Memorial

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Capt. Aquilla A. Calhoun received his degree as a Bachelor of Arts on 2 June 1941 at the University of Florida’s annual June Commencement exercise. He won the 1940-1941 James Miller Leake Medal in American history, has been outstanding in extra-curricular activities for four years and is a member of Florida Blue Key, the campus’ highest honorary and leadership fraternity. He served as head cheerleader during the 1941 university year, before that he was two years varsity cheerleader and was on the executive committee of the Gator Pep Club for three years. He also won freshman basketball and baseball numerals in 1937-38. In student government he was a member of the student executive council freshman, sophomore and junior class executive councils and of three publication staffs and served on important committees of these organizations and of Blue Key national honorary society.

He was a member of Kappa Sigma social fraternity, Bacchus and Cavaliers dance societies and a former member of the junior interfraternity conference. Other organizations with which he was affiliated are the Peabody Club Young Democrats and the Glee Club.

Upon graduation he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Reserve Officers Corps. As a student in the Reserve Officers Training Corps he was one of eight selected to participate in the inaugural parade of Governor Holland in January 1941.

He graduated from the U.S. Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in September 1941. Following his graduation he was ordered to duty with the 14th Field Artillery Battalion of the 2nd Armored Division, where he learned the role of big guns in modern warfare. He got practical experience when his division did the First Army maneuvers in the Carolinas throughout the month of November 1941. When the 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion was activated in 1942 he was assigned to this battalion.

He married Lillian Luke of Eufaula, Alabama on 10 January 1942 at St. Luke’s Methodist church in Eufala, Alabama.

A memorial was erected in the town of Bresles. It states: "In memory of the tank crew of the 2nd Armored Division commanded by Captain Aquila Calhoun, who fell on the field of honor on 31 August 1944. The town of Bresles remembers."