Warbird Information Exchange

Is there anyone out there interested in WW II Army Air Fields? We were blessed here in Texas with enough to visit every weekend. Some are still active but there are more that are forgotten. It breaks my heart to see an empty field with grass growing through the cracks in once were runways and trees growing through foundations that once were buildings that were busy with the business of training crews for war and not even a marker to tell the story. It's really sad that we have got to this point.

My Dad was at Pyote, TX for Phase 2 training with his B-17 crew. Phase training started with a train trip from Ephrata, WA to Blythe, California on December 12, 1942 for Phase 1. Then Phase 2 with guidance from men who had just returned from combat in the South Pacific at Pyote, Texas. Phase 3 (final phase) was at Casper, Wyoming.

After 50 missions as a tail gunner, then later a top turret gunner and Engineer with the 301st BG in North Africa and Italy he ended up at Pyote again in May 1944.

He went to Pyote as Instructor Engineer/Gunner of Squadron F. They were over-staffed with little flying time so most didn't see many hours in the air. By the second week of June he heard of an open position with Base Flight and got it. He flew from then on in one of their three B-17s (one was B-17G-60-BO, 42-102780 (4104 Base Unit). He flew also in their three B-25s, two C-47s with some training as Co-Pilot. They also had two B-26s, 2 A-24s, some AT-6s, UC-78s, a UC-64, 3 L-5s, a C-46, and some single engine fighters at the time. My dad was with them until 29 Sept 1945. He would later write about this: “I received most of my early pilot training at Pyote under the supervision of Lt Ingram and Lt. Boland. Neither had a civilian instructor rating. I soloed in a Stinson L-5 at Ft. Stockton Auxiliary Field later in 1945.”

Pyote is thus of great interest to me. I know FlyPast did a two-part article on "Rattlesnake" as it was called, starting with the March 2001 issue. I found that issue on a local newstand but would love a copy of the second article which I never saw.

Have you been to the Pyote base and shot any pictures? I would be happy to trade original photos, negatives, or reprints (from my civilian warbird collection) or other items if so.

If you are aware of any other articles or photos of the Pyote base (especially the flightline) from 1944-45 please let me know the references.

I have one photo of my Dad landing (coming over the fence shot from the ground) a B-17 named "Sad Sack" at Pyote. Lt. Ingram was the instructor in the other seat. I haven't determined the serial of that B-17.

Lowell Thompson
Kellogg, Idaho

Great story on your dads experiences, thx for sharing.

If I'm not mistaken, Pyote was used for storage after the war as the Enola Gay was there until the '50s(?) and then flown to Andrews where it sat deteriorating until they moved it to Garber.




This site has interested information concerning old airfields.

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/TX/Air ... .htm#pyote


regards,

t~

I have visited Pyote several times. They have the front gate fixed up pretty nice and have several stones dedicated to the units that were stationed there. You can still see some of the old streets and some foundations coming from what was the cantonement area. The airfield is seperated from the area by I-20 and it's somewhat difficult getting to the other side. There is still one wall from one of the hangars standing and from google maps, you can still make out the runways and ramp area.

The airfield now houses a juvenile detention facility that is run by the state of texas. I have a few pictures that I will try and post tonight

The field after the war did become a storage area and at one time had some 2000 aircraft stored here waiting for the smelter. The Enola Gay was here along with the B-17 McArthur used during the war. But everything is being turned back over to the rattlesnakes at the present time.

Great piece on your dad. Sounds like he had an active tour. My dad Crewed C-47s during the war. He spent some time at Bergstrom and Sedalia over here and, when sent to Europe, was in 7 major battles assisting in the drops on D-Day and at the Battle of the Bulge. You could see the pride in his eyes when he found out I was going to C-141s and was doing primarily the same thing he did during the war.

Will post more later

I know there were a bunch in Florida during the war. I believe the majority were for fighter pilots. If anyone has more info on these I'd love to know. I'm in Florida for 6 more months, and really want to go visit some before I leave.

COTS

If you are interested in this stuff, you have to get all three of his books. I have the first one, and am looking for the second one, if anybody has it! Now my secret code can be broken by WIX! I've linked to the Amazon page on third volume below:

"Forgotten Fields Volume III" by Lou Thole

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Try abebooks.com for used copies of Lou Thole's Forgotten Fields of America VolsI, II & III

bill word

Abandoned and Little Known Airfields:

http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/index.htm

Aircraft Wrecks in Southern California (and Old Airports):

http://www.av.qnet.com/~carcomm/wrecks.htm

I have read all 3 of Lou Thole's Forgotton Fields and they are extremely well written. Freeman's work on the Internet with Abandoned and Little Known Airports is another excellent resource. Has anyone come across anything else?

Hello rkski, welcome to the WIX! I too am interested in old airfields. I have been to Pyote several times the last few years. I was able to get on base every time, no problems or anyone coming after me with a shotgun! I have been to the last hanger standing(walls only) there are still very discernable War Art (slogan type) on all four corners of the building! You can still find the bombsite building with the safe doors still attached and the name of the safe company on them! But the biggest find is the area where the chopping and smelting took place, you can still find evidence littering the ground!! Not too far from the smelter is a couple large piles of parts that didnt' get melted or the furnace wasn't hot enough to melt. But before anyone goes out there most of the stuff I found was pretty much flat! And there were lots of cables to hinder one from digging very deep. Example: ammo feed chutes.I do have a rather large trim wheel I believe to be from the B-29, from current pic's I have of the cockpit. Also if you do go out there go to the air base museum they have a lot of great photo's. The lady there also directed me to the gun range north of town, you can still find .50 cal. Bullets, damaged & undamaged laying around. Have you been to the training field in Aspermont? The old hangers are still there also. I Grew up in Deming N.M.,which was a BIG bombadier training base. Three of the original four hangers are still up. Cheers for now.

Neat subject - near and dear to me - Wendover is arguably one of the best "as it was" preserved bases left. More than 80 original buildings including officers club, mess hall, barracks, hangars, bombsight storage, and a few hospital buildings.

Perhaps the best known hangar here is the 393rd Bombardment Squadron hangar - otherwise known as the "enola gay" hangar. It is a specially built drive through style B-29 hangar - HUGE. It is in serviceable condition - currently used as a tanker truck storage (it pays the bills) and I don't have a B-29 to put in it; YET! (someday I hope).

Tom P.

Steve,

I was just in Breckenridge last Tuesday on my motorcycle to visit the airport and take some pictures.

I was totally unaware there was anything around the town of Pyote with exception of the post office, the juvenile facility, a cafe, and a few old buildings. I might have to go back and do some more investigation but I refuse to go where I may run into some of our slithering friends.

I have been into this hobby for about two years and really enjoy the time spent learning and researching. I am even working on a database for the 5 state area that contains all the AAFs, NAS, and MCASs. We may have to strike up some conversations and swap some war stories.

One of the best bases I have come across yet is Pratt AAF in Pratt, Kansas. The towns people have to be commended for what they have there at the airport. There is a T-38 and an F-4 at the entrance, a pavillion with numerous plaques dedicated to different units, there are several bombsight storage facilities, some old shop and warehouse buildings, and two well preserved hangars. You can see the roads and some of the foundations from old buildings in the cantonement area and, when I was there last summer, the grass was neatly trimmed. The place was beautiful. Those people are proud of their heritage.

Pratt was one of the bases used to stage the B-29s as they rolled off the assembly line at Boeing in Wichita. The ramp is huge and in very good shape. I believe there is only one active runway.

Everyone remembers the old warbirds but there are only a few of us out here that are interested in preserving the memory of where the warbirds roosted.

COTS,

Here is a list of some Flordia Army Air Fields for you to Visit:

Apalachacola AAF, west of Apalachacola
Carlstrom Field, Southeast of Arcadia, contract flying school
Bonita Springs AAF, 12 miles north of Naples
Brookville AAF, Southwest of Brooksville
Bushnell AAF, Southeast of Bushnell
Cross City AAF, One mile east
Dunnellon AAF, Five miles east of Dunnellon
Buskingham AAF, Near the community of Buckingham
Homestead AAF, east of Homestead
Jacksonville AAF, 7 Miles north of town
Lakeland Army Air Field, Southwest of Lakeland
Leesburg AAF, 4.5 miles east of town
Marianna AAF, Northeast of Marianna
Bopca Raton AAF, Two miles Nw of Boca Raton
Miami AAF, Miami
Naples AAF, 1.25 miles Northeast of Naples
Tyndall Field, 8 Miles Southeast of Panama City
Perry AAF, South of Perry
Pinecastle AAF, 2.5 miles Southeast of the town of Pinecastle
Sarasota AAF, 3.5 miles north of town
MacDill Field, Southwest of Tampa
Drew AAF, 5 miles west of Tampa

This is just a start. I figured this would keep you busy for then next couple of months. Let me know how it goes!

rkski,
Wow, thanks man! That will keep me busy for a bit! Thanks... I know a few of you on WIX are here in Florida and I found this site today while looking for airfields http://www.flheritage.com/museum/mfh/exhibits/wwii/sites.cfm Just select the region and it'll list WWII airfields and other historical sites... Enjoy!

COTS

Absolutely. I feel so much ink has been devoted to combat units, and so very little has been devoted to the fields they trained on. Growing up, I was near the remains of Dale Mabry AAF in Tallahassee: http://members.tripod.com/airfields_fre ... hassee.htm We always heard it referred to as, "the old airport," and I was about 12 when I first heard it was an AAF training field. It was one of the main advanced training fields for the 3rd Air Force, and was the municipal airport in town until the early 1960s, when they closed it and relocated to a field far outside of town. It's now almost totally unrecognizable, as Tallahassee Community College is sitting on top of most of it. I've spent almost 20 years now, researching what little info is out there and collecting items when I find them. The USAF has VERY little on some training fields, as Maxwell's file on Mabry only takes up two large boxes. I've been trying to get info for a eventual book, but after all these years, I have a lot of souvenirs and photos, but not a lot of info to write. It's amazing how the info comes out of left field sometimes. Last month, I found won an ebay item that was two ground training newsletters for 3rd AF, and they mentioned a bivouac site at Silver Lake, and that was almost within walking distance of my childhood home! All these years, I'd heard rumors of it, but nothing in print. And now I have a firm reference to it, including a photo of the drop tank they turned into a ditching simulator at the lake. But at least the city decided to put a historical marker there, mostly from the efforts of Nick Fallier, a fine old man who used to be stationed there and lives nearby.
NO. I really like Lou's books, really I do, and I have them all, but they're only cursory histories. But they are good if you're going to the locations to look around. I've even offered to fly back to Tallahassee to show him around Mabry Field's remains if he puts a chapter in his next book. I'm not waiting by the phone for his call, though. PM me on this, it largely depends on what part of the state you're in, but I've been years researching the airfields in Florida, especially Northern part of the state.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)