1946 01 11 Atterbury Air Base Changes Assignment
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News The Republic (Columbus,(Columbus, Indiana) Indiana) · •Fri, Fri, Jan Jan 11, 11, 1946 1946 · • PagePage 4 Downloaded on Jul 18,18, 2016 AIR BASE CHANGE. Release of Atterbury Army Air field by the Troop Carrier com- mand does not necessarily mean anything so far as this city's air- port chances are concerned. It is still Army property and hardly ex- pected to be declared surplus as long as Camp Atterbury is a going con- -cern. The Walesboro field, on the other hand, is said to be on the list of surplus fields, although it has not been publicly announced as. surplus property. It is under- stood to be immediately available if the city should decide to take it over as a municipal airport.. • • The growing interest in munici- pal airports is evidenced by the fact that 22 Indiana cities and towns were represented at a meet- ing held Wednesday In Indiana- polis under the auspices of the state aeronautics commission. John Owens and Lt. Francis Kline at- tended from here. A number of objections to the Airport Act of 1945 were discussed, and two pro- posed amendments were approved unanimously. One would legalize long-term contracts and leases on rnuncipal airports, and the other would grant authority to munici- palities to make appropriations to a revolving fund for purchasing materials and supplies. 1946_01_11_Atterbury Air Air Base Base changes changes assignment assignment Clipped By: jimdwest Mon, Jul 18,18, 2016 Copyright ©© 20162016 Newspapers.comNewspapers.com.. All Rights Reserved. The Republic (Columbus,(Columbus, Indiana) Indiana) · •Fri, Fri, Feb Feb 8, 8, 1946 1946 · • PagePage 11 News .corn Downloaded on Jul 18, 2016 WRECK BURNS RAIL STATION Troop Train from Atterbury Hits Greenwood Depot —Three Injured. Traffic on the Pennerylvarila railroad main line through here was tied up for two hours Thurs- day afternoon after a derailed troop train plowed into the Green- wood station, Netting it afire and injuring three persons. Flames, starting from the over- turned heating stove in the sta- tion, destroyed the building. Only crew members were aboard the train about 2:45 o'clock when seven of Its 18 coaches jumped the rails as it aped through Green- wood en route to Indianapolis from Camp Atterhury. Greenwood is ten miles south of Indianap- olis. Blame for the wreck was not determined, railroad officials said. Police stated, however, that the train apparently hit an open switch and veered from the main track to a siding. A short time be- fore, freight cars had been switch- ing in the station area. Local Folk View Wreckage. Word of the accident reached here soon after the crash and a number of local residents drove to Greenwood to view the wreckage. ArviII T. Bicknell, 58, of Indi- anapolis, Greenwood station agent and telegraph operator, was in- jured seriously. He was taken to Methodist hospital at Indianapolis. Brakeman Ralph S. Donica, 25. of Indianapolis suffered a leg fracture and broken ribs. Fourteen negro Pullman porters ,Continued on Page 2) 1946_02_08_Empty trooptroop train hitshits GreenwoodGreenwood Depot Clipped By: jimdwest Mon, Jul 18,18, 2016 Copyright ©© 20162016 Newspapers.comNewspapers.com.. All Rights Reserved. Newspapers- The Republic (Columbus,(Columbus, Indiana) Indiana) · •Fri, Fri, Feb Feb 8, 8, 1946 1946 · • PagePage 22 Downloaded on Jul 18,18, 2016 WRECK BURNS RAIL DEPOT AT GREENWOOD (Continued from page 1) and four other trainmen narrowly escaped injury when five of the coaches overturned. The train. made up of sleeper cars, had un- loaded nearly 1.000 soldiers at Camp Atterbury shortly before the accident. Indiana state police said that One of the cars smashed into the station. tipped over a heating stove and tore through the oppo- site end of the building. The sta- tion burst into flames and was completely demolished. Station Visitor Hurt. Harold Smock, 40, of Greenwood. also was injured but not serious- ly. He was taken to his borne af- ter a physician took 16 stitches in a head wound and removed a 4- inch wood splinter from his tongue. Smock was standing in the sta- tion, visiting with Bicknell. when the train wrecked the building. Smock is a brother of Robert Smock of Edinburg. ' The train ran 150 feet along the siding before leaving the rails. It then plowed across ties and a concrete platform in front of the station, and coaches jackknifed On. coach jumped across the main track and stoltpad upright at the crest of an embankment 1946_02_08_Troop train derailsderails -- Continued Clipped By: jimdwest Mon, JulJul 18,18, 20162016 Copyright © © 2016 2016 Newspapers.com.Newspapers.com. All RightsRights Reserved.Reserved. Newspapers' The Columbus HeraldHerald (Columbus, (Columbus, Indiana) Indiana) · •Wed, Wed, Feb Feb 20, 20, 1946 1946 · • PagePage 22 Downloaded on Jul 18, 2016 Army to Keep Atterbury Air Field Indefinitely Atterbury Army Air field, lo- cated at the north edge of Colum- civilian staffs at the air field bus, is to be kept in operation have been reduced and it Is not indefinitely by the War depart- yet known how large a staff will ment as a military installation, it be required to keep the base in was announced today. operation as a field serving Camp Atterbury, The announcement by the War I Lt. Thomas L Pugh. who is department was made through present commanding officer at the I Senator Raymond E. Willis of In- local field. said today that as far diana. as is now known here only a The War department explained skeleton crew will be kept at the that it had reviewed a previous field, providing service for planes decision to close the field and, in- landing here In connection with stead will keep it in operation in- Camp Atterbury. definitely to serve the communi- As for future plans. Lieutenant cations requirements of Camp At- Pugh said that he had received no terbury, which has been designated information. It is believed prob- as a permanent Army installation. able, however, that the Meld will The announcement immediately be operated as a base of the Air ruled out possibility of the city of Service command. Columbus taking over the .Atter- There are approximately 20 ci- bury field as a- municipal airport. vilian employes at the field ■nd Although the field is too large for eight Army men. Whether or not the city to maintain alone, it had any or all of these will be retained been thought that an arrangement is still to be determined. for part maintenance might be Probable Use, worked out. There also had been One of two arrangements for talk that the state of Indiana future use of the local field ap- might be induced to place a wing pears probable. The possibilities of the Indiana national guard air are: force here, using the Atterbury 1. That the field will be oper- . ated only as a lending site for air Walesboro Available. traffic in and out of Camp Atter- The Walesboro Flying field, how- bury• and Wakeman general hos- , ever, is still available to the city pital with only • small staff as- of Columbus, as far as is known signed here to maintain the base. here, and is more near the size 2. That the field will be incorpor- which could be operated on an ated into another branch of the economical basis. Both fields are Army Air Forces, serving both as located four miles from the county a base for Camp Atterbury and courthouse here. for an Army Air Forces flying The Atterbury Army Air field program. has been on a "stand by" basis .In event that the bate is used since Jan. 31 when it was for- only for Camp Atterbury air traf- merly- given up as surplus by the fic, a small staff could maintain Troop Carrier Command. the field and It is probable that Most local observers, however. the field's operation would be were of the opinion that the field linked closely with Atterbury, with would be kept open to serve Camp its offices consolidated into the Atterbury, even though no other Atterbury offices branch of Army Air Forces should However. If made a part of an have any need for the field as part Army Air Forces program. a fairly I of their program_ The War de- large staff probably would be need- ' partment'■ announcement today ed here because of more traffic substantiated that view. and separate offices would be I Since Jan. 31 the military and I maintained. 1946_02_20_Army toto keep AtterburyAtterbury Air FieldField indefinatelyindefinately Clipped By: jimdwest Mon, Jul 18,18, 2016 Copyright ©© 20162016 Newspapers.comNewspapers.com.. All Rights Reserved. Newspapers: The Columbus HeraldHerald (Columbus, (Columbus, Indiana) Indiana) · •Wed, Wed, Feb Feb 20, 20, 1946 1946 · • PagePage 22 Downloaded on Jul 18, 2016 MAYOR NAMES 4 MEMBER BOARD OF AERONAUTICS] Schaerges, Freeman, Swain and Mellencamp Are Appointed. PLAN MUNICIPAL PORT Creation of Commission Is ' First Step Toward Se- curing Field. Mayor Carlos S. Felber.. appoint- mente to the Columbia board of aviation oornmiseioners were an- nounced and continued by the City munch, meeting In regular session Monday night at city hall. These appointed and the length of their term are a. follows: Robert Scheergett, 2206 Chestnut Street, employs of Nohlitt-aparks Industries, Inn., one year. Robert Freeman, 2304 Newton street, employs Cummins Engine mmpany, two jkars. S. Franklin Swab', 2520 Byce-; more ereet, Golden Foundry; three Years. • L. W. Mellencamp. 828 Third larva, First National Corp.. four years. BI•Pserbsoa Dowd. Schaerges and Swain are Re- while Freeman and Mellencamp are Democrats. The law provides that not more than' two of the members shall be of the earn. politieel faith. Creation of the commlaslon le • viewed az another step toward procuring a municipal airport for the city.