A Brief History of Coleman Flying School

(taken from The Flight Line, a special book of the Coleman Flying School, as the school was winding down in 1944)
(IMAGES TO BE ADDED)

       During the early part of 1940, when the Air Force was expanding its flight training program, Mr. Harry A. Hammill of Austin, Texas, first conceived the idea of establishing a Civil Contract Primary School in Coleman.  This idea crystallized into a letter dated January 9 from Mr. Hammill to Rob O’Hair, local attorney setting forth the idea.  Hurriedly calling a joint meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce and the City Commission, Mr. O’Hair found them favorable to the proposal and relayed that fact to Mr. Hammill.

       The following March found a letter from Mr. Hammill listing the requirements for the proposed school pending federal approval.  Shortly after this the voters of Coleman approved a $60,000.00 bond issue for purchase of the property.

       Four favorable sites were soon located, with representatives from the Eighth Service Command making the final choice.  This land - 640 acres - was purchased from the Paddleford Estate at $75.00 an acre.  The present site was chosen, because of the excellent drainage and sandy loam, which is easy to work and smooth.  The gentle rolling countryside afforded a splendid, unobstructed, view in all directions from the airbase; the site was easily located from the air.  There were no tall trees. buildings, or hills to cause flying hazards.  These things, and the fact that it was centrally located and far from any heavy air traffic, offered an ideal location for training purposes.

       Construction began July 1, 1941 and by September 15th the administration, recreation, aca­demic buildings, mess hall, three barracks, stage house, and three hangars were completed at a cost of $180,000.00.

       On October 7, 1941, the event of all this planning had arrived.  Twenty-two rated instructors and three flying officers were confronted by their first eager students in the Army program.  Fifty of them, all anxious, and eager, were ready to start on their first step toward the goal of freedom to the world.

       From this first class to graduate, was A/C W. W. Bonner, who, incidentally, was the first to finish his prescribed number of hours at the 304th Air Corps Training Detachment.  After receiving his wings and commission he was sent to the North African theater where he distinguished himself in combat and was, in January of 1943, shot down over enemy territory.  Enduring many personal hardships, Lt. Bonner made his way through enemy lines back to his own headquarters.  Later, he was again shot down over the Mediterranean where he was last seen - his parachute open.  Lt. Bonner was only one of the many pilots who have started their career here and have later distinguished them­selves in action throughout the world.

       Monday, September 21, 1942, was a black day indeed at Coleman Flying School, for it was on that day at 10:10 A. M., with the school precisely one year old, that an exploding collection of gas completely demolished the administration building, killing two civilians, and seriously injuring many of both civilian and military personnel.  Among those seriously injured were Mr. Hammil, Mr. Hutchins, Mel Coleman and Major Crow, the Commanding Officer.  Pilots, who witnessed the catas­trophe from the air, say that the entire building disintegrated instantaneously, flinging wreckage over a thousand feet into the air.

       The old axiom that, “loyalty cannot be purchased but is given freely," proved true in this crisis.  Those who escaped being in the explosion worked as one person, no time lost.  Cadets were detailed to salvage everything and a big room in the academic building was turned over for the sorting out of all that was brought in.  By one o’clock the instructors’ and employees’ wives had sent word that they would be more than willing to donate their services “in any way possible to help to straighten out the records.”  A few were chosen and these women worked for days, from early morning to late at night, sorting, sorting, sorting, until some semblance of order began to show.  Mr. H. A. Sherman from Austin was sent here to set up the new system and when the 5th of October came and the pay checks were handed out, the surprise on the faces of everyone was a sight to see, for not one person had ex­pected the impossible.  That is just an example of the effort which was put forth.

       Time went on and Mr. Hammill was able to return to his place on the field.  Classes started to increase.  From the first class of 50 cadets they grew to classes of 240 and more, which necessitated a building expansion.  Another stage house, Instructors and Flight Commanders’ rooms, hangars, paint and woodworking shops, barracks, a longer and wider ramp, longer runways, etc. were built.  More airplanes meant a larger maintenance crew, and from twenty-two instructors and three flying officers the number increased to 117 instructors and 9 Flying officers.  This only gives a small picture of the increase of personnel in all departments, both civilian and army.

       The inconvenience of the expansion and tearing up of runways and ramp did not hinder the instructors in their purpose - they overcame all obstacles, and kept on teaching their fledglings to fly under all sorts of circumstances which helped, rather than hurt, the students.

       It is not all work and no play for the cadets, for, once a year Mr. Hammill has an entire circus brought to the Post - and what boy doesn’t like a circus?  The in-between time is filled, so capably, once a week, by “Monk” Watson - that rotund raconteur of raucous roundelay - and his famous “Ain’t that the damndest thing!”  There is, also, a Cadet Club in town for dances and other entertainment.

       Many of our Instructors, after having put through several classes of Cadets, and started them on their first leg of a long climb, turned to the Service themselves, in all branches of flying, and we are proud to salute them for they have proved themselves capable of putting into action the instruction they gave their classes.