Rattlesnake Bomber Base
Pyote, Ward County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Nicknamed for the numerous rattlesnake dens that were uncovered during its construction, Pyote Army Air Base was established in 1942 to train replacement crews for bombers during World War II. Located on 2,700 acres of University of Texas land, the base consisted of two 8,400-foot runways, five large hangars, and hundreds of buildings used to house 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers an 2,000 civilians. On Jan. 1, 1943, the 19th Bombardment Group (later known as the 19th Combat Crew training B-17 bomber crews. Pyote came to be highly regarded as a top training field, and its crews set many new records for flying hours. This reputation continued after the transition to B-29s was made in July 1944. During the post-war years, the base served as a storage facility, at one time housing as many as 2,000 aircraft, including the "Enola Gay", the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb. Pyote also was used for a short time as a radar station, but by 1966 it was no longer economical to maintain such a large base for so small an operation, and the facility was closed.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Named for the rattlesnake dens uncovered during its construction, Pyote Army Air Base rose on 2,700 acres of West Texas land in 1942 to train bomber crews for World War II. With two long runways and hundreds of buildings, it trained B-17 crews and, from July 1944, B-29 crews, earning a reputation as a top-flight training field. After the war it became an aircraft storage depot that briefly sheltered the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb.
Why it matters
Sprawling training fields like Pyote were the hidden engine of American air power in World War II, turning open ranchland into the proving ground for a generation of bomber crews.
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Related events
- · World War II
Themes & tags
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