Taking To The Skies – Iowa City 1943.

Did you know that the United States Navy had a large pilot-training school here in Iowa City during World War II? You can read the full details here.

Yes – amazingly, from 1942 to 1944, the Iowa City-based U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School trained 2,500 pilots, with the first class beginning on May 28, 1942 with 242 Cadets. Keep in mind that this 3-month pre-flight training was just the second of five steps (see below) in becoming a Navy pilot, ready to join the war effort in the Pacific. Read more here.

In Iowa City, a typical recruit would focus on ground-training, with course work that focused on celestial navigation, aerology, code semaphore, blinker recognition, and Naval history. Students also focused on physical training and bodily contact sports, with cadets required to participate in major competitive sports, like football, baseball, wrestling or boxing.

In September 2023, I was contacted by Jonathan Williams of Jackson, Michigan. He had, in his possession, an 8mm Kodak film from July, 1943 that he had just digitized. In his email, he said that I would really enjoy viewing the fruit of his labor. Wow – was he right!

*Meet **William G. Perfet** (left) and **Sterry B. Williams** (right).*

This video – a silent film which runs only two-and-one-half minutes – is entitled “Iowa City 1943”, and as you’ll see here, this short family clip – filmed in color – will be a real treat for Our Iowa Heritage friends. So, before we dim the lights and show you Williams’ video, allow me to introduce the stars…

On your left (above) is Jonathan William’s grandfather – Sterry B. Williams (age 24) of Grand Rapids, Michigan. And, on your right, is William’s grand uncle – William G. Parfet (age 25), also known as Uncle Bill. These two young men were students at the University of Michigan when WWII broke out in 1941, and like so many others around the nation, Williams & Parfet enlisted, signing up with the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight Program. Keep in mind that the U.S. Air Force wasn’t created until 1947, so all pilots trained for the war effort were assigned to the U.S. Navy.

Family records indicate that these two pilots-to-be started their three-month assignments in Iowa City on May 6, 1943, and completed their work on July 27, 1943. It’s our best guess that our video was filmed in Iowa City during that last week of July. BTW – Sterry’s 24th birthday was on July 29th!

The other two stars in our Kodak film are Jonathan Williams’ great aunt – Marjory Parfet (Williams), and his great grandfather – Samuel S. Williams – the father of Marjory and Sterry Williams. As you might imagine from the names, Uncle Bill Parfet married Marjory, who also attended the University of Michigan, and was a sorority sister of Sterry William’s wife – Nancy Jane “Mabel” Luton – whom Sterry courted at Grand Rapids High School and married in 1943.

Now, as you might imagine, since Marjory Williams was filming most of this 2.5 minute color masterpiece, a great majority of her shots are focused on her husband-to-be – William G. Parfet (Uncle Bill), who, in my opinion, has a face very reminiscent to Iowa’s Nile Kinnick – who attended the Navy Pre-Flight Program in 1940 – months before the war broke out on December 7, 1941.

As the film opens, we see Cadet Sterry B. Williams walking into the S.U.I. Field House – where many of the Navy Pre-Flight classes are held.

*Take a look at this “official” U.S. Navy vehicle on the streets of Iowa City outside the Field House.*

Of course, the real stars of the show – the men of the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School. The greatest generation – in training. Read more here.

*Can’t help having a bit of fun when the camera’s rolling!*

Here, the graduating units march westward from their rooms in the Quadrangle Dormitory, past the Iowa Field House, and onto the open fields behind the SUI Armory. (see pics below) Read more here.

Today, this “open field” is the location of the Stead Family Children’s Hospital – home of college football’s best tradition – The Hawkeye Wave. Read more here.

Of course, the Navy units, as they march past the review stands, pass by Iowa Stadium (below) – which, in 1943, was only fourteen years old, and had, only four years earlier, been the home to Iowa’s Iron Men, and the Hawkeye’s only Heisman Trophy winner – Nile Kinnick – who sadly died in his U.S. Navy plane, while in training, only one month earlier (June 1943). Read more here.

With graduation in the three-month course complete, it was now time to move on to the next Navy training assignment – Level Three – Primary Flight School. Family records indicate that Uncle Bill – shown below waiting with Marjorie & her dad, Samuel, for a train at the Iowa City Rock Island Depot – and Grandpa Sterry were not stationed together following their time in Iowa City.

More than likely, Sterry Williams – the birthday boy – was the one filming this Iowa City depot scene. As you can see, the Rock Island Rocket pulls into the station – headed east. The group was probably headed back to Grand Rapids – via Chicago – before heading out to their next training assignment.

As for the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School – with the war coming to an end, the last cadets entered the school in Iowa City on May 11, 1944, closing the school in August, 1944. As for the Williams family, according to Jonathan Williams…

“My grandfather (Lt. Sterry B. Williams) was eventually assigned to a photo reconnaissance B-24 crew, serving as a co-pilot of the plane – Little Green Apples.”

According to family records… “The “Little Green Apples” logo was designed by SBMSr., and as the story goes, when flying, there’s no bathroom. So you go in a bucket. Scary flights would produce “green scat.” Open the Bombay doors and dump the bucket – over the target, if possible, and give them a dose of Little Green Apples.”

Jonathan continues…

“Following the war, Uncle Bill and Aunt Marjory moved to Golden, Colorado and were quite successful in the brick business and raising their family. My grandmother and grandfather, on the other hand, returned to Grand Rapids and raised their family there.”

Records indicate that William G. Parfet – born in 1918 – died in 1998, while Sterry B. Williams – born in 1919 – died in 1995. Godspeed!

Jonathan Williams concludes…

“When my grandmother passed – 20 plus years ago – I “inherited” a big box of photos, notes, and whatnot, including a shoe box full of (mostly) Kodak 8mm films. The boxes of the various films had some identification notes, but not much in terms of context. “Broken Legs at Silver Lake”… “Double S Ranch”… “Mark” … and, “Iowa City” (among others). I was blown away when I finally sat down to digitize the Iowa City film from 1943… in COLOR! Unfortunately, the film was all too short – and the only one relating to Iowa City.”