Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1943)

* -/C"-" " If -*^^\ erenoHo9^er: ^e**0* end <^eor<3e 16 Usually a casting director is responsible for the part an actor plays in any production. But being cast as a U. S. Marine was Power's own selection. And as surely as in any film creation, he has subjugated his own personality to that of his role. Tyrone Power enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 24, 1942. What made him select the Leathernecks is difficult even for him to say. "I thought they were a great bunch," he stated simply, "and I still think so." It was just about that time that stories of Marines landing on Guadalcanal hit the front pages of the country's newspapers. Power was intending to enter the service and had been shopping around a bit, not for any special consideration, but he didn't want to miscast himself in his most important role. He wanted action; and stories of the Marines' achievements couldn't help but be an influencing factor. He was accepted for enlistment in Washington, D. C, and shipped off to the West Coast training center at the Marine Barracks of San Diego, California. Such training centers are known as "Boot Camps" throughout the Marine Corps. The most charitable thing one can say about them is that they are not easy. Power smiles a little in remembrance. Rifles are high and holy objects to Marines and when Power inadvertently referred to his as a "gun," he committted an unforgivable sin. To assist his memory, the instructors made him write "My rifle is not a gun" some five thousand times. And as a further mnemonic device, the recruit shared his narrow bunk at night with the weapon. "But it wasn't too tough," Power said. "It was just about what I expected it would be." At Boot Camp the recruit played his role to perfection. He gave a good performance, as is attested by the reports of his professional critics, hardboiled Marine drill sergeants. These drill instructors are reputed to be more difficult to please than is the most exacting screen critic. Their demands are uncompromising and no matter who the recruit may have been before he enlisted, he is reduced to the common denominator of "Boot Marine" so far as the instructors are concerned. The progress of each recruit platoon is carefully watched. Every man is individually graded and one of them V»on aT is selected as the "honor man"' of the platoon. Competition is keen and the accolade is not lightly bestowed. It means that the recipient, on his own merit, was outstanding all through recruit training, from the school of the soldier to marksmanship on the target ranges. Pvt. T. E. Power was selected as honor man of his platoon. It wasn't until after he had enlisted and was undergoing instruction that Power learned of the possibilities of becoming an officer by attending the Candidates Class. He had come into the service asking nothing more than the chance to be a Marine. It was his instructors who considered him for the Candidates Class. Qualified as a candidate for commission, Power was transferred to Quantico, Virginia, where the class is held. Upon arrival he was appointed private first class and assigned to his company, which is the normal procedure. As a member of Company H. 26th Candidates Class. Power found himself in fast competition. Most of his fellow students were college graduates, which Power is not. To overcome this academic handicap, he studied harder and longer and he applied himself strictly to the business at hand. The result was that on June 2. when the class was graduated and commissioned, P ranked seventeenth, a worth; iccomplishment in such company. He is now attending the Reserve Officers" Class for further instruction, after which hi may be assigned to duty with tin