World War Two In Tucson

A detailed Summary of World War Two In Tucson

"...World War Two, brought on change to our town of Tucson like nothing else ever had." - Joanna R.

Said my 70 year old Grandmother, who has lived in Tucson most of her life, including World War Two . The War had effects on Tucson that no major event has ever had or will ever have. From The time World War Two started in December 1941, until it ended in December 1944 what seemed to some rsidents like a million troops passed through the town of Tucson. In order to hold all of these troops Tucson let the Navy take over the Universitie's gymnasium, the Army Air Corps turned a strip of desert into a flying school, locals rented out their houses or spare rooms to Generals, and people had to learn to live in moderation, and use stamps for things like, coffee, sugar, shoes. Just about everything it seemed required a stamp. The city itself benefited greatly, the economy was doing better than ever, with money from war bonds. Tucson's population grew steadily from its new guests, the soldiers.

For 26 months during World War Two the University of Arizona Bear Down Gym becme a home for more than 10,000 naval officers. The officers came through in groups of 1,000 for 60 days of training at the campus. The

Ryan Field was a strip of desert with no electricity or plumping was turned into the Army Air forces newest flying school. It was built in the summer of 1942 and held classes of up to 157 men. They would stay there for a 9 week training session which was guaranteed to turn them into pilots. They all lived nearby in barracks that were made of tar paper and wood. When they first arrived the first class had to live without plumping, electricity, cooling, and for some unfortinate men no roofs on their barracks. It was first opened with only 10 flight instructors, who were civilian pilots in everyday life. Prior to the war they had been crop dusters and barnstormers. The last class of cadets graduated in on Sept. 7, 1944. During this time Tucson had become home to many soldiers.

Gymnasium quickly got the name of the USS Bear Down. The Gym contained 500 double bunk beds. A new mess was hall built next to the University's old one, while the old one became a sick bay. Showers and latrines were built around the gym, and a ship's store and barbershop were also built, under the baseball stadium. The transformations the Navy made at the university were similar to Army Air Corps' changes to Ryan Field

When the war started my grandmother was around the age of 11. She remembers the war as a very confusing time for her. Her friends had brothers and fathers fighting in the war, and saw troops coming and going by the hundreds. The only way the kids new what was going was by new

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Approximate Word count = 994
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History