▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁received ▁the ▁Let ter ▁of ▁comm end ation ▁by ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁and ▁also ▁Nic ar agu an ▁Cross ▁of ▁Val or ▁and ▁Di pl oma . ▁ ▁First ▁Lieutenant ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁the ▁Company ▁Offic ers ▁Cour se ▁at ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁School s ▁Quant ico ▁and ▁upon ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁V O - 7 M ▁Squadron ▁Commander ▁at ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Air ▁Station , ▁Quant ico . ▁While ▁in ▁this ▁capacity , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain ▁on ▁November ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁for ▁instruction ▁at ▁Air ▁Corps ▁T act ical ▁School ▁at ▁Max well ▁Field , ▁Alabama , ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁along ▁with ▁some ▁later ▁famous ▁general ▁officers ▁Thomas ▁J . ▁C ush man , ▁Ira ▁C . ▁E aker , ▁John ▁R . ▁H odge , ▁William ▁E . ▁K ep ner , ▁El wood ▁R . ▁Qu es ada , ▁Stanley ▁E . ▁R id der hof ▁or ▁Nathan ▁F . ▁Tw ining . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁recently ▁graduated ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁was ▁appointed ▁officer ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁aer ial ▁operations ▁and ▁training ▁at ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Air ▁Station , ▁Quant ico