Marine Platoon Leaders Get three Days Delay to Attend Graduation

Seniors in the Marine Platoon Leaders Corps program--including first Class Marshal David C. Skinner '51 have been granted a three day extension on their reporting time, it was announced last weekend. Washington headquarters of the Marines granted the extra time to allow the seniors to attend Commencement exercises on June 21.

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander A. Elder of the Marine Corps, assistant professor of Naval Science, obtained the delay for the seniors. They had previously been ordered to report for active duty on June 20.

The group, which has already passed the physical test and taken the required loyalty oath, will serve a maximum of 21 months unless enlistments are extended. They are scheduled now to report to Quantico, Virginia, for an initial assignment of five months.

The Platoon Leader program consists of two six week summer training periods leading to a second lieutenant's commission upon graduation. There are at present about one hundred Harvard students enrolled. There were over 150 applicants in March for 30 new openings.

Openings in the program this year were available to all undergraduates who could pass the rigid Naval physical tests.