▁ ▁Howard ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁heavy ▁cru iser ▁USS ▁P ens ac ola ▁( CA - 2 4 ) ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁and ▁served ▁ab o ard ▁her ▁until ▁ 1 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁destroy er ▁USS ▁Gre er ▁( DD - 1 4 5 ) ▁at ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Navy ▁Y ard ▁at ▁Philadelphia , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁where ▁Gre er ▁was ▁under going ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁recomm ission ing ▁on ▁ 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Ne ut ral ity ▁Pat rol ▁ordered ▁soon ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁began ▁in ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Det ached ▁from ▁Gre er ▁on ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁En sign ▁Howard ▁reported ▁to ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Station ▁P ens ac ola ▁at ▁P ens ac ola , ▁Florida , ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁commence ▁flight ▁" inst ruction ▁in ▁heav ier - than - air ▁craft ." ▁He ▁continued ▁" d ut y ▁involving ▁flying ▁under ▁instruction " ▁there , ▁and , ▁ultimately , ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁naval ▁av i ator ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁Det ached ▁from ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Station ▁P ens ac ola ▁on ▁ 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁then ▁served ▁at ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Station ▁Miami ▁at