Military History and Tradition

Under the National Defense Act of 1916, NC State was granted permission to establish an Infantry Unit of the Senior Division, Reserve Officers' Training Corp. All men enrolled at NC State were required to enroll.

Enrollment declined by about 200 students due to enlistment in World War I.

After World War I, enrollment increased to over 1,000 students. Nearly 600 of those students came to NC State through the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) program.

In the early 1920s, the campus offered a rehabilitation program for disabled World War I veterans returning from military service. The program was federally funded and available in multiple university departments. (See Rehabilitation Soldiers at NC State for more information.)

The cornerstone was laid for the Memorial Bell Tower, a monument to honor State College alumni who were killed during World War I.

One of the most significant contributions to the war effort was the Diesel Program developed by the Mechanical Engineering Department. The program trained more than 1,500 members of the navy.

During World War II, the North Carolina textile industry, with the help of many NC State alumni, produced more fabric for the war effort than any other state. The textiles faculty conducted a 12-week course for fabric inspection and testing for war industry personnel and conducted courses in mill safety. Male student enrollment dropped, but women and international students continued studies during the war.

Reference librarian Reba Clevenger became the acting college librarian during World War II when all male library staff members left for military service.

Construction for a new basketball arena and ROTC armory began in 1942. Construction was interrupted for many years because of World War II. The building was named for businessman William Neal Reynolds and funding to begin construction came from the Works Progress Administration.

Department head A. F. Greaves-Walker took a leave of absence from NC State to serve as Chief of the Metals and Minerals Branch of the Office of Production Research and Development. His research contributed to development of materials in the war effort.

The 4-H "Food for Victory" program offered awards ranging from to $1 to $250 in war bonds or stamps for farm boys and girls who participated in the "Food for Freedom" extension program. They helped produce more milk, eggs, beef and veal, lamb and mutton, corn, barley, rye, hay, soybeans, peanuts, and vegetables.

The faculty approved a plan to allow seniors who were taking jobs in essential industries or joining the military to graduate early.

The faculty approved a plan to hold fall engineering classes in the summer as part of a nationwide war effort to accelerate graduation at technical schools.

Urgent appeals were made to increase women enrollment numbers in engineering courses as male students left to fight in World War II.

Students gathered over 150,000 pounds of scrap metal in 3 hours for the war effort. A banner over the collection pile read "To Hitler & Co. from NC State College."

Plans were announced for up to 2,000 military trainees to enroll at State College and take specialized defense classes through the U.S. War Department. The college operated as two separate units: one for the military and one civilians.

Dean of Administration John Harrelson reported for active army duty. He was the 56th faculty member at State College to enter active service and the first head of a major college in the South called for permanent active duty.

Enrollment hit the lowest mark in 20 years due to the number of students leaving to join the military.

During World War II, State College formed a partnership with the U.S. Navy to train naval officers in diesel engineering. The Diesel Building was constructed to house this project. It was designed by Ross Edward Shumaker and became part of Broughton Hall in 1951.

Enrollment declined to 800 students after peaking at around 2,500 in 1940. Much of campus became committed to training war personnel.

Dean Campbell hired Elliot B. Grover in 1944 as a professor of yarn manufacture. Ed Shinn returned from the war where he had risen to the rank of major in the Chemical Warfare Branch of the US Army and would head the knitting area in the School of Textiles.

Over 5,000 NC State alumni reported to be in the armed services, six of whom obtained the rank of general.

State 4-H Club Leader L. R. Harrill and others watched as the U.S.S. Tyrrell was launched from Wilmington. North Carolina 4-H helped fund and name two warships during World War II.

Fifty-eight women were enrolled at NC State, many taking advantage of special scholarships to provide engineering training to women so they could work in industry during World War II.

The 1945 Agromeck was printed and released late due to wartime restrictions.

The Quonset Huts were built to help accommodate the influx of students entering after World War II on the GI Bill.

Chancellor J. W. Harrelson asked students to suggest a new name for the sports teams. He disliked the term Wolfpack because of connotations with World War II German U-boat formations. Student voted overwhelmingly, however, to keep the name.

More than 75 trailers, forming what was known as the "City of Trailers" or "Trailwood," were constructed. These structures were built so married World War II veterans and their families could attend NC State on the GI Bill. In 1949, Trailwood was relocated, and Williams Hall was built in its place.

A football game against Duke was the first appearance of the marching band following the conclusion of World War II.

The influx of World War II veterans, who attended NC State on the GI Bill, caused student enrollment to more than double from pre-war numbers.

After attempting to reintroduce degree specialties in construction, sanitary, structural, and transportation engineering, the department was overloaded with students returning from the war and offered only a "consolidated curriculum in civil engineering." The consolidated curriculum included courses from each of the option areas.

Vetville opened as another location to house married veterans attending NC State after World War II. Later, Korean War veterans lived there. At the end of the 1950s, Bragaw dormitory was built on the site.

The American Council on Education conducted a study of veterans with disabilities in colleges and universities. Chancellor John Harrelson reported that little accommodations were made for student veterans other than a housing office that was established to assist veterans with their living accommodations.

The Air Force ROTC was separated from the Army ROTC program and began teaching courses suited for Air Force needs.

World War II sparked interest in a rifle team at NC State with both the Army and Air Force ROTC developing teams during the war. The rifle team officially gained varsity status in 1958.

Bragaw Hall was dedicated to Henry Churchill Bragaw, a well-known NC State alumnus who died during World War II. Bragaw was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star for his heroic actions during the war.

Carmichael Gymnasium was named for William Donald Carmichael, a World War I veteran and advocate for the completion of Reynolds Coliseum. The Department of Physical Education was one of the early occupants of the building.

Harris Cafeteria (now Hall) was originally built as a cafeteria but later housed the departments of Counseling, Registration and Records, Student Development and Residence Facilities. It was named for NC State's first cafeteria manager, Louis Hines Harris, who was hired to feed students using a limited budget following World War I.

Faculty Senate voted to abolish compulsory ROTC. Prior to this date, all male students were required to take military training.

Beginning in the fall 1965 semester, freshmen and sopomores were no longer required to participate in the ROTC program.