\'I Page Missing This page inserted to keep facing pages together ARMY AIR FORCES . PILOT SCHOOL (BASIC) SHERMAN, TEXAS IVI Perrin Field, located midway between Sherman mand and the Army Air Forces Training Com­ and Denison ·n Grayson County, Texas, was the mand. By the middle of 1943 the field had first Army Air Forces basic flying school to be reached an importance far beyond the expecta­ opened after declaration of war. Just one week t ions of its builders. It had become the home of after the attac~ on Pearl Harbor, on December headquarters of the 32nd Flying Training Wing 16, the first class of cadets arrived at Perrin under Brigadier General Aubrey Hornsby. It Field. After that time the field contributed an had bee n a test stat ion of the Exact Manning important part in building the crushing air Table, and the results of much of its work had strength of United States forces. been used as a model for other stations. Named in honor of the lat e Lieutenant Colone l Explo its of pilot s t rained at Perrin Field had 8mer D. Perrin of Boerne, Texas, the field was made history, and many of the men who had dedicated with fitting ceremonies on Feb ruary come and gone as officers or en isted men were 23, 1942. serving overseas. Cadres of men from Perrin Actudl work on the field had begun with clear­ Field had activated several other stations; so the ing and qrading on January 5, 194 1. The field work at Perrin Field had spread throughout the is laid out on 1,000 acres of ground. The flying nation, and some of Perrin's former officers and field itself takes three-fourths of the space, but men were fighting in all the war theaters of the there is enouqh ground left for a comfortably world. spaced group of well-built buildinqs. Selection of the name for Perrin Field honored As the work of Perr;n Field progressed, the a man whose cont ribution to the Air Forces was station became increasingly more important in his life itself. Lieutenant Cclone I Elmer D. the whole plan of Central Fly ing Training Com- Pe rrin, after whom the field was named, was killed June 2 I, 194 1, ·n the crash of a bomber he was testing for the Air Forces. Born in Boerne. Texas, in 1896, Colonel Perrin enlis ted in the army as a private during World W ar I and served in +he 165th Depot Br"gade, la ter t ransferring to the aviation section of the Signal Corps. Commissioned ·n 1918 as a Second Lieutenant, he began a colorful career as "' flying officer. He devoted his entire life to deveJopment of the Air Forces. He saw duty at Scott Field Illinois; Brools Field, Texas; Fairfield, Ohio; Garden City, Long Island, New York; March Field California; Kelly Field Texas; Carlst•om Field, Florida; Camp Nichols, Philippine Islands; Dunc.:m Field, Texas Ma xwell Field, Alabama; and Mitchell Field, New York. Rated as a command pilot and combar ob· server, Colonel Perrin was sent to Baltimore Maryland, in October, 1939, for duty as assistant district supervisor for the Eastern A.r Co• ps Procurement District, as well as Air Corps rep­ resentat ive at the Glenn L. M"rtin Company. El MER 0. PERRIN lJ• vte,,.l"lt CotoMt He died in a crash during the acceptance test I r. •tiio•• hol\or thb '1•ld w•• ,._.m.d of a bomber there. I te I ELMER D. PERR IN Lieutenant Colonel Page Missing This page inserted to keep facing pages together [~MMAN~IN~ Per• n r eld ha be~n fortun ''" rn ts Co"'m~nding Perr n ~ commonders su' ~!ls ively devgloned the lat;0n 0 Off cers The men p •u ed n Ir P"9" 9u <1fld the ir>'o one c 1 the be;• b> ic p· ot tro·n·ng Ired. ·n the ,.1l,~ ol !he pc I oo•ween the d~tes hewn under l ~eir n11+'on. name A out •and n9 men n the Army A or Foree~. COLONEL DONALD G. STITT COLONEL ROBERT W. WARREN N4>"Vetnber 19, J,.1-0.Ctober 2', tMl S.ptembtot n. 1 "41-~ort.h ''· 1'4J COi.ONE!. 808 A~NOLO COLONE. CHARLES G . PEAJ!CY M•r<h 1t, IM~•r t , 1'4J .... Mo, t. 1..,_S.pt~bef I J, l""l AUBREY HORNSBY 8ti9acUer Gener.al Corrunanding, l2nd Flyil'\g Training Wing * -~NNETH t JOHNSON WllUAM V PRE'W1nE- ROIEt:tT SCHW.\RflWALOflt lie-ll't•ri•nt Colon•! S•c.011d .Lie11tel'l•l'lf Cept•I" Aid• to Comm•~dl"9 G•ner•1 A.d htt•nl I 1 1 HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR FORCES PILOT SCHOOL ( BASIC ) SHERMAN, TEXAS I I September 194 3. To the Personnel a~ Perrin Field, Texos: I In relinquishing command of Perrin Field I desire lo e•press my appreciation for the loyal and cheerful cooperation each member of the command has given me dcring my brief ~our of duty as Commanding Officer. 1. Wh11te11er success I have had as Commanding Officer ol Perrin F:etd can be attributed to your conl1dence and support. Without these. no com manoer may hope ro succeed. l My 'ut:cessor is an officer with a long and distinguished career and with your ~upporl which I know you will give, Perrin Field will conrinue to coniribute iis important parl in w'nning lhis war. [,.._...L.AC/H~S §.CY I Colonel, Air Corps. Comm11nd.ng. * 23 September 1943 Headquarters. Perrin Field Sherman, Te•as To the Personriel a· Perrin Field Sherman Te•es: I. In assuming command of Perrin Field I realiie th111 I am beco""'"9 the he11d of as fine a group of officers and men as anyone could hope for. I foe1 most fortunate and hope rhat I can commend and administer you 1n &s high o degree of efficiency as my predece;socs. 2 I trust I ,..;JI so ''"') out my obligation tha• I can depend 1.Jpon your sincere loyal! y and support. R. BEAM Colons!. A"r Co1p Commanding * * RDSENHAM BE AM COLONEL, AIR CORPS C ommanding P•u" f-:' • 'd' Cori-""'•"'d·"~ ~f ,.,, Colo"•' • ot.lt""h•"" l eeM. d•r•ch '"'• 1•2f boW1bu1q l•th •h "" pt:»·•d '"'• • 'l!tl•,,• ""••'•• of th• Mtt •tl'i p •<''"' t •• of ~"'• plfot 1<'!11001 •·lh '"'• t>t"•'·' of thirty • ••" c•I tef"l'ke '" f;.e Coll>"'• •\ t•f4d ., • c.... ...,.ftd plot 41'd •• • on-it.It oDu ' H• '~• Al, forcet. 1t1d "'•lw•ble ••P•,lel'\ce 41iMed in: ~••1'i119 lo pl• " tl\e """' "'O(e IJrl•" 4,000 "''"9 lto .. 11 ,o ti I Ct.cf, i,..,.,1" of t•oith Afrlc• Liiier he ••• o" hel'ld wifh th• Arne tlc,," '"... 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"'o~C• I 34 I FL YING DEPARTMENT r.-uL R. ()1(£R8L00!" RUSSEll 0 . H.O.lE ARVIS L, HILPERT HENRY l . CERHA 108 /,lNOLD M•ior Ca pfa in C.pta,ift Colo"el Maior Au1~1ant t>frtttor of frAinin9 Oi r~tor of Flyin9 St•90 Cornmonder FH9ht C•mm4ndtr. Fite; ht 2 Oit.-d~f of Tr•lni11.9 FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS CARLOS C. COX EOW/,RO L. ERICKSON RAYMONO H KLUT2 C. J. SMITH WIUlA!" C. BELL ROBERT H. BIGGART Second Lit1.1ttn.4nf S•c:ond Lieuttoonf Second LieU'ltnant Second l.itufenal\t S•c.ortd Lte1;1tel'!.sr1t S"ec.o!'ld L-i~ut•nfll'lt f-l ight 4 fltght I r!C9h1 I fllqht I Right I fli9ht I 80YO M CRttA WILLIAM M.