Eglin Air Force Base, a United States Air Force base located southwest of Valparaiso, Florida, was established in 1935 as the Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base. It is named in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick I. Eglin, who was killed in a crash of his Northrop A-17 pursuit aircraft on a flight from Langley to Maxwell Field, Alabama.
Eglin was the home of the Air Armament Center (AAC) and is one of three product centers in the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC).
Creation
Valparaiso Airport was created in 1933, when an arrowhead-shaped parcel of was cleared for use as an airdrome.Angell, p. 46D.
Two unpaved runways, with a supply house at their intersection, were in use by 1935. "On 1 March 1935, application was made for a FERA grant to pave the runways and to build an office, a barracks 30 by 120, a mess hall and kitchen, and an oil storage building..."Angell, p. 47.
On 4 August 1937, it was named Eglin Field in honor of Lt. Col. Frederick I. Eglin (1891–1937).Angell, p. 7.
A ceremony was held in June 1939 for the dedication and unveiling of a plaque honoring Valparaiso, Florida banker and businessman James E. Plew, as founder of Eglin Field. Embedded in the stone gate to the airfield, the plaque read "In memory of James E. Plew, 1862–1938, whose patriotism and generosity made this field possible."Crestview, Florida, "James E. Plew Called Founder Of Eglin Proving Grounds", Okaloosa News-Journal, 31 October 1941, Vol. 27, No. 42, p. 8.
Captains Delmar T. Spivey and George W. Mundy, 23d Composite Group, Maxwell Field, Alabama, flew two Curtiss YP-37s to Eglin Field for engine testing in December 1939, the first of thousands of service tests.History of Eglin Air Force Base . Air Armament Center Office of History
The Army Air Corps sought to increase gun capacity on existing planes, and contracted on 23 August 1939 for two P-36A Hawk conversions: an XP-36D, 38-174, with two .50-caliber guns in the nose and four .30-caliber wing guns, along with the XP-36E, 38-147, which had eight .30-caliber guns in the wings, like British fighters. Both were at Wright Field by October, and after tests at the Eglin proving ground, the XP-36D’s armament was chosen for the future Curtiss XP-46 and P-40B Warhawk types.P-35 to P-42 by Ray Wagner – p. 2 . Americancombatplanes.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.
World War II World War II showed the need for a proving ground for aircraft armament at Eglin. In May 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt transmitted to congress a letter, with his approval, from Budget Director Harold D. Smith, asking an appropriation of to purchase of private land within the Choctawhatchee National Forest boundary.Crestview, Florida. "President Urges That Forest Be Made Into Bombing Field", Okaloosa News-Journal, 31 May 1940, Vol. 26, No. 22, p. 1. The U.S. Forestry ceded to the War Department the Choctawhatchee National Forest on 18 October 1940. Hunters had to be reminded regularly that the base reservation was now off-limits in 1941–1942Crestview, Florida, "Five Convicted For Game Law Violations On Eglin Field", Okaloosa News-Journal, 3 April 1942, Volume 28 Number 11, page 3. and there was some local resentment at the handover.Hutchinson, Leonard Patrick, "History of the Playground Area of Northwest Florida", Great Outdoors Publishing Co., St. Petersburg, Florida, 1st ed., 1961, , p. 81. On 15 May 1941,U.S. Army Air Forces, "The Official Guide to the Army Air Forces", Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, 1944, p. 15. the Air Corps Proving Ground (later the Air Proving Ground Command, on 1 April 1942) was activated, and Eglin became the site for gunnery training for Army Air Forces fighter pilots, as well as for aircraft testing. The 23rd Composite Group moved from Orlando to Eglin Field, 1 July 1941. It comprised the 1st Pursuit Squadron, the 54th Bombardment Squadron (M), the 24th Bombardment Squadron (L), the 54th School Squadron, the 61st Air Base Group, and the 3rd Gunnery and Bombing Range Detachment.Crestview, Florida, "Houses Scarce At Eglin – Many Men To Be Stationed There When Quarters Ready", Okaloosa News-Journal, 31 January 1941, Vol. 27, No. 4, p. 1.
On 16 August 1940, the Okaloosa News-Journal, Crestview, Florida, said that the Southern Bell Telephone Company was placing a line to connect the Eglin Field Army headquarters to the company line at Holt, Florida. The newspaper also said that President Franklin Roosevelt had approved a plan on 14 August for a Works Projects Administration (WPA) project for improvements at Eglin.Crestview, Florida, "Eglin Gets $64,842.00 Project – Work Will Start When Present Job Is Completed", Okaloosa News-Journal, 16 August 1940, Vol. 26, No. 32, p. 1. A Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was erected at Valparaiso, Florida, from November 1940 for the CCC workers engaged in base construction.Crestview, Florida, "Eglin To Have A CCC Camp – Youth Will Clear Land For Air Corps Proving Grounds", Okaloosa News-Journal, 30 August 1940, p. 1.
On 1 October 1940, the installation was named the Eglin Field Military Reservation due to its importance to the Air Corps.Angell, p. 28. Work on Auxiliary Field 1 began 27 November 1940. Clearing and grading for Auxiliary Field No.2 began 9 January, Auxiliary Field No. 3 on 23 January,Angell, p. 29. and allocated for the grading and paving of fields 1, 3, 5, and 6 on 24 April 1941.Angell, p. 33. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad laid a siding in Crestview, Florida, for oil tankcars supplying the Asphault Products Company for the paving job of the new airfields. Trucks operated round the clock to offload the tankcars.Crestview, Florida, "Crews Work 24 Hours A Day To Haul Asphault", Okaloosa News-Journal, 23 May 1941, Vol. 27, No. 20, p. 1.
Congressman Robert L. F. Sikes of Crestview in mid-April 1941 announced appropriations for construction and installation of water, sewage, electrical facilities, sidewalks, roads, fences, parking areas, landscaping and for the construction of a sewage disposal plant. Submitted to the WPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., in late March, the request received presidential approval in April. Work continued apace on some projects on a 24-hour-a-day basis.Crestview, Florida, "Eglin Field Comes Into Its Own; Is Proving Ground For Army Air Corps: Men Work 24 Hours Each Day", Okaloosa News-Journal, 23 May 1941, Vol. 27, No. 20, p. 1.Crestview, Florida, "Sets Up $202,536 For Eglin – To Install Water, Sewage and Light Facilities at Base", Okaloosa News-Journal, 18 April 1941, Vol. 27, No. 15, p. 1. Nearly was spent on construction at Eglin from 1941 to 1944.The Army Air Forces in World War II Volume VI: Men and Planes: Chapter 7. Ibiblio.org. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.
A housing shortage was partially eased by the construction of 100 units of the Plew Heights Defense Housing Project near Valparaiso for civil service employees and enlisted personnel. The Federal Works Agency, Division of Defense Housing, awarded the contract for the task to the Paul A. Miller Construction Company of Leesburg, Florida, on 5 May 1941, with construction beginning on 8 May. The 11 November 1941 deadline for completion was beaten by almost a month.Crestview, Florida, "Housing Project Complete", Okaloosa News-Journal, 31 October 1941, Vol. 27, No. 42, p. 1.
Eglin Field was designated as the Air Corps Proving Ground on 19 May 1941. The Air Proving Ground Command was activated on 1 April 1942.Editors, "Air Forces Proving Ground", Flying, October 1943, Vol. 33, No. 4, p. 130.
In June 1941, the Officers Club of Eglin Field arranged to take over the Valparaiso Inn, Valparaiso, Florida, erected in 1924 by James E. Plew, as the "O Club".Crestview, Florida, "Officers Take Over Valparaiso Inn", Okaloosa News-Journal, 6 June 1941, Vol. 27, No. 22, p. 1. Doolittle Raiders would later lodge here during their training at Eglin. A recreation center for enlisted men was opened in Crestview on Saturday 21 June 1941, through the efforts of the Community Recreation Council, the Works Progress Administration, and the Okaloosa Progressive Association.Crestview, Florida, "Recreation Center Is Now Assured For Men Of Eglin Field: To Be Opened With Ceremonies Saturday, June 21st", Okaloosa News-Journal, 13 June 1941, Vol. 27, No. 23, p. 1.
In November 1941, the 97th Engineer Battalion, "consisting of approximately 1,000 colored troops under the leadership of white officers," were transferred from Camp Blanding, Florida, to Eglin Field. The battalion, under the command of Maj. Benjamin C. J. Fowlkes, made up largely of Selective Service trainees, and activated 1 June 1941, was "engaged in clearing ranges and auxiliary flying fields and also in constructing and maintaining roads on the huge Eglin Field Reservation." The unit was expected to return to Camp Blanding upon completion of its task.Crestview, Florida, " Of Colored Troops Now Stationed At Eglin Air Base", Okaloosa News-Journal, 21 November 1941, Vol. 27, No. 45, p. 1.
A new United Services Organization (USO) recreation facility for enlisted men opened in Valparaiso in February 1942, with the first formal dance held on Friday 27 February.Crestview, Florida, "USO Now Providing Recreation For Men At Eglin Center", Okaloosa News-Journal, 6 March 1942, Vol. 28, No. 7, p. 1.
On 10 March 1942, the first test flight of a second batch of Kettering-General Motors A-1 flying bombs was conducted at Eglin Field but crashed.Werrell, Kenneth P., "The Evolution of the Cruise Missile", Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama, first printing 1995, second printing 1998, , , , pp. 28–29.
Doolittle Raiders Eglin was the primary training location for the Doolittle Raid on the Japanese mainland. The 24 crews selected and led by Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle picked up modified North American B-25B Mitchell medium bombers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and flew them to Eglin beginning on 1 March 1942. "9–25 March: Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle and a B-25 detachment of 72 officers and 75 enlisted men from Lexington County Airport, Columbia, South Carolina, were at Eglin Field in rehearsals for the Tokyo raid."Angell, p. 56.
Wartime testing Operational suitability tests were conducted with a pair of P-38F Lightnings, 41-7536 and 41-7612, between 7 August 1942 and 26 January 1943.P-38F Tactical Trials . Wwiiaircraftperformance.org. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.
On 29 January 1943, the sole XB-41, a conversion of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator, into a gunship, was delivered to Eglin Field. Guns were added which brought the total armament to fourteen 0.50-inch machine guns.Consolidated XB-41 Liberator. Historyofwar.org. Retrieved on 2011-10-31. Tests indicated that the center of gravity was improperly located, making the aircraft unstable. On 21 March 1943, the Army declared the XB-41 as being operationally unsuitable, and plans for thirteen YB-41 Liberator conversions were cancelled. Consolidated worked on the prototype, equipped the aircraft with wide-blade propellers and subjected the plane to a weight-reduction program. On 28 July 1943, the XB-41 was returned to Eglin for more tests.1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-6722 to 41-13296). joebaugher.com. August 27, 2011Consolidated XB-41. Joebaugher.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.