Stay updated with breaking news from Madras air base. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
75 YEARS AGO March 7, 1946 The problem of the Madras Air Base was carried a good step further toward satisfactory solution Monday night, when a joint meeting of the City Council of Madras and the County Court of Jefferson County was attended by representatives of the U.S. Reclamation Bureau, irrigation district and citizens of the city and surrounding community and the session was ended with adoption of a joint resolution of the council and court requesting a joint sponsorship of the air base. The adoption of the joint sponsorship resolution carried, following considerable discussion but without a dissenting voice, was the sequel of meetings held here last week between various local interests and Ray N. Harper, representative of the Civil Aeronautics authority, here from Seattle. ....
Madras Army Airfield served as a training facility for World War II pilots The population of Madras almost doubled with the influx of military personnel The United States involvement in World War II led to a need for combat training of Army Air Force pilots and crews. Training operations were scattered throughout most of the West in isolated regions. In January of 1943, the Army Air Force announced that the war effort would include a training base in Madras. The Air Force ordered plans to build two hangars to support the combat training of air crews, primarily for the Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress bombers. It was established as a training facility for the 318th Squadron of the 88th Bombing Group of the Second Air Force. ....