Bradley Field World War II activities
Scope and Contents
This collection of 217 black and white photographs is a representative survey of the aspects of military life and training on the base from 1942 to 1945. All the photos are numbered, identified, and stamped "Official U.S. Army Air Corps photo" on back. Activities represented include, among others, the Sixth War Loan drive, an open house for the public, redeployment, multiple training exercises, the training of Chinese fighter pilots, day-to-day life, and medal presentations to servicemen or the families of those missing in action.
Dates
- 1942-1945
Language of Materials
The records are in English.
Restrictions on Access
Restrictions on Use
See the Reproduction and Publications of State Library Collections policy.
Historical Note
On January 23, 1941, Governor Robert A. Hurley sent a proposal to the Connecticut General Assembly requesting the state buy land to lease to the United States Army for an air base. The U.S. Army had earlier indicated to state officials that it wished to have a base for fighter planes in or near Connecticut as part of the nation's defensive grid though the attack on Pearl Harbor had not yet occurred. In response, the state acquired 1,700 acres most of which was then a tobacco plantation. The tract was purchased and then leased to the federal government for $1.00 a year for twenty-five years. The field, which at the time was named the Windsor Locks Army Air Base, became ready for airmen and troops early in the summer of 1941.
The air base was later officially renamed "Army Air Base, Bradley Field, Connecticut," on January 20, 1942, but more familiarly called Bradley Field in honor of Army Air Corps Second Lieutenant Eugene M. Bradley. Lt. Bradley's P-40 fighter plane crashed after he went into a routine dive during training and failed to come out on August 21, 1941. Bradley hailed from Pushmataha County (according to multiple sources either Antlers or Dela) in Oklahoma, and arrived at the air base three days before his fatal accident. He was the first of many pilots to die in training accidents at the field.
Extent
.5 cubic feet (217 photographs)
Abstract
Views of military life and training at the air base, the Sixth War Loan drive, redeployment, officers and medal presentations to families of servicemen.
Arrangement
The photographs are numbered from 1 to 217.
Acquisition Information
This collection was presented to the Connecticut State Library by the public relations officer from Bradley Field at the end of the war.
Alternative Form Available
Links to digital images of the documents are provided in the "List of Photographs" section.
- Black-and-white photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Bradley Field (Windsor Locks, Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Enfield (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Hartford (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Military bases -- Connecticut Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Simsbury (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Soldiers, Black Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Weatogue (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Windsor Locks (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women soldiers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- PG 048, Bradley Field World War II Activities
- Subtitle
- Inventory of Photographs
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.
- Date
- 2012
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Connecticut State Library Repository
