EAGLE FIELD HISTORY

EAGLE FIELD HISTORY

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CCHMM EAGLE FIELD DOS PALOS, CA. HISTORY WWII TRAINING BASE ARMY ~ ~ @ W ~ ~ ~ . c a . u s / c l a s s r o o m s / o l s / b f

CCHMM EAGLE FIELD DOS PALOS, CA.

AN ABRIDGED HISTORY OF EAGLE FIELD
Text provided by Mr. Jim Bertao Offical Eagle Field Historian Home / Dinner Dance / Driving in / Flving i d Aircraft / Pilot Stories / Other h

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With the war already raging in Europe, and tensions building in the Pacific, the United States War Department began contracting with civilian flight schools to train pilots for the U.S. Army. Coast Aviation of Palo Alto Cal was one such operator. The principle owners were Harry White, Lex Ehrman and Dick Hyde. They started a school called Mesa Del Rey in King City Cal. in March 1941, and with the entry of the United States into the war, they obtained a contract to build an additional airport and flight school in order to fill the War Departments need for pilots. A broad, flat desert plain 10 miles south of Dos Palos was chosen as the site for this second facility. This training facility would be called Eagle Field. The ground breaking ceremony was on March 12, 1942 and construction began immediately. With construction still underway, the first cadet pilots arrived by train from Santa Ana at the railroad station in South Dos Palos, Ca. in June of 1942. They rode to their brand new base on a tram that was used for the 1939 Worlds Fair held on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. In time there was steam heat and air conditioning in the barracks and offices. A soda fountain, bowlinq alley, landscaping and a rec hall made Eagle Field the country club of training bases. Only a few employees other than the cadets were actually in the Army. The others were civilians working for the contracting corporation. This included the flight instructors who wore regulation Army uniforms and had to march in drill. The civilians worked as mechanics, cooks, gardeners, office workers, fuelers, base security and many other jobs needed to make the base fuction. Hundreds of people from the local area and from out of town found good jobs and enjoyed working here. It was what they could do to support the war effort. Ryan PT-22s were the first planes used for training. Cadets were expected to solo after a maximum of 10 hours of dual instruction. If they "washed out" they went back to the walking Army (talk about motivation!). If they succeeded they went on to two more levels of flight training before they were introduced to ACTUAL combat overseas. As the Allies gained the upper hand in the war effort and enough student pilots were in the pipeline the training contracts were canceled. King City was closed in August 1944 with

CCHMM EAGLE FIELD DOS PALOS, CA. HISTORY WWII TRAINING BASE ARMY tefEP~@~~~~.ca.us/classrooms/olshfrantd-eag1eefie1d/history.

some personnel transferred to Eagle Field. In December 1944 Eagle Field saw her last cadets. Actual operations lasted 30 months. In those 30 months approximately 5000 pilots graduated from primaty training with the loss of only three lives due to accidents. This is considered an excellent record. Each class held graduation ceremonies and a dance in one of the hangars. Some of the top name bands came to Dos Palos for those dances. The base was used right after the war as an aircraft storage depot and then for many years as a crop duster facility. After the war the city of Dos Palos was to develop Eagle Field as a municlpal airport but they failed in their effort. The property reverted to the federal government. In 1980 it was put up for auction. The largest parcel, consisting of both large hangars, runway, administration building, the remaining barracks and the hospital was bought by Mr. Joe Davis of Fresno, California. He has always had a vision of restoring a WWII airfield out of respect for the men and women who won the war, making a home for vintage aircraft and vehicles and giving both their place in history.

VIEWS FROM 1944

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EAGLE FIELD LOCATION

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RITAGE OF EAGLE AIR MUSEUM

supports the efforts of the Central California Historical Military
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Museum located at Eagle Field, near Dos Palos, California

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Airport Identifier...CLO 1 Eagle Field is a Restricted use Airport This page is not for navigational purposes. Please consult the required charts if you are planning to fly into Eagle Field AAF. Additional Contacts Tim Ward W-269-2750 Jim Bertao 289-392-8264 Eagle Field %El-364-6 132 Runway Information Direction 12L-30R Length 2300'x601asphalt 800+ feet of dirt overruns at both ends CAUTION: DO NOT USE OVERRUNS WHEN WET

Obstructions Power lines 500' from approach end of runway 12 that cross dirt overrun Model Aircraft operations on weekends SE end of runway Navigational Fixes PANOCHE Vortac 112.60 radial 0 10 distance 12.3 EL NIDO Vorldme 114.20 radial 199 distance 23.0 Eagle Field is located at: 11163 North Eagle Avenue Firebaugh, California 93622 For further information in regards to the DinnerlDance at Eagle Field, contact Jim Bertao at: (209) 392-8264 5543 Mint Road Dos Palos, California 93620 Eagle Field surface street directions. If you are on 1-5 southbound exit on Mercy Springs Rd, turn left and at the bottom of the hill turn right on Pole Line Road and follow the map. If you hit a stop sign turn around and go back about a mile to Prince Road. If you are on 1-5 northbound from points south, exit Russell Ave. turn right, go past the stop sign about two miles to Althea Ave. and follow the map to Eagle Field.

EAGLE FIELD LOCATION

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If you are driving in from 1-99 or Fresno, exit on Ave 7 turn west and follow until the road ends in a T, turn left and continue into Firebaugh. Go through the first two stop signs and turn right at the third. They are one street apart Move to the left lane ASAP and turn left at the light. You are now on Nees Ave. Follow the map to Eagle Field. If you on Hwy 152 exit at the Dos PalosIHwy 33 exit and go south. It is about four miles to the stop sign in DP. Continue south for about a mile to Shain Ave. Turn right and follow the road to the next stop sign. Continue straight ahead and make a left about 200 ft. past the stop sign (the first street you can turn left on). Follow the road thru the right and left turn and you will be on Russell Ave. Follow the map from there to Althea (about five miles).

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FLAGPOLEAND QUAD

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r0WER AND PT-226

TOWER AND PT-22s

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SOUTH HANGAR

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SOUTH HANGAR

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EAGLE FIELD TOWER

Eagle Field's control tower stasd three stories tall. Tnc tog floor was an observation deck where the air traffic controller would monitor air and ground traffic. Since primary training aircraft carried no radios, the traffic controller would communicate with the aircraft using a red and green light. The tall center structure of the tower was used to hang parachutes for drying.
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EAGLE FIELD BARRACKS

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EAGLE FIELD BARRACKS

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rhis is a view of the barracks and parade grounds. The picture was taken from the tower. The front left quarter of these barracks are still standing today and are currently under restoration.
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EAGLE HELD MAINTrNANCT HANGAR

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EAGLE FIELD MAINTENANCE HANGAR

Primary flight cadets were very hard on the Ryan and Stearman trainers. This hangar wab constantly repairing damage from the green pilots first landings. The field's original fire truck can be seen parked in front.

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EAGLE FIELD GUARD SHACK

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EAGLE FIELD GUARD SHACK

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During W.W.11 Eagle Field, like other military installations, was under tight security. This was the main guard shack at the main entrance. Since Eagle Field was primarily operated by civilians, the guard shack was manned bv ~rivate securitv officers.

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EAGLE HELD LOCATION

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supports the efforts of the Central California Historical Military Museum located at Eagle Field, near Dos Palos, California
Airport Identifier...CLO1 Eagle Field is a Restricted use Airport This page is not for navigational purposes. Please consult the required charts if you are planning to fly into Eagle Field AAF. Additional Contacts Tim Ward 209-269-2750 Jim Bertao 209-392-8264 Eagle Field 209-364-6132 Runway Information Direction 12L-30R Length 23001x60'asphalt 800+ feet of dirt overruns at both ends CAUTION: DO NOT USE OVERRUNS WHEN WET Obstructions Power lines 500' from approach end of runway 12 that cross dirt overrun Model Aircraft operations on weekends SE end of runway Navigational Fixes PANOCHE Vortac 112.60 radial 010 distance 12.3 EL NIDO Vorldme 114.20 radial 199 distance 23.0 Eagle Field is located at: 11163 North Eagle Avenue Firebaugh, California 93622 For further information in regards to the DinnerDance at Eagle Field, contact Jim Bertao at: (209) 392-8264 5543 Mint Road Dos Palos, California 93620
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Eagle Field surface street directions.

If you are on 1-5 southbound exit on Mercy Springs Rd, turn left and at the bottom of the hill turn right on

Pole Line Road and follow the map. If you hit a stop sign turn around and go back about a mile to Prince Road. If you are on 1-5 northbound from points south, exit Russell Ave. turn right, go past the stop sign about two miles to Althea Ave. and follow the map to Eagle Field.

EAGLE FIELD LOCATION

http://www.b25.net/museum/location.html

If you are driving in from 1-99 or Fresno, exit on Ave 7 turn west and follow until the road ends in a T, turn left and continue into Firebaugh. Go through the first two stop signs and turn right at the third. They are one street apart Move to the left lane ASAP and turn left at the light. You are now on Nees Ave. Follow the map to Eagle Field. If you on Hwy 152 exit at the Dos Palos/Hwy 33 exit and go south. It is about four miles to the stop sign in DP. Continue south for about a mile to Shain Ave. Turn right and follow the road to the next stop sign. Continue straight ahead and make a left about 200 ft. past the stop sign (the first street you can turn left on). Follow the road thru the right and left turn and you will be on Russell Ave. Follow the map from there to Althea (about five miles).

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Links to other Museums USAF Museum

Please feel free to send comments or contact the Heritage of Eagles Air Museum at: tb25n@att.net