Scott Field, now known as Scott Air Force Base is one of the oldest Air Force fields. It is the only Air Force base named after an enlisted man, Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted man to be killed in an airplane crash.
Scott Field began operations in 1917 and supplied pilots, mechanics and ground crews to the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. During World War II it was part of the Air Forces Technical Training Command and graduated over 70,000 radio operator-mechanics for aircrew duty in bombers and transport plance around the world.
On graduating from radio school the radio operators went on to gunnery school in Yuma, Arizona.
Scott Field contained four areas, each functioning as a self-contained unit. Area 1 contained 35 barracks, 9 mess halls, and 9 buildings used for recreation and day-rooms. Area 2 had 19 barracks, 6 administration buildings, 28 recreational buildings and other miscellaneous buildings. In addition, it had a mess hall for 6,000 men. A reception center with 21 barracks was located across from Area 2. Area 3 contained 93 barracks, 6 administration buildings, 4 mess halls for 770 men, 2 PX's, 23 buildings used for recreation and day-rooms, a service club, a theater, and various other buildings. Area 4 was located across from Area 2. It contained something like 70 barracks type buildings and was used to house the men being shipped in and out of the field. Most of the radio school was located in Area 2.
This site deals primarily with the life and training of radio operator-mechanic students in 1944.
Scott Field Radio School began classes on October 14, 1940. Before any classrooms were constructed all classes were held in Hanger No. 1. A code class for 600 students was held in the northeast of the hanger. Radio mechanic classes were taught in rooms in the south half of the hanger. The hanger was not heated and cold Illinois weather gave the future air crew members a glimpse into what life was going to be like inside of bombers flying the cold atmosphere of high altitude. In March 1941 the code classes were moved into school building constructed in Area 1. By the time of Pearl Harbor, the entire radio school was in Area 1. Although there were other radio schools, Scott Field was said to be the "Comminications University of the Army Air Forces."
