Chapter
One
The Origin of Hendricks Field
By Hayden Williams
From a brochure commemorating the 38th anniversary
of the Army Air Forces, August 1, 1945
If
you are among the many who wonder how Hendricks Field was established in this
section of Florida, then you’ll be interested to learn the story of a
visionary group of not-so-young and not-so-old citizens - a group willing to
risk their necks to help their community and their country.
It
was in the summer of 1940 when that group gathered around a table. There were
sheaves of data upon it; photographs of Sebring, their home, could be seen
among the data. There was a tenseness in the air; they
had a job to do, and they were ready to tackle it, come what may.
The
leader of the group of men arose and said, “Gentlemen, I think we shall
find ourselves embroiled in World War II before many months have passed.Our country is establishing army and navy
installations throughout the land, and especially in Florida. We haven’t
been considered because we have offered our government nothing to obtain
consideration. I believe conditions in Highlands County are ideal and the War
Department would be interested in the advantages that exist here abouts I propose that we lay before the War Department the
many advantages we have to offer in this locality. The effort may be fruitless,
but at least we can show our patriotism by offering what we have.”
The
speaker sat down. Other men arose and voiced their opinions. All agreed that
“now is the time for all good Sebring citizens to come to the aid of
their country.” The group filed out of the smoke-filled room, each
carrying a sheet of paper on which was outlined what he was expected to do; compile
more data. And each was pledged to keep the proceedings secret. And that secret
was well kept.
Not
long after, a prospectus containing Sebring’s bid for an army
installation was printed, and taken to Washington by members of the group. They
called on the Hon. J. Hardin Peterson, their representative in the House of
Representatives; on the Hon. Claude Pepper and the Hon. Charles O. Andrews,
United States Senators from Florida And with the
aid of these three lawmakers they placed copies of the prospectus in high places
within the War Department and other government agencies. The group
returned to Sebring, where they bided their time.
Months
passed - in fact, it seemed that so much time had passed that nothing would
come of the trip to the nation’s capital. So they continued to bide their
time. An acorn doesn’t become a mighty oak over night.
Came
the Spring of 1941, and the rains, and the blooming of
trees and flowers - and the sprouting of the seed the group had planted in the
War Department. Khaki-clad figures came here, some of them with stars on
their shoulders; and eagles; and silver and gold leaves; and silver and gold
bars. And one with gold bars was to vividly recall that trip about four years
later, because that second lieutenant is now Col. Charles D. Farr, the present
commanding officer of Hendricks Field.
The
uniformed men were representatives of the Southeast Army Air Corps Training
Center, predecessor of the Eastern Flying Training Command. They were on an
inspection trip; they were looking over a suggested site for an air base. They
hurled question after question at the men responsible for their presence on a
broad, flat, palmetto-covered tract. Evidently the answers were both favorable
and interesting. More questions were asked, such as: “Can you obtain more
acreage?” “Can you extend Sebring’s power lines and supply
the current?” “Can you get a road to the base?” Those and
many other queries of “Can you do this” and “Will you do
that?” were propounded. And the answers always came in the affirmative.
June
13, 1941 dawned and a few hours later a telegram was received by the group of
energetic, courageous, visionary Sebringites. It was
a message to set the entire city rejoicing. Sebring had been selected as the
site of a basic flying school, to be built on the
broad, flat, palmetto-covered prairie.The following
month brought the signing, sealing and exchange of papers between the Secretary
of War and the City of Sebring, whereby the site was leased for 99 years, at $1
per year, by the government.
The
group responsible for all the happenings up to this time is a modest
one. They want no credit, no praise, no mention
of their names. They are thrilled with the mighty oak from the seed they sowed,
and they wish to remain nameless.
For
historical purposes, it is well to recall some of those Air Corps
representatives who gave approval to the site of what is now Hendricks Field.
Among them are: Lt. General George Stratemeyer and
the late Major General Walter Weaver, former Commanding Generals of the
Southeastern Army Air Corps Training Center; Brig. General Luke T. Smith, and
the aforementioned Col. Charles D. Farr.
Those
not-so-young and not-so-old men of Sebring performed a great service for their
community. They had stuck out their necks to get “something” for
Sebring. They were well rewarded for their efforts. But there was plenty of
work ahead - work which would require the cooperation of all Sebring people.
They had no difficulty in obtaining that cooperation.
This article was originally published for the Sebring Historical Society
in Bulletin No. 15, October 1973, as well as in a collection
entitled Olio, January 1979 by A. C. Altvater.
Photo courtesy of the family of Capt. Frank L. Brady and the Sebring Historical Society
