Just found two flyers about the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center in Texas. Not sure if this was part of, or just near, Randolph Field. It calls itself the "largest avation cadet training center in the United States" Says its composed of a Preflight School, Classification Center, Station Hospital, Recruit Detachment, and other organizations. Has a bunch of photos of cadet life and buildings. Says Brig. Gen. Michael F. Davis is commanding. Its obviously War II stuff.

Ron

Son of Ron Macdonald Flying Sgt. 59th OTU RAF (Hurris & Spits, Dieppe raid), Lt. with 346thFS/350thFG North Africa (P-39s). Shot down at Kasserine. Instructor with the 1053 BFTS Randolph, 2138 BU Craig, 2532BU Randolph, & 2543 BU Waco (AT-6s &

Hi Ron,

That is an interesting find. I remember the base being rather large when I passed through classification and pre-flight in 1944. I don't think it was a part of Randolph Field but it was very close. Thanks for sharing your discovery.

Bill Runnels
Bombardier(B-17)
HELL'S ANGELS
303RDBG, 360THBS
www.geocities.com/billrunnels

Not sure why my father had them. He was at Randolph twice as an instructor after combat in England and North Africa. Happy to scan them and email to you if you give me an email...PM me or whatever works for you.

Ron

Son of Ron Macdonald Flying Sgt. 59th OTU RAF (Hurris & Spits, Dieppe raid), Lt. with 346thFS/350thFG North Africa (P-39s). Shot down at Kasserine. Instructor with the 1053 BFTS Randolph, 2138 BU Craig, 2532BU Randolph, & 2543 BU Waco (AT-6s &

Ron, that would be greatly appreciated.

Bill Runnels
<billrunnels@yahoo.com>

Bill Runnels
Bombardier(B-17)
HELL'S ANGELS
303RDBG, 360THBS
www.geocities.com/billrunnels

There was also a training center at Kelly Field. Is this the same one?

David Wilma
Son of 1LT Francis R. "Dick" Wilma (1920-2005)
ATC, Chabua, India, '44 - '45
www.DavidWilma.com

David There are several Google hits that detail the San Antonio area bases from the commissioning of Kelly before WW1 to Randolf in 1930 . Kelly Field Tx will get you to the hits. Concerning the cadet center it was by area growth and need of large numbers of pilots and air crewmen following the outbreak of WW2 that the Cadet Centers were set up in 3 locations of the states, San Antone in Tx was the Gulf Coast site nad the cadet center was self contained to receive qualified cadets, run them through classification center, if pilot material, on to the preflight section and then transfered to Pilot Primary.

San Antonio Gulf Coast Cadet center was constructed in 42 to meet the demand, it was large in area, self contained but would use Randolph or Kelly facilities as needed. I can think of a couple things we used Randolf and Kelly for during classsification and preflight, 1) was the altitude decompression chamber at Kelly ( maybe it was Randolf) , 2) additional medical assistance, I was sent to to Kelly for a extensive evaluation of a heart mumer under stress testing. I passed!!

Hope this is of interest to you all, its been 63 years since I went through there the first time and 6o years ago the last time. In 45 the center was used to receive all returning airmen from all theaters, thousands of us, including ex POW's.

If anyone can remember the name of the hotel/Bar we used in San Antone as a watering spot and hangout please pass it along, I,m going crazy trying to remember.

Regards RossT

Pilot, P47, 9thAF, 406th Gr.,513th Sq., POW Stalag Luft 1

The Gunther Hotel or perhaps - the Buckhorn Bar - very long bar with huge collection of rattlesnake rattles .

Jim B
Aviation Cadet, January 1945 (SAAAC)

Date corrected and added more -

Visited the famous Buckhorn Saloon where they have the largest collection of horns in the United States. A Texas steer horn measures 8 feet, tip to tip.  They have a design on the front of the bar formed using 32,000 rattlesnake rattles.  I visited the Alamo, and the museum next door.

Jim B
I was in 43-13 (College Training Detachment) at Kansas City, MO
From there - went to San Antonio, TX (Classification) in Jan. 1944.

In my father's stuff is an old brochure for the Buckhorn Curio Store (Museum) with a photo of the founder Albert Friedrich.  It includes a map of downtown San Antonio, a brief history of San Antonio, some Texas poems, the Texas Long Horn Steer with horns that measure 8 feet 1 5/8" tip to tip.  Address is 400-402 W. Houston St.  There's a history of the Buckhorn etc.  A pretty all inclusive tourist brochure.

Son of Ron Macdonald Flying Sgt. 59th OTU RAF (Hurris & Spits, Dieppe raid), Lt. with 346thFS/350thFG North Africa (P-39s). Shot down at Kasserine. Instructor with the 1053 BFTS Randolph, 2138 BU Craig, 2532BU Randolph, & 2543 BU Waco (AT-6s &

The San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center is today's Lackland AFB.  Although this base started off as an annex of Kelly Field (to the northwest), today Kelly has been absorbed into Lakcland and is an annex of Lackland AFB.

Bernie Shearon
Push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. Pull the stick back, the houses get smaller (unless you keep pulling -- then they get bigger again)