Page 8 - Aerotech News and Review, December 18, 2020

The first Edwards Air Show:
Muroc’s Great Army Day Celebration

by Bob Alvis The beginning of the announcement,
special to Aerotech News I would say, pretty much tells that
story: “Citizens of the Antelope Val-
All the “air show buzz” about next ley and the Southland will see at close
year’s two local air shows, coupled hand on Army Day, Friday the 6th, the
with my trip this week up to Sacramen- mighty war machine they have built to
to’s Mather Field to help their organiz- throw against their nation’s enemies,
ers put on a first rate California Capital and Muroc Army Air Field will do its
Air Show, got me to thinking about all share of ‘showing off’ on the big day.”
the shows I have attended here in the Looking over the next part of that an-
Antelope Valley over the years. nouncement makes me wish for a time
My first recollection is as a little boy machine, so I could spend a few hours
when Dad, sometime in the late 1950s, enjoying the festivities! “As guests of
took me and the rest of our family out the field, people will not only see the South Base, were greeted with B-29 had a banner day of sales, as they were tion we now call Edwards Air Force
to the dry lake bed at Edwards to spend prized bombers and fighters of the AAF Superfortresses, Skytrain transports, cleaned out of everything that remotely Base. Funny when I found out that
a day enjoying all things that fly. Those on the ground, but they will also view B-24 Liberators, Mitchells and B-17 connected the guests to the air field, in- the first ever Edwards air show was
trips are what inspired me, years later, a giant air show employing all types Flying Fortresses. Plenty of fighter as- cluding shaving items and toothpaste! in 1945 and that the return of that air
to see about the possibility of bringing of planes in simulated air combat and sets were available also, with P-38s, To sum up the event, the last few show will be in 2020, that makes this
back this family-friendly tradition to actual live practice bomb drops! They P-51s and even a P-47! Amazing to paragraphs of the newspaper story tied event at Edwards its 75th “anniver-
our home here in the AV. The results will eat chow in a massive field mess read in the write up that yes, even one it up with a pretty bow when it was sary.” That would be a great hook, in
are what we now see growing again ev- hall and sample the same food our sol- of those Northrop P-61 Black Widow said, “Other branches of the military addition to its return after an absence
ery year in our skies, entertaining new diers enjoy stationed at the field, pre- night fighters was on display! See my were represented and several troops of 10 years! Sure would be fun to
generations of aviation fans. pared by Army cooks. To finish off the Hangar Stories column in the Sept. 20, of Boy Scouts were present. Visitors
The subject matter for this issue’s day, the ramp will be converted to a 2019, issue of Aerotech for a bit of his- ranged in age from babes in arms have a nostalgic look back at MAAF
Hangar Stories morphed back and forth parade ground and the guests will view tory on that bad boy! to octogenarians, ranchers in range in 1945 during the 2020 Edwards air
with different ideas, and from out of a colorful retreat parade in celebration A notable thing that was pretty cool clothes rubbed elbows with bankers in show, and you know I would be all
nowhere I got this wild thought to see if of the men and women of our military at that event was the fact that the war business suits. MAAF personnel also in to help make that a reality — but
did not stop and training continued took to the show. The open house, the dang — where can I come up with 12
un-interrupted at the air field while the first in Muroc’s history, terminated B-24 Liberators to surprise the crowd
open house was in progress. When a with a parade. The Base Commander during the afternoon? Really, it’s nice
returning flight of 12 B-24 Liberators Colonel Maxwell has received sev- to see the return of the Edwards air
from a cross country training mission eral letters from heads of civic orga- show next fall, if only for the nostalgia
arrived over the field, all air show/ nizations commending the field on of walking a flight line that Mom and
open house festivities came to a halt the excellence of the open house and Dad, a brother, and two sisters enjoyed
as the planes were all recovered before wanted to let the public know it was back in the 1950s. I can bet I was one
a very well-entertained crowd! One the combined effort of many unseen of those “babes in arms” at the end of
thing missing, that we take for granted organizers under his command that a very long day!
these days, was souvenirs! It seemed made it happen, and the thanks be- Until next time, Bob out …
that back then there was no thought that longs to them.”
attendees would want something to re- Well, there you have it — the very Editor’s note: This article was first
member the day, so the Post Exchange first air show/open house at the loca- published Oct. 4, 2019.

I could pin down the very first military and the operations and success of all
airshow in the Antelope Valley and those that have worked and trained at
what that show might have looked like. MAAF.”
Digging and digging, I found a few In today’s world, it would be highly
clues that had me looking over some unusual to see an air show’s attrac-
of my Muroc Mirage newspapers. Just tions stated in this manner: “Various
when I thought I had run out of leads, displays are being set up now in prepa-
there it was in bold headlines! “More ration for the event, including bombs,
Than 5000 Guests At Muroc’s Great machine guns and ammunition from
Army Day Celebration”. The date: Fri- the planes, communication and chemi-
day, April 6, 1945! cal warfare equipment! Several training
Looking over a couple of issues from simulators will be open for inspection
previous months, I found this headline: and interaction.” Nowadays that, I be-
“Muroc Will Hold Its Very First Open lieve, would raise a few eyebrows!
House for Army Day Friday the 6th of The day’s events were a bit different
April” followed by the tag line “Color- from what we expect to see at a modern
ful Retreat Parade Will Climax Day As Edwards air show, but the common de-
Public Visits and Tours MAAF” (Mu- nominator between generations was the
roc Army Air Field, or Edwards as we thrill of flying and high performance
know it today). aircraft dancing in the skies, along with
Realize that in April of 1945, the the excitement of getting up close and
United States was still engaged in a personal with aircraft that many only
World War and Muroc Army Air Field have seen from afar or in publications.
was one of the prime fields suppling One thing that really jumps out was
bomber crews to the war effort — so it the attendance, which was populated
was no easy task for the military to just by the youth of our Antelope Valley as
open up the field to civilians and keep the local Antelope Valley Joint Union
them in line and safe without giving High School District, including Ante-
up military secrets at the same time! lope Valley Junior College, cancelled
I believe there had come a time when all classes and provided transportation
a war-weary nation and military just for all the students of the Valley! Arriv-
wanted to have a day to celebrate and ing before 10 a.m. at Muroc Army Air
recognize all the achievements that had Field, the hordes of people, parking on
been under wraps for many years. the dry lake bed at what is now called
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