Page 11 - Aerospace Valley Heritage - Aerotech News and Review, October 15, 2021

WAR EAGLE, from 10
cession of months: it has been a chain 2 B.F.T.S. was born. Those 50,000 war as friends, so shall we write the
of events, a series of pictures, each hours indicate work done, training peace.”
one enlarging the vista of the previous accomplished, friends made with The author of this amazing bit of
scene. We have come from a nation at American men and American Meth- history by all accounts is no longer
war, and make war. And we realized, ods. Those 50,000 hours have been of this world. The living members of
with the events of the past year being carefully entered into the log books this generation have dwindled down
etched into the pattern of history, a without a single flying fatality. Those to a precious few. He will never know
more grim sense of our responsibility. 50,000 hours, too, have a significance how his words have stood the test of
Our training here in Lancaster at Po- that cannot be recorded; they express time and made their way back to the
laris has in every sense become more cooperation between nations as well community where he sat at a desk
meaningful. as between men, they add to the mean- in his office at War Eagle Field. He
“Over 50,000 flying hours ago, No. ing of Alliance and that as we make looked at the world as a realist and
spoke of a friendship of nations and
communities, while facing the real-
ity that we were all in the business of
death but looking for an end, so that
we could take this newfound friend-
ship and build a better world. And
amazingly, here in the Antelope Val-
ley, it all revolved around what would
become our valley’s beloved heritage:
the airplane.
We must not forget these stories and
we must build on them for the benefit
of future generations. The name War
Eagle Field must not be left to fade
from our conscience. The world today,
now more than ever, needs these same
types of friendships to bloom again,
but hopefully not in a world at war.

Editor’s note: This article first ap-
peared in the Feb. 7, 2020, issue of
Aerotech News and Review. For more Courtesy photograph
from Bob Alvis, visit www.aerotech- The cover of the publication Salute from August 1942. The picture is of the
Courtesy photograph British Cadet Class from Lancaster, marching in a day of unity to support the
The first British Cadets to fly solo at War Eagle Field in 1942. news.com and search for High Desert military at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Hangar Stories.

Bravery, brilliance, and innovation

define the men and women in Antelope

Valley’s aerospace industry — from the

early days at Muroc Army Air Field to today

at Edwards Air Force Base. They continue to

redefine the boundaries of flight.

www.McCarthyforCongress.com

Paid for by Kevin McCarthy for Congress

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