Together in Training, Win Wings
Following identical careers in the army air forces from basic army training to graduation as pilots with commissions of second lieutenants are these two Sioux City “Dons” Donald L. Casavant, son of Mr. and Mrs. L.H. Casavant, 1911 Ross Street and Donald E. (Dusty) Rhoades, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rhoades, 3118 Fourth Avenue place.
The two young officers were transferred from Jefferson Barracks, Mo. to Stevens Point, Wis., with the college training detachment there, and then were sent to Santa Ana, Cal., for classification and preflight training. The two were still together at Thunderbird field, Phoenix, Ariz., in primary training and at Minter field, Cal., in basic training.
Recently the two were among the graduate pilots at the Pecos army air field, Pecos, Tex., where they took advanced training and where they were among the first aviation cadets to complete the longer and more exacting program for future pilots.
Lieut. Casavant and Lieut. Rhoades, both attended school here, Lieut. Rhoades is married, his bride of about a year ago being Shirley, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Kingsbury of Sioux City.
Both pilots are home on leave pending new assignments. Lieut. Casavant is to report to the air base at Alliance, Nebr.,, to become a troop carrier command pilot, while Lieut. Rhoades will report at Roswell, N.M. to become pilot of a Flying Fortress.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, April 20, 1944 (photo included)
