The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 309, Ed. 2 Thursday, May 1, 1952 Page: 4 of 34
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THE ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS
Abilene, Texas, Wednesday Evening, April 30, 1952
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ABILENE WINS ONE ROUND
THESE MEN LED LOCAL DRIVE—Here are the seven top
names behind Abilene’s fight for an Air Force base. Top
row—left to right—Dr. Harold G. Cooke, overall chair-
man of the finance campaign; Malcolm Meek and Price
Campbell, co-chairmen of the major gifts division; middle
row—Mayor Ernest Grissom and W. P. Wright, chairman
of the Chamber of Commerce- National Defense Committee;
lower row—Jack Wheeler, chairman of general solicitation
in the money drive, and Howard McMahon, vice chairman of
the C-C National Defense Committee.
$500,000 Goal for
Air Base Reached
Abilene’s goal of $500,000 - in
and pledges, that is—for the
Air Base Fund has been reached
trustees announced
t “If you made a pledge, you will
be asked very soon to pay it off,”
they said “in order that Abilene
may avoid any risk of losing, the
good ground we have gained
Trustees of the fund are Malcolm
Meek, president of the Citizens Na-
tional Bank; R B Tanner, presi-
dent of the First State Bank, and
W L. Sibley president of the Farm-
ers and Merchants National Bank
The “good ground gained” to
which they referred was the Air
Force’s request to Congress for
establishment of s base at the old
Abilene Army Airfield at Tye.
“We have reached our goal in
. the finance drive. If all w ho prom-
CITY DADS OKEH
RENT CONTROL
Rents probably won’t go sky-
high, if and when the Air Force
establishes a base here.
The Abilene City Commission
has promised the AF to vote
rent control, should the military
desire it.
That point was stressed on a
recent visit here by inspectors
from the AF, who were anxious
that rents be kept within rea-
sonable limits.
Johnson's Panel
Probes AF Training
WASHINGTON In—A Senate sub-
committee said today it has been
investigating Air Force technician
training programs for several
months.
A spokesman for a Senate armed
services subcommittee beaded by
Sen. London B. Johnson (D-Tex)
said the group has been looking
into training methods and costs at
Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.;
Sheppard Air Force Base, Tex.,
and Scott Air Force Base. III.
A recent" roundup of military
plane accidents in the United States
and adjoining areas showed that
298 airmen had been killed within
six months, and that more men
were being killed in such accidents
than in the air war in Korea,
(Continued from Page 1-A)
Its one-day inspection and confer-
ences. Colonel Harrison had let it
be known that a civilian engineer-
ing firm would arrive here in a few
days to make the most exhaustive
survey yet of the old Army sir-
field on behalf of the federal gov-
ernment. with SAC use specifically
in in in<i
Sept 19, 1951, D. H McAnally
of Dallas, resident engineer with
J. Gordon Turnbull Inc., an archi-
tectural engineering firm, came
here to make preliminary arrange-
ments to measure and study the
field Tor SAC. The Turnbull survey
and report to the Air Force follow-
ed quickly.
Also on Sept 19, Mayor Ernest
Grissom and W P Wright, chair-
man of the C-C National Defense
Committee, took off from here by
air for conferences in Omaha and
Washington, D. C., to underscore
Abilene’s request for an SAC in-
stallation
They returned home Sept. 26.
and on that day Grissom asserted
he was confident the Army sir-
field would be reactivated even-
Red Disaster Seen
If Formosa Invaded
TAIPEH, Formosa (—Maj. Gen.
William C. .Chase, observing, his
first year as bead of the U.S. Mili-
tary Assistance Advisory Group
(MAAG) to Formosa, today pre-
dicted disaster for the Chinese
Reds if they attempt to invade
the Chinese Nationalist bastion.
“I (eel if a large number of junks
come, a large number will be sunk
and there’ll be a lot of dead Com-
munists in the water," he said
Chase activated the MAAG with
his arrival here one year ago to-
day..
Accompanied, by Chinese end
American officers and newsmen,
he watched Nationalist ground
troops and antiaircraft firing prac-
tice near the northwestern tip of
Formosa. New American guna
were in use.
tually.
In Omaha, Grissom and Wright
had talked with General LeMay
and also Colonel Harrison (head
of the latest delegation that
had visited here). In Washington,
the Abilenians talkedwith Maj.
Gen. P W. Timberlake, director of
installations for the Air Force; Rep-
Omar Burleson, Sens. Torn Connal-
ly and Lyndon Johnson, and Colonel
Rodenhauser, who had headed an
earlier delegation on a fact-finding
mission here
EXPANSION KEY FACTOR
In an editorial in the Abilene
Reporter - News Sept. 27, 1951,
Editor Frank Grimes commented:
“It all depends on an expansion
of the Air Force aa contemplated
by Congress. If the expansion is
provided for, the local base prob-
ably will be put back in service:
if not, not. In any case a lot of
people have done a lot of hard
work to get Abilene on the band-
wagon.”
But before the efforts of local
leaders narrowed down and crystal-
lized into prospects for an SAC
base, the C-C had filed voluminous
briefs over a two-year period, with
the commanding generals of the
Continental Air Command. Mitchell
Field Long Island, N. Y : the
Military Air Transport Service, An-
drews Air Force Base, Md.: the
Air Material Command, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton,
O.: Strategic Air Command, Offutt
Air Force Base, Omshs, Neb.; the
Tactical Air Commend. Langley
Air Force Base, Va.: the Air De-
fense Commend. Ent Air Force
Base, Colorado Springs, Colo., end
the Air Training Command, Scott
.Air Force Base, III.
Some time during 1951 the Air
Force asked the Abilene Reel Es-
tate Board to make a survey of
residenttai rental property.here. Up
to 1,000 vacant living units were
shown to be available in the survey
which the board made at that time.
CONFER WITH NAVY
ised to contribute live up to their
pledges " the trustees reported
Dr Harold G. Cooke, president
of McMurry College, was over-all
chairman of, the campaign
Price Campbell, president of
West Texas Utilities Co., and Meek
were co-chairmen of the major
gifts phase. -
The committee heading the gen-
eral solicitation was composed of
Jack Wheeler, insurance executive'
chairman, George Minter Jr., de-
partment store co-owner, and El-
bert Hall. Insurance executive.
Funds raised locally will go for
purchase of additional land needed
by the Air Force for the base and
possibly tor other, miscellaneous
AF requirements.
Europe got its first clocks dur
ing the 13th Century.
8 U. S. Airmen
Killed in Crashes
TOKYO mn-Eight American air-
men were killed in two transport
plane crashes in Southern Japan
within u hours, the Far East Air
Forces announced Wednesday
A C-46 transport on a routine
investigational flight crashed into
the rim of Mt. Aso. 550 miles south-
wed of Tokyo this morning FEAF
said all four crewmen were killed.
A C-119 cargo-transport hit •
ridge last night on an instrument
approach to Ashiya Air Base on
Kyushu Island. Fear said its four
airmen were killed
While other Abilenians were
working to try to interest the Air
Force in the old Army airfield,
two local citizens went, July 31,
1951 to New Orleans for conferences
with Nsvy officials. George Minter
Jr., ind Joe Benson, members of
the C-C National Defense Commit-
tee, made the trip, offering the
Nsvy sny and all Abilene facilities
—including the old Army airfield
—for use in the Navy's training
program. They attended a dinner
honoring Bear Adm William Kear-
ney Phillips, the new assistant chief
of neval operations. They also visit
ed Captain Harper, director of
training for the Eighth Naval Dis
triet, who had been in Abilene and
had inspected the three local col-
leges with an outlook to their pos-
sible utilization.
The history of Abilene’s deter-
mined efforts to get reactivation
of the old Army airfield goes back
to 1950. On June 1 and 2, 1950,
Capt. K, M. Adams, an Air Force
liaison officer inspected points *
Names of all crewmen were liaison officer inspected potato in
withheld . Taylor County with a view to se-
nd
lecting a site for a proposed Air
Force Academy. Many other cities
also offered facilities. The City of
Abilene—which held the title to
the old Army field—offered that
aite.
Captain Adam’s visit was in re-
sponse to sn invitation from the
Abilene C-C, submitted to the Air
Force through U. S. Rep. Omar
Burleson and Sen. Lyndon Johnson.
Reporter - News Editor Frank
Grimes wrote an editorial on the
eve of Adam's visit: "Abilene has
much to offer besides a ready-
made airfield where cadets could
learn the fundamentals of flight. It
la the finest climate and country
.in the world for flying, and this
should be no mean consideration
in fixing on a site for the new
academy."
CITY ABANDONS PLAN
Repealed, encouraging indica-
tions from the federal government
that it was becoming interested in
reactivating the old Army field led
the City Commission to abandon a
plan to move the Municipal Air-
port there The commission bad
voted on July 7, 1950, to transfer
the Municipal Airport there. After
it became apparent that a defense
installation might again occupy the
old Army field, the commission
purchased another site for a new
Municipal Airport, Immediately
south of the present city port (east
of town).
A group of Air Force officers in
charge of Maj. M. H. Vinzant,
representing the Air Force Train-
ing Command, Scott Air Base, on
Aug. 1, 1950, inspected the former
military field here. Purpose of that
visit was to see what the possibili-
ties were for establishing a prim-
ary pilot training center.
Another inspection delegation
from the Air Training Command.
Scott Field, III., inspected the field
Dec. 4, 1950. In that party were
also representatives of the Civil
Aeronautics Administration and
the U. S. Corps of Engineers. Lt.
Col. F. W. Holt was in charge.
Holt said the field would become
a basic training school for pilots,
if an inspection proved the facili-
ties "adequate." He explained that
this was s lease - pfenning trip,
that they would file a report of the
facilities to the Air Force, which
in turn would tell the Corps of
Engineers yes or no sbout whether
the field were desired. The Engin-
eers are charged with the duty of
making the actual acquisition of
such facilities for the Air Force.
II LEASE OFFERED
During that visit the City Cota-
mission told the delegation that the
city would lease the field to the
government for $1 per year.
At the clone of World War II
the government gave to the city
free of charge a deed to the field
for municipal airport purposes, but
with the provision that the deed
could be taken back any time the
property waa needed for defense.
Severs! months prior to the De-
cember. 1950, inspection, the C-C
had made application through
Rep. Omar Burleson and Sens.
Tom Connally and Lyndon Johnson
to the Air Force to reactivate the
field. Following up this application,
W. P Wright C-C svistion leader,
went to Washington, where he met
with representatives of the Ata-
Force and was assured that the
base would be given every consid-
eration. Within a week after
Wright’s Washington trip, the
Army airfield was smong the first
to be inspected by s survey team
out Of Scott Field., III.
Throughout all negotiations. Abi-
lene has kept ita sights high. An
evidence of thia was the action
taken by the City Commission Feb.
2, 1951 in which It unanimously re-
fused to make available either of
the two municipally owned sir-
fields for auxiliary landing bases
for a private basic flying school
which a Lubbock men was trying
to establish at Avenger Field
Sweetwater.
On Jan 20, 1951, Joe Benson,
then president of the CC. praised
the work of his organization’s Ns-
tional Defense Committee, ss he
announced the return home of 1
delegation from s Washington trip
INFORMATION GIVEN
W P Wright, chairman of the
committee, along with members
Howard Me Mahon, Maurice Brooks
and Jack Simmons had spent 19
days in the Nation’s capital, pre-
senting the government detailed In-
formattoe on Abilene end Taylor
County.
An inspection team from Perrin
Air Force Base, Sherman, accom-
peeled by Corps of Engineers rep-
resentatives, inspected both of the
Abilene municipally owned air-
fields Jan. 29 and 30, 1951.
Maj H L Donley, who heeded
that group. Mid ell fields of Texas
and Oklahoma were being inspect-
ed The visitors went ever maps
and detailed information at the C-
C
Briefs which the CC prepared
throughout the past two years for
presentation to the military often
caused the organization’s clerical
staff to work far, far into the
night. The documents averaged
from 50 to 75 pages each, end
every new edition required re-
search to bring the information up
Io the minute. About the time a
batch of the briefs was filed with
an interested military command,
a delegation of visitors from some
BEAT other meul 70% .
ever again.
Aa Important pledge to the Air
Force was signed to 1951 by five
prominent Abilenians. This promis-
ed that the signers would assure
the Air Force that “the people of
Abilene will make available to the
, Air Force such lead as to needed
YOU'LL BE SEEING THIS JET BOMBER—The B-47, an Air Force jet bomber that can
fly 3.003 miles, drop its bomb load and return, is shown in flight. This bomber- isused by
the Strategic Air Command and probably will be based at the Abilene Army Airfield with
its reactivation.
CLIMATE, TERRAIN EXCELLENT
Airfield Would Live Again,
Former Commander Predicted
Possible return of Air Foyce ac-
tivities to the old Abilene Army
Airfield st Tye brings memories
of past glories.
This also recalls a prophecy by
one of its favorite commanders
that the field would live again and
that it ought to be permanent.
The base served during World
War II as one of the leading com-
bat pilot training stations in the
Second Army Air Force, under
some of the finest, seasoned vet-
erans the service ever knew.
COMBAT TRAINING
Its function — from 1943 through
1945 — was to give sdvsnced. or
com-st, instruction to second lieu-
tenants just commissioned in flight
schools.
This prepared them for actual
clashes with the enemy.
Some subjects taught were:
Aerial gunnery, combat flying,
ground gunnery, dive bombtag and
formation flying.
The field was dedicated in June,
1943.
Commanding officers. In the
order of the time in which they
served, were: Col. Edmund P.
Gaines, Col. Harry Weddington,
Col. Dixon M. Allison and Maj.
T. F. Morrison.
Abilenians probably remember
Colonel Weddington best of all the
commanders. He was la charge
the longest period — from Sep-
tember, 1943. until August, 1945.
It wss be who predicted that the
base would eventually be per-
manent
Colonel Gaines wss commander
from the time the field opened un-
til September, 1943, s few months.
He arrived here in January, 1943.
several weeks before the base wss
completed
The tenure of Colonel Allison,
who succeeded Weddington, waa
from August, 1945, to February,
1946.
Major Morrison succeeded Alli-
COL. EDMOND P. GAINES
dington said “These is mon fly-
ing weather here for fighter train- 1
ing than at any base I know. The 1
field can be enlarged to any size, 1
or length of runways. It will make 1
an excellent permanent base.” 1
The wisdom of those words - 1
spoken in 1945, has been borne out
by the Air Force’s desire now I
to establish a Strategic Air Com-
COL.HARRY WEDDINGTON
son.
AVENGER COMMANDER
Avenger Field, Sweetwater, was
also under Colonel Weddington,
after the fighter pilot training pro-
gram here was expanded.
Pilots were assigned to Abilene
end Sweetwater for training under
officers who hod seen action in
every-theater of the war.
These veterans directed the
pilots through training conditions
that simulated actual combat. For-
mation dying teamwork sad high
altitude missions were stressed
Ten thousand acres of land com-
pristag s bombing aad gunnery
range M miles south of the field
served the trainees for their
"The climate and terrain here
make this one of the very beat
baaea in the nation,” Colonel Wed-
mand base on the same site.
The history of the Abilene Army
Airfield of World Wer II was large-
ly that of Colonel Weddington,
who worked tirelessly not only for
his men but also for the advance-
ment of this city.
He left here in August, 1945, for
retirement from the Army Air
Force after a long and dis-
tinguished career of 28 years. Aa
a boy, be had wanted so badly to
fly that be built his own pusher-
type plane. He joined the Army
sir corps ss a private- July IT.
1917. Z
Weddington went overseas as a
pilot in 1918, but didn't see com-
bet with the enemy.
However, before he came to Abi-
lene. be bad flown most of the
modern bomber and pursuit ships
of the Army as a command pilot
and combat observer He took over
in Abilene after three end one-
half years of duty in the Trinidad
sector and the Panama Canal Zone.
There be had served aa area com-
mander to charge of several large
fields
HUNDREDS TRAINED
Under bis commend here, the
Abilene Army Airfield trained hun-
dreds of P-51 Mustang and P-47
Thunderbolt pilots for combat
Colonel Weddington’s leaving
here for, retirement happened to
coincide with the surrender of
COL. DIXON M. ALLISON
Japan to the Allies, ending WorM
War 11.
His successor. Colonel Allison,
was also a seasoned veteran. He
had flown 73 combat missions ta
fighters.
Allison, as commander of the
52nd Fighter Group, stationed in
England, had led that group in the
North Africa Invasion, flying Spit-
fires from Gibraltar. He later
transferred to the Northwest Af-
rican Training Command as chief
of fighter training, before coming
to Abilene
To all practical purposes, the
field wee closed down early la
1946.
The City of Abilene applied to
the federal government along in
the apring of 1946 for the installa-
tion as a gift.
%
Ms
usus
MI
116
Hi-
Dior:
Finch
new
straw
1.9
AIR FORCE ASKS TO REBUILD THIS BASE—Here's an of the base and it may become the home for medium bomb-
aerial view of the former Abilene Army Airfield in World era in the Strategic Air Command.
War U days. The Air Force has recommended reactivation
I for such a base in addition to the
■ approximate 1,500 acres now in the
I base.” Signers were: Mayor Gris-
1 som. J. C Hunter Jr., CC pres-
ident: Malcolm Meek, president of
the Citizens National Bank W I.,
Sibley president of the Farmers
1 and Merchants National Bank: and
Howard McMahon, publisher of the
. Abilene Reporter News
1 Members of the CC National De-
. fense Committee, the panel which
has spearheaded the efforts for
reactivation of the old Army afr-
field are: Chairmen W. P. Wright.
Howard McMahon, Joe Benson, Gil-
THEY BURNED MIDNIGHT OIL—These Chamber of Commerce secretaries worked far
----------------into the night many times the past two years, preparing endless brochures about Abilene
bert Pechacek T. E Kuykendall. The materials they compiled went to military leaders to back up this community’s request
“ ‘ * for the air base’s reactivation. Left to right—Winnie Lou Bounds and Opal Nalley. (Staff
photo by Don Hutcheson)
Maurice Brooks Jack Simmons
George Minter Jr., and J. C, Hunter
1 Jr.
Tevered
4
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The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 309, Ed. 2 Thursday, May 1, 1952, newspaper, May 1, 1952; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1648873/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Public Library.