Pikes in Service
Much like World War I, the U.S. involvement in World War II (WWII) led to significant disruptions and sacrifices for Pi Kappa Alpha. Voluntary enlistment and the subsequent draft resulted with universities across the country enrolling considerably fewer men than they had previously. With fewer young men in college, Pike chapters found their numbers stagnant or dwindling during the war years. Letters and reports from the early 1940s discuss depleted numbers and recruitment difficulties. On the national level, the Fraternity suspended its biennial convention during the war years. The Supreme Council elected at the 1940 Chicago Convention would continue to serve for six years until conventions were resumed with the 1946 Mackinac Island Convention: Victory Convention.
Pikes of all levels played key roles in the war effort. Two Pi Kappa Alphas served as members of Congress. Congressman John Sparkman (Alabama, Gamma Alpha 1924) of Alabama and Senator Charles O. Andrews (Florida, Alpha Eta 1938), of Florida were influential in working to improve and enlarge the army and navy respectively. Of particular note was the work of Harold Zipp (Nebraska, Gamma Beta 1906), who was among those responsible for the design and development of the B-29 bomber. One of the largest aircrafts in use during WWII, the B-29 would prove to be essential to the war effort.
Even before the United States formally entered WWII in December 1941, Pikes began gearing up for war. The 1941 issues of The Shield and Diamond are full of articles discussing the war, national defense, and men joining the service. The January 1942 issue of The Shield and Diamond reported that one in five undergraduate Pikes during the 1940-41 school year were in the armed forces by January 1942. Between men who voluntarily enlisted and those who were drafted, more than 15,000 Pi Kappa Alphas would eventually serve their country in the military during WWII in both the European and Pacific Theaters. Of these, nearly 500 lost their lives.
Learn about this image of Arthur Weeks (West Virginia Univ., Alpha Theta 1938) here.
