World War II and Eagle Field</head> <body bgcolor="#CCCC99" text="#663300" link="#FFFFFF" vlink="#669966" alink="#996666"> <p></p><center> <font size="+1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="history.html"></a><b><font color="#0000a0">HERITAGE OF EAGLES AIR MUSEUM</font></b></font> </center><p></p> <p></p><center><hr> <div align="center"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>World War II and Eagle Field</strong></font> </div> </center> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On December 7, 1941, air naval units from the Imperial Japanese Fleet attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, propelling the United States into World War II.</font> </div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In February of 1942 the Army Air Force selected Eagle Field as a new location for an Army primary flight school, <font color="#000000">to rapidly increase its capacity to train pilots for combat. Construction of Eagle Field was commenced in March of 1942. Actual training of Army aviation cadets began at Eagle Field on June 15, 1942. Until defense housing could be built, school personnel were accommodated in private homes. In its completed state, the airport and three auxiliary fields spread over 1,035 acres. The school maintained thirty two buildings and there was even the luxury of a swimming pool and a bowling alley for the cadets.</font></font> </div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <div align="justify"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">All of the primary training was accomplished by contract civilian instructors. Check rides were accomplished by military personnel. The primary training aircraft used was the Ryan PT-22 Recruit, followed by the arrival of the Stearman PT-13 Kaydet and the Vultee BT-13 Valiant. Approximately five thousand men were trained at Eagle Field from June, 1942 through December, 1944. </font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Eagle Field was once called the "Country Club" of Bases and was a place where Bob Crosby, Harry James and Xavior Cugot brought their bands to entertain the troops. Eagle Field closed down the day the war ended.</font> </div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Eagle Field is on the West side of the San Joaquin Valley, very close to interstate 5 and is about 20 miles south of Route 152, which is the main artery between the Central Coast area and the San Joaquin Valley.</font> </div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <div align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Eagle Field is located at: 11163 North Eagle Avenue Firebaugh, California 93622</font> </div> <p></p> <ul> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/museum/hpages/musemages.html">Museum images</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/museum/hpages/dance.html">Eagle Field annual Dinner/Dance</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/museum/hpages/location.html">Eagle Field Location</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/index.html">B-25 Heavenly Body</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.af.mil/50th/library/chrono1.html">Chronology 1926-1946</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.cfcsc.dnd.ca/links/milhist/wwii.html">History of World War II 1939-1945</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www1.drive.net/evird.acgi$pass*5462295%21_h-www.landings.com/_landings/pages/museums.html">Links to other Museums</a> </font></li> <li><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/">USAF Museum</a> </font></li> </ul> <p></p><center> <a href="/museum/hpages/museum.html"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Back to main page</font></a> </center> <p></p> <p></p> <center> <font color="#0000a0" size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Please feel free to send comments or contact the Heritage of Eagles Air Museum at</font><font color="#0000a0" size="-2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">:</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#0000a0"> </font></b><a href="mailto:TB25N@att.net">tb25n@att.net</a></font> </center> </body></html>