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Posted 10 months ago
packrat-pl…
(236 items)
I had a pretty good estate sale day yesterday. I went to the sale of a deceased WW II veteran. As it turned out, he was a pilot and trained here in Texas.
This is a copy of “The Cadet”, Fred Harmon Training Center, Bruce Field, Ballinger, Texas. He was in class 42-H, 1942.
Here is some background info on Bruce Field:
“Opened on October 4, 1941, it began training United States Army Air Corps flying cadets under contract to Harmon Flying School. The airfield had three 2,100' active hard-surfaced runways and five local axillary airfields for emergency and overflow landings.
It was assigned to the United States Army Air Forces Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command), as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Fred Harmon Flying School was the flying training instruction contractor. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19's as the primary trainer. It also had several PT-17 Stearmans assigned.
It was inactivated on 16 October 1944, with the drawdown of the AAFTC's pilot training program. The facility was declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on 30 September 1945. It was eventually discharged to the War Assets Administration (WAA) and became a civil airport.”
Note the signatures from classmates, I wonder how many did not come home.
enjoy
I would like to add something about this veteran.
Harold Massey Obituary:
"Mr. Harold Massey of Fredericksburg, TX passed away in Fredericksburg on Monday, March 21st, 2011 at the age of 90 years. Harold was born April 5, 1920 in Eden, TX to W.M. and Lizzie Jo Prosise Massey. Harold married Natalie Blair on May 1, 1944 in Eden, TX. Harold retired from the United States Air Force after 30 years of service, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel."
** Harold Massey is top row, far left in pic four.
Military and War BooksMilitary memoirs and histories are some of the most treasured possessions f…
very beautiful:)
Thank you for the kind words BELLIN68
Thank you for the love and for visiting BELLIN68, Manikin & mustangtony
Thank you very much petey
Thank you for the love mrmajestic1, officialfuel & mikielikesigns2
I Love it packrat-place!!!!!
Thank you very much for the kind words musikchoo.
Thank you very much toolate2
So nice that this ended up in your collection & not sent to the trash.
Thanks for sharing.
AR8Jason,
Thank you very much for taking the time to research this. Your input is always welcome and appreciated. Very interesting reading. Speaking of Goodfellow Field, I have a posting to do about an item from this same sale.
Thank you again for the kind words walksoftly.
Packrat-place, My name is Mike Measels and I just read your information about the Fred Harman Trng Ctr at Bruce Field and saw the picture of the Cadet. Much to my surprise my dad, Ed Measels, was in it. He was the ground school weather instructor. Was there any additional information in the book about the instructors? I have a letter he had typed,using the government's typewriter and Bruce Field stationary to his parents in Del Rio, Tx telling them about this class. I would appreciate any additional information you may have. Thanks
That is amazing! I just went all through it again, and that is the only reference to him I could find. I find this amazing, as I just chose that photo at random. There are other photos of the instructors, send me an email, its in my info section.
My email is mandkal@aol.com. Thanks again. What is also amazing is my sister found the letter I mentioned and gave it to me yesterday and that is when I googled and found you. Dad passed away in 1984. Mike
Thank you very much AR8Jason, walksoftly , Hedgewalker, miKKoChristmas11, PhilDavidAlexanderMorris, chevy59 & bratjdd
Packrat & Measels that is an amazing set of circumstances that had to occur at the right time by the right people.
That is amazing! I just picked that page at random.
There must have been a former veteran guiding your hand that day.
Thank you very much ttomtucker & kerry10456
walksoftly, I agree with you!
Thank you very much for the love toracat