1939
My Father
Inspection
My Father
by Jim Gehman
My father, Capt. Harold W. Gehman, USN (Ret.), class of 1939, had been married only 16 days when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He spent most of the war on cruisers in the North Atlantic escorting merchant ships to Murmansk, Russia. He came home to Norfolk just long enough to father three war babies and a fourth after the war. He was a hero to me. Of course, anyone brave enough to go to war is a hero to me. His life exemplified paragraph 376 of Regulations of the United States Naval Academy, 1928, which states, “Midshipmen should not chafe under, but should be proud of, a high standard of discipline and conduct at all times a standard that wins for them and for the academy well-merited praise.”
Hal did not win the Medal of Honor nor did he advance beyond the rank of Captain. He did his job with the confidence and discipline developed at the academy. Sometimes that job was under the direct supervision of some tough task masters like, Admirals John S. McCain and John D. Bulkley.
Although he never made Admiral, he had the distinct honor of pinning the fourth star on his son, Admiral Harold W. Gehman, jr., now retired. He did so at NATO SACLANT headquarters in Norfolk with a large audience of US and NATO senior officers. As he pinned on the stars, he turned to the audience and said, “If I knew it was this easy, I would have stayed in.” The audience erupted in laughter.
Neither my brother nor I attended the Naval Academy. However, through our father, we and our two sisters benefited from its insistence on discipline, hard work, service to nation and community and integrity. We are proud of our father and of how the Academy helped form his life and ours.
Inspection
By Harry M. Euler '39 (Deceased)
Provided by his late wife, Barbara C. Euler, ex-WAC Captain, USAF
In 1944, on my return from sea duty and assignment to ferry duty at Great Lakes, I spent leave with my wife at Dayton, Ohio. Barbara was a WAC captain in the Air Force and commanding officer for all the WACs stationed at Wright Field. While I was there we were staying in Barbara’s apartment in town.
The WAC Detachment consisted of four platoons, each commanded by a WAC lieutenant. In the course of the first few days, I had become acquainted with this lovely group of young WAC officers.
One morning as Barbara left for work, she told me she would be late tonight because the colonel was going to inspect the troops after working hours. We agreed that I would meet her at the field and we would have dinner at the officers’ club.
Upon my arrival at her office, Barbara’s chin was close to her desk. She told me the troops were ready for inspection but that the colonel had just phoned that he was not going to be able to make it.
I, in jest, volunteered to be his substitute, and the offer was readily accepted! My instructions were to check for proper ties and straight seams on the stockings. As we approached each platoon leader, I was greeted with a snappy salute and a sly wink. To keep my military decorum, I proceeded briskly up and down the beautifully-groomed lines.
I have often wondered how many naval officers ever had the chance to inspect 400 charming WACs.