Site of Pampa Army Air Force Base
Pampa, Gray County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In the early 1940s Pampa mayor Fred Thompson and a delegation from the city's Chamber of Commerce traveled to Washington, D.C. to promote this area as a possible site for a military base. Attracted by the terrain, climatic history, available land and community response, Army officials chose this site for the establishment of an installation to train pilots and support personnel for World War II. Construction of the Pampa Army Air Force Base began in June 1942, under the direction of the Tulsa, Oklahoma office of the Corps of Engineers. Overseeing the initial stages of the operation was Col. Norman B. Olsen. Temporary offices were set up in the Rose Motor Company and Culberson-Smalling buildings in town. Col. Daniel S. Campbell became the commanding officer in September 1942, and within two months the first planes and aviation cadets had arrived. The Pampa Army Air Force Base closed September 30, 1945, after just three years of operation. During that time 6,292 aviation cadets and 3,500 mechanics were trained. The base's safety record was one of the best in the U.S. Training Command during World War II. Despite a brief history, the base had a dramatic impact on the development of the Pampa area. (1982)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the early 1940s Pampa's mayor and chamber of commerce lobbied Washington to bring a military base to the Panhandle, and the Army—drawn by the flat terrain and clear skies—broke ground in June 1942. The Pampa Army Air Force Base trained thousands of pilots and mechanics for World War II, boasting one of the best safety records in the Training Command. It closed in 1945 after just three years, having trained 6,292 cadets and 3,500 mechanics.
Why it matters
The base is one of countless training fields that turned the open American heartland into the arsenal that won the air war of World War II.
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Related people
- · Fred Thompson
- · Norman B. Olsen
- · Daniel S. Campbell
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