Benbrook Field
| Benbrook Field Carruthers Field Camp Taliaferro Field #3 |
|
|---|---|
| Benbrook, Texas | |
Benbrook Field, Texas, 1918
|
|
 Benbrook Field
|
|
| Coordinates | 32°40′41″N 97°27′36″W / 32.67806°N 97.46000°WCoordinates: 32°40′41″N 97°27′36″W / 32.67806°N 97.46000°W |
| Type | Pilot training airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
 Royal Flying Corps (1917) Air Service, United States Army (1918-1919) |
| Condition | Redeveloped into urban area |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1917 |
| In use | 1917–1919 |
| Battles/wars |
 World War I |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Training Section, Air Service |
Benbrook Field (Camp Taliaferro Field #3) is a former World War I military airfield, located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) North of Benbrook, Texas. It operated as a training field for the Air Service, United States Army between 1917 until 1919. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the United States entry into World War I in April 1917.
After the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing invited the British Royal Flying Corps to establish training fields in Texas for the training of American and Canadians volunteers because of its mild weather. After looking at sites in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, Wichita Falls and Midland, three sites were established in 1917 in the Fort Worth vicinity (known as the "Flying Triangle."), those being Hicks Field (#1), Barron Field (#2), and Benbrook Field (#3).
Canadians named the training complex Camp Taliaferro after Walter Taliaferro, a US aviator who had been killed in an accident. Camp Taliaferro was headquartered under the direction of the Air Service, United States Army, which had an administration center near what is now the Will Rodgers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Taliafero Field No. 3 was used by the Royal Flying Corps from October 1917 to April 1918 as a training field for American and Canadian pilots. It was then turned over to the Air Service, United States Army. The Americans renamed the field Carruthers Field after Cadet W. K. Carruthers, who was killed at Hazelhurst Field, New York, when he was struck by a revolving propeller on 18 June 1917. At some point after July 1918 it was renamed Benbrook Field by the United States Army.
The Benbrook Field station area was located south of Mercedes Street in Benbrook. It occupied the area west of Winscott Road, being bordered on the west by Walnut Creek. A railroad spur connected with the Texas & Pacific line across Walnut Creek. Most of the 34 buildings and hangars were located in an area generally bounded by Mercedes Street on the north, Winscott Road on the east, Cozby North Street on the south, and Walnut Creek on the west.
...
Wikipedia