San Angelo Army Airfield - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

For the civilian airport use, see San Angelo Regional Airport
San Angelo Regional Airport
-References:*, also available as a *...

Not to be confused with Goodfellow Field

San Angelo Army Airfield is an inactive United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

base, approximately 8 miles south-southwest of San Angelo, Texas

San Angelo, Texas

San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...

. It was active during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

as a training airfield. It was closed on 30 November 1945.

The primary mission of the field was to train Bombardiers for B-25 Mitchell

B-25 Mitchell

The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

, B-26 Marauder

B-26 Marauder

The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....

medium; B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator

B-24 Liberator

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...

heavy bombers, and later B-29 Superfortress

B-29 Superfortress

The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...

very heavy bombers for combat missions during World War II.

History

Initially built as "Carr Field" Municipal Airport. The original airport was on a 670 acre site being developed by the Works Progress Administration

Works Progress Administration

The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...

(WPA). It had two 4,500 feet runways with a third main of about 6,200 feet. Construction was well underway by the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack, after which discussions were held to convert Carr Field to an Army Air corps base.

Army personnel arrived in San Angelo in May 1942 and the construction of the civil airport was taken over by military construction crews in May 1942. Additional land was acquired and the military airfield eventually totaled almost 1,700 acres in size.

The base was activated on 1 June 1942 and jurisdiction was transferred to the Army Air Forces Training Command

Army Air Forces Training Command

Army Air Forces Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was redesignated Air Training Command on 1 July 1946 as part of the reorganization of the Army Air Forces after World War II....

. However, the base was far from ready to perform any type of military training. Runway construction consisted of expanding the former civil airport into a four asphalt runway configuration laid out with 5868x150(NNE/SSW), 5938x150(NNE/SSW); 5000x150(E/W), 5144x150(NW/SE) runways along with seven hangars. In addition, the building of a large support base was carried out with barracks, various administrative buildings, maintenance shops and hangars. The station facility consisted of a large number of buildings based on standardized plans and architectural drawings, with the buildings designed to be the "cheapest, temporary character with structural stability only sufficient to meet the needs of the service which the structure is intended to fulfill during the period of its contemplated war use" was underway. To conserve critical materials, most facilities were constructed of wood, concrete, brick, gypsum board and concrete asbestos. Metal was sparsely used. The station was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed. There were libraries, social clubs for officers, and enlisted men, and stores to buy living necessities. Over 250 buildings, together with complete water, sewer, electric and gas utilities, the airfield served over 4,000 military personnel.

It was not until 8 January 1943 that Training Command activated the 34th Flying Training Wing (Bombardier and Specialized Twin- and Four-Engine) at the base, it's mission being the training of bombardiers and specialized pilot two- and four-engine flying training. The 34th was one of two dedicated Bombardier training wings, the other being the 38th at Williams Field

Williams Field

Williams Field or Willy Field is a United States Antarctic Program airfield in Antarctica. Williams Field consists of two snow runways located on approximately 8 meters of compacted snow, lying on top of 80 meters of ice, floating over 550 meters of water...

, Arizona (later moved to Kirtland Field, New Mexico). Schools were also established at seven other locations in Central and Western Flying Training Commands (Victorville AAF, California; Carlsbad AAF, Deming AAF, Roswell AAF, New Mexico; and Childress AAF, Midland AAF and Big Spring AAF, Texas).

Bombardier Training

The first training class (42-17) began in September 1942 when the field was about 90% complete. Flying cadets came from phase one flight schools at Ellington Field

Ellington Field

Ellington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...

, Texas and Santa Anna Army Airbase, California. The primary twin-engine trainer was the Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan, which provided both twin-engine training for pilots and could have practice bombs loaded for bombardier training, as the aircraft had a large glass nose where the trainee could sit and become familiar with the Norden Bombsight

Norden bombsight

The Norden bombsight was a tachometric bombsight used by the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars to aid the crew of bomber aircraft in dropping bombs accurately...

. Later, some obsolete B-18 Bolo

B-18 Bolo

The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....

s were used as the classes grew larger and the need for additional aircraft increased. Classes were organized into four "Flights", designated "A", "B", "C" and "D".
Early training at San Angelo AAF reflected the need to get men into combat quickly. The ground school was opened by a dozen Second Lieutenants who were recent graduates of the Officer Training School at Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...

, but none of them had any experience on the Norden Bombsight or had any bombardier training. Initially trained bombardiers were pulled from combat squadrons to perform the academic instruction in bombing techniques and flew along with the cadets making practice bomb drops and teaching them from their practical experience, more than from a syllabus. As time passed, recent graduates of the school at San Angelo, as well as other bombardier schools became the instructors.

The first course of instruction was twelve weeks long, which again reflected the urgent need for bombardiers in the heavy and medium bombers which were beginning to roll off the production lines at Boeing

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

, Martin, Consolidated

Consolidated Aircraft

The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...

, Ford and other plants. The course used was modeled after the one already in use at Midland Army Airfield, Texas which consisted of about thirty-five hours of bombing training, actual flying missions and about 225 hours of classroom work. This included a study of the theory of bombing, automatic flight control equipment, bombsight maintenance in the fireld, and equipment. Practice missions were flown with 100 pound inert bombs that were dropped from altitudes ranging from 300 to 12,000 feet. Each cadet dropped about 200 bombs during training. Most of the time the initial graduates spent in the first twelve-week course was devoted to the use of the Norden Bombsight and bombing accuracy with it.

Later, as time permitted and the number of graduates increased, the course was extended to eighteen weeks in July 1943, which added instruction in night and dead-reckoning navigation. To accommodate the navigation training, both types of training were included in the same flight for the multiple pilots and navigators assigned to each aircraft and the length of the flights were extended, making simulated bomb runs over several simulated targets and dropping practice bombs over several practice ranges set up.

The training program was again extended to twenty-four weeks in October 1944; however this led to problems with the availability of the M-38A2 practice bombs. At the time, trainees were required to drop 20 practice bombs each per month, and students normally dropped as many as 200. However, due to a shortage of practice bombs, this was reduced to a maximum of 125. Some of the major additional to the twenty-four week course was the extension of flying time from 120 to 150 hours. Academic hours were increased in the ground school to study bomb racks and their in-flight maintenance; fuses; bombs; bombing analysis; radio navigation aids; glide bombing and other subjects. Also, a ten-hour course was added in the use of the Astro-Compass.

The Norden Bombsight was one of America's most closely guarded secrets at the time. They were removed from the aircraft when not in use and stored in one of three vaults in the bombsight maintenance building. The building was surrounded by a double barbed wire fence and kept under armed guard 24/7. Each trainee had to sign an oath of secrecy before starting the training. Most of the students were cadets, and upon graduation, would be commissioned as second lieutenant

Second Lieutenant

Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...

s. Some later classes, however, received new students who had received their commission in other areas and were retraining.

Closure

By early 1945, the urgent need for bombardiers was over and the number of trainees was significantly reduced. There were now enough bombardiers to meet anticipated needs, so the cadets in the training program underwent more thorough training. The concrete bomb shortage was past, and in March 1945, the 1,000,000th concrete practice bomb was dropped. The end of the war in Europe in May further cut back the number of trainees, and in August, the victory over Japan the role for which San Angelo Army Airfield ended. Notice from Army Air Forces Training Command

Army Air Forces Training Command

was received that all training would stop on 15 August. Students and officers were given a choice of separation or being allowed to remain in the postwar Air Force and continue training. Those who elected for separation, however, were not immediately separated but given non-flying duties around the field, and many did not receive their discharges until October.

The last class of bombardiers from San Angelo AAF graduated on 12 September, and all classes in-progress were halted on 24 September. The remaining students were reassigned to Midland Army Airfield to complete their training. Then in October, a limited amount of training was re-started, and as late as 1 November there were still over 100 aircraft on the parking ramp; primarily AT-11s, but also some B-24 Liberator

B-24 Liberator

s and B-17 Flying Fortresses that had been transferred from heavy bomber training bases and were used as trainers. Finally, Training Command sent orders to San Angelo AAF that the base would be closed on 30 November. Some aircraft were reassigned to other open bases, but the vast majority were sent to reclamation facilities for scrapping. On 30 November 1945, the flag was lowered at San Angelo Army Airfield for the last time.

Current status

Ultimately, a transfer agreement was arranged after the war which allowed the City of San Angelo to reclaim its original 673.66 acre airport and also retain a lease on 896.7 acres of Tom Green County School land. The War Assets Administration

War Assets Administration

The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...

(WAA) also transferred almost all government-build-and-owned airport improvements to the city.

Today, the airfield is a civil airport named "Mathis Field", in honor of First Lieutenant Jack W. Mathis

Jack W. Mathis

Jack W. Mathis was a United States Army Air Forces officer and a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States military's highest decoration, for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...

, a bombardier who received the Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

posthumously as a result of his heroic actions over Germany in 1943. His brother, Mark Mathis was also a bombardier who had requested an assignment to the 303d Bombardment Group

303d Bombardment Group

The 303d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 303d Bombardment Wing, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It was de-activated on 16 June 1952....

, at Molesworth

RAF Molesworth

RAF Molesworth is a Royal Air Force station located near Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom with a history dating back to 1917.Its runway and flight line facilities were closed in 1973 and demolished to support ground-launched cruise missile operations in the early 1980s...

, England; the same group as which his brother Jack was assigned. Mark was on the base when the plane carrying his brother's body landed after the mission. At his own request, Mark Mathis was transferred into Jack Mathis' crew to replace him as bombardier. When the crew completed its tour of duty, Mark Mathis stayed in combat and was killed in action over the North Sea in May 1943 when his B-17 crashed into the North Sea

North Sea

In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...

as a result of combat damage. Today, a portrait of both brothers hang in the lobby of Mathis Field Airport.

Today, two of the former wartime runways at Mathis Field are still in use. A new extended length jet runway replaced the parallel twin north/south runways. The large aircraft parking apron remains, and two of the wartime hangars remain in use. The buildings of the ground station were sold, removed or torn down over the years and today only some foundations remain in bushy areas. The streets still visible in aerial photography, some still accessible to drive though the abandoned station.

History

Bombardier Training

Closure

Current status

See also