In July of 1943, President Walter Lunden, secured a Navy V-12 program at Gustavus. V-12 programs were founded at 131 campuses across the nation to provide commissioned officers to the U.S. Navy during World War II. As the presidency of the college shifted to Edgar Carlson in 1944, the College was home to 388 Navy V-12 trainees and 95 civilian students, but within a year circumstances were changing. The V-12 program helped keep the College financial secure and helped initiate a large housing and academic building construction campaign, making the Gustavus skyline closer to what we know it to be today.