In 1945 the executive council of the UT Alumni Association invited alumni to send to the university their war trophies and memorabilia for display in a World War II Alumni Museum. The collections were placed into a museum located in West Strong Hall (the Cowan/Briscoe House). The collections are now part of the holdings of … Continued

UT had been involved in training civilians as pilots since 1939 under the airplane pilot training program of the Civil Aeronautical Authority’s training unit. Early in 1943 Dr. Fred Smith, dean of the university, received a call from the Manpower Commission, asking the university to take five hundred Air Force trainees and feed, house, and … Continued

In spring 1943 Nathan W. Dougherty, who was coordinating training efforts for military personnel on campus, received a call asking for housing and instruction in civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering for approximately three hundred draftees selected to participate in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). The university’s housing was already committed to training of cadets … Continued

In November 1942 UT students were invited to join a Douglas MacArthur Club, which had as its purpose financing the purchase and placement of a bust of General MacArthur in the Alumni Memorial Building. The Knoxville Journal campaigned for contributions. The bust, an exact copy of the one placed in the US Military Academy at … Continued

The complicated card formations at football games sponsored by the Beaver Club during World War II incorporated features such as American flags and invitations to “BUY WAR BONDS.”

It is impossible to know precisely how many UT alumni, students, and faculty served in the armed forces during World War II. The nearest estimate is probably that of the Alumni Association: the Tennessee Alumnus calculated that 6,826 UT men and women are known to have served in the armed forces during World War II, … Continued

In order to make the best use of its facilities for its students and for the air cadets and ASTP Engineering students, class times in fall 1943 were modified, eliminating 8:00 a.m. classes. Morning classes were scheduled from 9:00 to 12:50; afternoon classes ran from 2:30 until 6:20. In October, a further change was made—starting … Continued

In 1942 the Office of Price Administration (OPA)—created to control inflation and set ceiling prices and develop the system of rationing—first restricted institutional coffee allotments in September and October to 65 percent of the same deliveries in 1941. In calculating their allotments, colleges had to take inventory of the coffee stocks on hand and subtract … Continued

In January 1942 President Hoskins established the UT Defense Council to coordinate various defense services in place and inaugurate any new ones needed. All deans and directors and the president of the student body were members. At the time of formation of the council, UT organized formal programs for the distribution of informational materials prepared … Continued

Six national defense training courses were announced by UT in January 1941. Four of the courses, which lasted 14 weeks, provided specialized training for engineers—three were in-service courses for those already employed in defense industries and one was a preemployment course for engineers applying for specialized work in government departments. Two courses were civilian pilot … Continued