Officer Candidate School

Aberdeen, Maryland

Beginning in March of 1963, Jack attended Officer Candidate School in Maryland, in the class at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (Jack Nemerov, WWII Memoir). The objective of O.C.S. was to find out if the young men had the nerve to stand up under adverse circumstances. Drill conditions were purposely made extremely arduous to complete. For example, on one occasion while the class was in the field, officers shot with 45’s very close to their unsuspecting heads (Jack Nemerov, We Remember History Oral Interview). Instances like these caused many men to break down and as a result, they were booted out. The entirety of the class proved to be too much for about 25% of the entry total (Jack Nemerov, WWII Memoir). Only 120 out of 160 men made it to graduation, Jack included.

On Graduation day, June 13, 1943, Jack assembled in his G.I. uniform and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant (Jack Nemerov, WWII Memoir). Jack and the rest of his class then awaited their names to be called to receive their assignments. Everyone received an assignment but Jack, who was told to report to the officer command headquarters (Jack Nemerov, WWII Memoir).

Inside the headquarters, a Captain proceeded to tell Jack that he was going to be sent to Chandler Warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, where he would put to action his plans to rebuild engines at a rear echelon. The Captain’s direct words were, “We’re going to make you prove your big mouth” (Jack Nemerov, We Remember History Oral Interview). As he was dismissed, Jack was handed his orders and a train ticket.

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