INTER-WAR PERIOD

From 1921 through 1940, the Army supported Citizen’s Military Training Camps (CMTC). CMTC found interested citizens undergoing blocks of military training with successful completion leading to commissioning in the Organized Reserve Corps. Over the course of almost 20 years, only about 4,000 officers received commissions. Clearly, the program could not deliver to the Army the number of officers it would need in a national emergency, one which was rapidly developing.

WORLD WAR II

The idea for the modern Officer Candidate School for Infantry was conceived in June 1938, when Brigadier Asa L. Singleton, Commandant of the Infantry School, submitted a plan to the Chief of Infantry. Action to actually start training candidates began in July 1940, when Brigadier General Courtney Hodges, Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School, submitted a revised plan as part of the Army’s protective mobilization plan. The new program went into effect in July 1941, as the Infantry, Field Artillery, and Coastal Artillery Officer Candidate Schools. Other branches later followed with their own Officer Candidate Schools. On September 27, 1941, the first Infantry OCS class graduated 171 second lieutenants out of the 204 men who started the course on 9 July 1941. Even with careful selection of candidates the first class had an attrition rate of over 17 percent. Between July 1941 and May 1947, over 67,000 candidates graduated from Infantry OCS alone.

The man credited with establishing the format, discipline, and code of honor still used in OCS today was General Omar Bradley, then Commandant of the Infantry School. As the Commandant of the Infantry School, General Bradley emphasized rigorous training, strict discipline, and efficient organization. These tenets remain the base values of today’s Officer Candidate School. Of note, during the war Bradley retained two officers as his aides, Chester Hansen and Lewis Bridge. Both of these officers graduated Infantry OCS in 1941.

The War Department’s decision to terminate ROTC programs validated the ability of OCS to quickly produce high-quality officers. In May 1943, the Army suspended the ROTC advanced course and basic course graduates reported to various OCS campuses for completion of training and commissioning. Among the officers commissioned because of this decision is OCS Hall of Fame member General (RET) Frederick J. Kroesen. General Kroesen’s commands include both the Americal Division, the 82d Airborne Division and the Seventh United States Army in Europe.

The D-Day invasion of France validated the value of OCS to the war effort. Most of the company grade officers leading platoons, companies, troops, and batteries were graduates of Officer Candidate School. The heroics of Lieutenant Jimmie Monteith of the 1st Infantry Division’s 16th Infantry Regiment exemplify this. Lieutenant Monteith landed with his company during the initial assault of Omaha Beach under heavy enemy fire. He led several assaults, led tanks on foot through a minefield and into firing positions, captured an advantageous position on a hill, and defended against repeated counterattacks. When the enemy succeeded in completely surrounding his unit, Lieutenant Monteith died leading the fight out of the situation. Lieutenant Monteith’s actions led to a nomination for the Distinguished Service Cross. His courage impressed Geneneral Dwight D. Eisenhower, who penned a note to his Chief of Staff, Walter Bedell Smith: “I must say that the thing looks like a Medal of Honor to me. This man was good.” (Washington Times, Editorial: Valor at Normandy)

WORLD WAR II OCS PROGRAMS

  • Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Fort Davis, Virginia) [March, 1942 – January, 1944] The Anti-Aircraft Artillery School was moved to Fort Bliss in October, 1945

  • Armor (Fort Knox, Kentucky) [1941-1945]

  • Army Air Forces (Miami Beach, Florida) [February, 1942 – June, 1944] Moved to San Antonio, Texas in June 1944 then moved to Maxwell Field, Alabama in June 1945

  • Coast Artillery (Fort Monroe, Virginia) [1941 – 1944] Split into the Coast Artillery OCS at Fort Monroe and the Anti-Aircraft Artillery OCS at Fort Davis in March, 1942

  • Engineers (Fort Belvoir, Virginia) [July, 1941 – December, 1946]

  • Field Artillery (Fort Sill, Oklahoma) [1941 – 1947]

  • Infantry (Fort Benning, Georgia) [1941 – 1945]

  • Cavalry (Fort Riley, Kansas) [1941 – 1947]

  • Ordnance Corps (Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland) [1941 – 1945]

  • Quartermaster Corps (Camp Lee, Virginia) [1942-1946]

  • Signal Corps (Fort Monmouth, New Jersey) [1941-1946}

  • Tank Destroyer (Camp Hood, Texas) [1942-1944, then merged with Armor OCS]

  • In Theater OCS-The Pacific Theater of Operation had an in-theater OCS at Camp Columbia, Australia. The European Theater of Operation had an in-theater OCS at Fontainebleau, France.

  • Women's Army Corps (Fort Des Moines, Iowa) [1941 – 1946]

    • Congress created The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 14 May 1942, permitting them to serve in uniform, but not as Soldiers. At that time, women did not have military status. Their ranks, pay, administration and benefits differed from the Army. This created a requirement for training officers for service with the corps. To satisfy this requirement, the Army created WAAC OCS. The first WAAC OCS class of 440 candidates stood up on 20 July 1942 for a six-week course at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Candidates who graduated received commissions as third officers (equivalent to a second lieutenant). The Army soon realized the WAAC failed to provide an effective means of allowing women to serve as Soldiers and replaced it with the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) on1 July 1943. Unlike its predecessor, the WAC made women Soldiers with the same responsibilities and benefits as their male counterparts.