May 19 in A.A. History

In 1942, the War Department’s Office of the Adjutant General responded to Bill W.’s request for a commission in World War II, dated 6 March 1942. The reply [right] was a non-responsive form letter that stated, among other things:

All new applicants for the Army or the Army Specialist Corps are now being asked to fill out a revised form of questionnaire in duplicate.

You will note that the new questionnaire calls for more details than the old form you filled out originally. The reason for asking for more details is that they are needed by the Army Specialist Corps so that the applicant’s training, experience, skills, and interests can be adequately considered by that Corps when the branches of the Army call upon it to locate and appoint civilians fitted for specific technical, professional or administrative duties.

Sending you the new form to fill out does not mean that an offer of appointment will necessarily be made in the immediate future. All that can be said is that the revised system will make it easier to consider your application when men with your qualifications are needed. You are particularly requested not to make inquiries of the War Department as to the probability of your employment.

In 2000, Dr. Paul O. [left, with wife Max], sometimes referred to as “the funniest man in A.A.,” died at the age of 83 in Mission Viejo, California.
    His story, “Bronzed Moccasins,” credited to “A Physician in California,” was published in the May 1975 issue of the A.A. Grapevine. It later appeared in the third edition of Alcoholics Anonymous as “Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict,” and in the fourth edition as “Acceptance Was the Answer.” Dr. Paul began his journey to sobriety in December 1966, sobriety in December 1966, achieving permanent sobriety in July 1967. He started Pills Anonymous and Chemical Dependency Anonymous, but did not attend either group. He did not introduce himself as “an alcoholic and addict.” He was irritated by those who sought to include addictions other than alcoholism in A.A. In a July 1995 interview with the A.A. Grapevine, he expressed that his story may have “overshot the mark” because it was used to justify drug discussions in meetings. He felt “most uncomfortable” when members recognized him and thanked him for providing justification for such discussions. However, he also maintained that there was nothing in his story he would change.