Ilion High School - Class of 1938

Herkimer Evening Telegram - June 27, 1951

13 Years Go By Between Two Graduations

Article 6

13 Years Go By Between Two Graduations

To graduates of Ilion High School last night, four years before finishing a college course may look like a long time, but to Major Charles Travis, it must seem very short.

Major Travis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Travis, Otsego St., graduated from Ilion High School in 1938 and on June 11, 1951, he received his BA Degree from Yale University.

In the meantime he had spent more than four years in the Air Force in the Burma-India-China theater where he received a Distinguished Flying Cross, and an Air Medal with one cluster. He was a major when discharged in 1947.

He stayed in the active reserves and has re-enlisted in the Air Corps. Before finishing the last semester of his studies at Yale, where he was a resident member of Trumbull College, his orders came for him to leave for train ing at Colgate University to prepare him for ROTC instruction.

Following two weeks in Hamilton, he was assigned to Maxwell Field, Alabama, for further training in the ROTC program and on June 29 he will graduate from there with the rank of Major.

He will then report on July 3 to William College, Williamston, Mass, where he will be in charge of the ROTC instruction program.

In 1947, Major Travis married Anna Lou Smith in Hempstead, L. I., and they are the parents of a son, David. Before entering the service Major Travis was employed at the Manufacturers National Bank as a teller.