Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

Page 55 text:

lllllll Sl ll I . ALBERT S. BIGELOW PERCEY O. BREWER NEIL JOHNSON MILTON F. BELL Lieufenanf Colonel Lieufenanf Colonel Lieufenanf Colonel Capfain Posf Quarfermasler Posf Operaficns Officer Posf Surgeon Posf Mess Officer ROY R. DUNCAN FREDERICK D. HUMPHREY CHARLES H. MCGIRR, JR. CHARLES M. THOMPSON Capfain Capfain Capfain Firsf Lieufenanf Technical lnspecfor Transporfafion Officer Adminisfrafive lnspecfor CHESTER B. MOORE LYLE W. CUNNINGHAM JOHN A. MONTGOMERY, JR. HENRY W. HANNA R. W. LEPLEY Capfain Firsf Lieufenanf Capfain Second Lieufenanf Second Lieufenanf Posf Exchange Officer Pos? Engineering Officer Boards and Claims Officer Special Services Officer Sfafisfical Officer E511

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ST ll WILLIAM T. MULLIGAN JAMES C. NYSTROM Lieulenanf Colonel Maior Execufive Officer Assisfanf Execufive Officer FORTUNE P. RYAN E. D. EDWARDS J. H. BOZUNG Firsf Lieufenanf Maier Capfain Posl Adiufanl Dlrecfor of Flying Public Relations Officer D. E. SCARF L. J. PEATMAN F. B. McCORMAC W. A. TICE Caplain Capfain Captain Capfain S-I S-2 S-3 S-4 E501

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lllllllll lll lllllllllll ir ir COLONEL JOSEPH P. BAILEY Firsf Commanding Officer As lusfy infanfs have a way of bringing fhemselves fo public affenfion, so fhe Merced Army Flying School, now slighfly more fhan a year old, has developed rapidly in size and beaufy unfil if offers a challenge fo ofher posfs of fhe Army Air Forces. lf was a week before Pearl Harbor Sunday when l8O enlisfed men and several officers moved in from Moffeff Field and headquarfers changed from fhe Tioga l-lofel in Merced fo fhe brand-new building on fhe posf. Colonel Joseph P. Bailey lfhen Lieufenanf Colonell assumed fhe iob of Commanding Officer, and Colonel Thomas J. DuBose lfhen Maiorl and Lieufenanf Colonel William T. Mulligan, lfhen Capfainl became Execufive Officer and Adiufanf for fhe field, respecfively. In fhe flying deparfmenf, Colonel DuBose also served as Direcfor of Training, wifh Lieufenanf Colonel l-lerman Schmid lfhen Capfainl as his assisfanf. Maior Roland C. Ehref, now deceased, was commander of A Sfage, and Maior John D. Wynne fook over on B Sfage. Bofh were Lieufenanfs af fhaf fime. There were only a handful of buildings on fhe field when fhe men moved in, buf fiffeen days lafer fhe firsf class of cadefs arrived for fheir basic flying fraining. Sfreefs fhen were merely alleys of mud and wafer from recenf rains, buf work on new buildings wenf on rapidly. In April, l942, fhe new posf was visifed by Lieufenanf General l-l. l-l. Arnold who arrived on a four of inspecfion wifh Maior General Ralph H. Cousins. Early publicify came when Warner Brofhers filmed much of Men of fhe Sky af fhe Merced Field. Merced Army Flying School was fhe firsf field visifed by Capfain l-lewiff T. Wheless, hero of fhe Philippine campaign, upon his refurn, his wife being a Merced girl. One of fhe famous old-fimers af fhe posf was Colonel John A. Macready, famed fransoceanic record flyer, who was fhe commander of fhe 89fh Air Base Squadron, sfafioned here in fhe summer of l942. Colonel Mac- ready's picfure will be found in fhe fwo pages devofeol fo famous Army Air Forces men. There have been many changes of personnel since fhose early frying days, and many classes of cadefs have graduafedfrom fhe field and gone on fo more advanced fraining. Colonel l-larvey F. Dyer fook over command of fhe Posf from Colonel Bailey in Ocfober, I942, and his advenf inaugurafed maior changes fhaf have accom- plished much fo make fhe field one of fhe largesf and finesf on fhe Wesf Coasf. Maior James C. Nysfrom lllll llll ll Sllllllll fhe presenf Execufive Officer, arrived on fhe Posf in Ocfober as Posf Adiufanf, lafer succeeding Lieufenanf Colonel Mulligan as Execufive Officer when fhe laffer wenf fo fhe General Sfaff School. All fhe newer buildings are of modern design, con- sfrucfed wifh an eye fo economy of space. They are a dark brown, almosf indisfinguishable from fhe air, fhough fhe early buildings are whife, wifh green roofs. Merced Army Flying School has an up-and-coming newspaper begun in fhe earliesf days of fhe field, a weekly radio program fhaf is achieving widespread pop- ularify, a spacious chapel, a Posf Exchange sfore and res- fauranf, a failor shop, a barber shop for enlisfed men and cadefs, officers' club, and recreafion rooms for all sduadrons. One of fhe oufsfanding insfifufions of fhe field is fhe Air Mechanic School under direcfion of Capfain David Anderson. This school furns ouf mechanics and insfrucfors every eighf weeks, and gives insfrucfion fo every cadef on fhe posf. When fhe original Posf Operafions building was de- sfroyed by fire, a new building of more modern fype was erecfed fo me-ef fhe growing reguiremenfs. An efforf has been made, and a highly successful one, fo beaufify fhe field by planfing lawns, frees and shrub- bery, so fhaf pafches of green now meef fhe eye in every direcfion. A recenf addifion is a large swimming pool, available fo all on fhe hof summer days. ln fhe field hospifal fhe lafesf eguipmenf of all kinds is ready fo serve in any emergency, and fo mainfain fhe high sfandard of healfh required of fhe field personnel. lf is complefe, wifh wards, privafe rooms, denfal and eye clinics, fesfing laborafories, X-ray deparfmenf, and several operafing rooms. Daily inspecfion by medical personnel is made in all mess halls, dining rooms, res- fauranfs and kifchens. Merced Army Flying School boasfs one of fhe finesf bands on fhe Wesf Coasf, and fhe radio is spreading ifs popularify far afield. The musicians are much in demand for Merced dancers. Sifuafed in fhe gafeway fo Yosemife, fhe Posf is in an advanfageous posifion for ifs personnel fo visif fhis famous resorf for bofh winfer and summer sporfs. So if is, fhaf wifh such efficienf personnel and such inspirafional environmenf Merced Army Flying School has ably upheld ifs parf in fhe unifed efforf fo Keep 'Em Flying if if COLONEL JOHN A. MACREADY Former Commander of 89ih Air Base Squadron