Big Band Magazine - Magazine - Page 4
THE REAL GLENN
MILLER STORY
By Dennis M. Spragg
Part Nine (Photos Courtesy of Glenn Miller Collections, University of Colorado, Boulder)
After disbanding his popular dance band on September 27, 1942, Glenn and Helen
Miller headed west to their California ranch and to visit family in Colorado. Capt.
Glenn Miller reported for duty in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 7. Within a week, he
was ordered to Fort Meade, Maryland, for his orientation course in the Army
Specialist Corps (ASC). This branch of the Army Service Forces was designed to
fast-track musicians, producers, actors, theater managers, dramatics professors, and
recreational and hospitality professionals into the Army. From the start, the
controversial program drew the resentment of the military bureaucracy and scrutiny
from members of Congress concerned about "special treatment" for celebrities to
avoid the draft. Political pressure forced the army to fold the ASC in November 1942,
but not before 918 officers completed the orientation course at Fort Meade,
Maryland. Capt. Miller was among the members of the final ASC orientation class.
Since he secretly visited military offices in Washington, DC, in March of 1942 to
explore joining the armed forces, the Army Air Forces (AAF) had their eye on
Glenn Miller. To market the Army Air Forces, General H. H. "Hap" Arnold made the
most assertive use of radio and motion pictures by any of the uniformed services
and enlisted top-level media talent to do so. To sell the idea of aviation as an
effective form of warfare, Arnold hired Rex Smith, editor of Newsweek, and William
Westlake, public relations manager of Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA).
They designed themes centered on education, job training, safety, and satisfaction to
communicate the mission, responsibilities, and challenges of the AAF to the public.
Specialized media organizations were formed to further AAF objectives, including a
Motion Picture Production Unit and Radio Production Units (RPUs).
Capt. Glenn Miller fit the objectives of the AAF perfectly.
On November 25, two days after completing his ASC orientation class, Capt. Miller
received orders transferring him to the AAF. He reported for duty at Maxwell Field,
Montgomery, Alabama, on December 8 as assistant special services officer. His job
was to orient himself to the AAF and learn about the Flying Training Command.
Capt. Herbert F. Sheffer, the special service officer at Maxwell Field, took Miller on
orientation visits to several air bases.
