Victory Field (Texas)
Victory Field is a former military airfield, located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) south-southwest of Vernon, Texas. It was closed in 1945 at the end of World War II.
Victory Field | |
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Part of Army Air Forces Training Command | |
Wilbarger County, near Vernon, Texas | |
1994 USGS photo | |
Coordinates | 34°04′40″N 099°17′36″W |
Type | Military airfield |
Site history | |
Built | 1941 |
In use | 1942-1945 |
History
Part of the Army Air Corps build up for World War II, Victory Field was built and activated in 1941. It was assigned to the Air Corps Flying Training Command, Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command).
The facility was a primary (stage 1) pilot training airfield operated under contract by Hunter Flying Service & Richey Flying Service. Fairchild PT-19s were the primary trainer at the airfield. Thousands of cadets were trained and made their first solo flight at Victory Field. As the Army Air Corps succeeded in Europe it decided to draw down training and scheduled the closure of Victory Field in 1945.
Current use
In 1950, it was a TYC unit, closing in 2010. It remains today the Adolescent Forensic Program for North Texas State Hospital.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.