Training was
scheduled
to begin in
November.
To have the
field laid out,
b u i l d i n g s
constructed,
equipment
and
p e rs o n n e l
on hand by
November
looked like
a big
order. An army of workmen converged on the
site, the sounds of hammers and saws, bulldozers,
draglines, etc., were heard. Day and night
the army worked unceasingly. There was something
in the air; what it was only those in the know knew
– and they wouldn’t tell. It was something big.
Not long after the expected training date had
passed, Major Rodieck was transferred to Washington,
and Major Carl B. McDaniel, who subsequently was
promoted to Colonel, was assigned as Commanding
Officer.
About the close of 1941 the initial construction program
was completed and the contractors were preparing
to move their equipment elsewhere when an order
came through to expand the building program. Then
it was revealed that the yet unnamed field would not
be used for basic training. It was to become a Combat
Crew Training School and instead of BT’s flying around
over the prairie tract, the B-17’s (Flying Fortresses)
would wing their way over the land that once had
been the home of ducks stopping off on their way from
the north to the warmer
c l i m e
of Southern
Florida, and of herons,
cranes, quail, snipe and
other game birds: and the home of
deer and rabbits – and, no doubt of rattlesnakes
and moccasins.
The thought of Flying Fortresses flying over this section
thrilled the populace in this “the hills and lakes
section’’ of Florida. The
very thought also filled
the people with awe.
But now those heavy
bombers, flying singly,
or in formations, are
commonplace. But they
command attention.
Even though they have
become common place
those huge planes of
graceful lines, things
of beauty, yet probably
the most destructive
aircraft that has been visited upon our
enemies.
At 2355 (11:55 p.m.) on January 29. 1942, the first
B-17 arrived at Hendricks Field. At that time the
total working force of Hendricks Field consisted of
one qualified B-17 pilot, one B-17 airplane, and one
qualified B-17 mechanic. This team trained additional
pilots, and these additional pilots brought in
other B-17’s until our Instructor School operating
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