, Navy histories, ten museums, USS Constitution repair facility and the historic ship Nautilus.

For more news from NHHC, visit www.history.navy.mil.

--NHHC--

Note to Media:    For more information, contact the Naval History and Heritage Command Public Affairs Office at 202-433-7880 or nhhc_publicaffairs@us.navy.mil.