Forgotten Fields of America WWIIBases and Training Then and Now

Author: Lou Thole
Publisher: Pictorial History MO
Edition: First
Cover: Soft
ISBN: 1-57510-010-X
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Synopsis: This comprehensive documentation project chronicles the extensive network of World War II training bases and airfields across America, preserving the history of installations that prepared hundreds of thousands of airmen for combat while examining their current status and historical preservation efforts. The book provides detailed coverage of the massive expansion of military aviation infrastructure that transformed American landscape during the war emergency, including the construction challenges and logistical achievements that created the world's largest aircrew training system. Through extensive research and contemporary photography, the narrative documents both the wartime appearance and current condition of former training bases, showing how these crucial installations have evolved since their military service ended. The work chronicles the diverse types of training conducted at these facilities, from basic flight instruction to advanced tactical preparation that produced the skilled aircrews necessary for Allied victory. Historical documentation reveals the scale and complexity of wartime training operations, including the coordination required to process thousands of students while maintaining safety standards and training effectiveness. Personal accounts from former trainees and instructors provide insight into daily life at training bases, revealing the transformation process that converted civilian volunteers into military aviators. The book examines construction and expansion programs that created new airfields and enlarged existing facilities, showing how wartime urgency drove rapid development while establishing lasting infrastructure. Base operations and training procedures are thoroughly documented, including curriculum development, safety protocols, and the instructional methods that produced effective combat aircrews within compressed timeframes. The narrative includes comprehensive coverage of different training specialties, from pilot instruction to navigator, bombardier, and gunnery training that prepared complete aircrew teams for combat operations. Civilian impact and community relationships are examined, showing how training base construction and operations affected local communities while creating lasting economic and social changes. Post-war disposition and civilian use are documented, revealing how former military installations transitioned to civilian airports, industrial facilities, and other community uses that continued their service to American society. Preservation efforts and historical recognition are thoroughly covered, including museum developments and commemorative activities that maintain awareness of these installations' crucial wartime contributions. Current status photography provides comparative documentation showing how former training sites appear today, including preserved buildings, memorial markers, and adaptive reuse projects that honor military heritage. The work examines the broader impact of training base construction on American aviation development, showing how wartime infrastructure investments contributed to post-war civilian aviation growth and aerospace industry development. Technical aspects of base construction and operation are covered, including runway specifications, building design, and support facilities that enabled effective training operations under wartime conditions. Regional variations in base design and operation are documented, showing how climate, geography, and local resources influenced training facility development and operational procedures. Through comprehensive documentation and comparative analysis, this work preserves the history of America's World War II aviation training infrastructure while ensuring that the contributions of these "forgotten fields" receive appropriate recognition for their crucial role in preparing the aircrews who achieved Allied victory while establishing the foundation for modern American aviation and aerospace capabilities.

Forgotten Fields of America WWIIBases and Training Then and Now, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.