Luke AirForce Base
World War 2
In September of 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland which started World War 2. United States didn't want no part of the war but we prepared just in case. The City of Glendale AZ had no idea that they would be the center of it all.
On January 10, 1941 The Glendale News wrote Desert Land Cleared A Air School Site. The land that was cleared became known as Thunderbird Field a part of The U.S Army Civilian pilot training established to build up the number of trained American pilots
South West Airways contracted with The Army Corp as a free enterprise Venture to provide flight training for Americans, Chines and British pilots. Astonishingly the land for Thunderbird Field was Bulldozed and cleared, buildings were put into place and runways were poured. It took five months to finish and it costed five hundred thousand dollars to do. In 1941 Thunderbird Field held a ceremony and started to train 57 pilots for conflict. Thunderbird Field was the Army's most efficient training bases.
While Thunderbird Field was on it's way the Army Air Corp wanted a bigger training base so In Febuary of 1941 Luke Field was created. The City Of Phoenix bought 1,440 acres of land and then they leased it to the Government for one dollar a year and that went into effect March of 1991 and The Air Base was completed in the middle of June and costed 4.5 million Dollars.
How Luke Field became Luke Airforce Base
Luke Air Force Base which in 1942 was called Luke Field got it's name from the first aviator to receive the medal of honor and that aviator was WW1 Flying Ace LT. Frank Luke Jr. whom got 18 aerial victories during the war before being killed at the age of 21. Luke Field offered advanced flight training but both Luke and Thunderbird field both brought thousands of airforce men,employment and helped Glendale residency to grow do to the fact most of the airforce men that came, came from all kinds of area's and when they seen everything they liked it and decided to make AZ there home.
Luke Today
Luke Air force Base in 1941 was the largest fighter training Base's in Air force history and graduated over 13,000 pilots and Today it is Still one of the largest fighter pilot Training Base in Glendale AZ the Air force has to offer. Today as well as the past when there are military cuts in cost the threat of Closing Luke Air Force Base arrises. Luke is a Part of Glendale's history and it made Glendale what it is today.
Do you feel they should leave Luke Airforce Base alone?
