Air Force and Army Air Corps

This lesson is part of a series teaching about the World War II home front, with Lewistown, Montana designated as an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson contains readings and photos to contribute to learners’ understandings about the Lewistown Satellite Airfield Historic District. Service members were relocated to Lewistown to train as B-17 Flying Fortress crews, and with the top secret Norden bombsight.

This lesson is part of a series about the World War II home front, with Lewistown, Montana designated, an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson has 2 readings, optional media activity, and a culminating mastery project. The culminating project contributes to learners’ understandings of the city as a WWII Heritage City, with the opportunity to combine lesson themes from the 3 other lessons in the Lewistown collection.

A history of the 807th Battalion as they arrive in Alaska and begin work in Yakutat, Unalaska, Umnak Island, and Port Heiden.

History of the 807th Battalion and its work on Adak Island during World War II. After navigating to the island the engineers set about constructing runways, offices, housing, and other infrastructure.

History of the 807th Battalion and their work in the Aleutians including Adak. Also included are messages from General Marshall and General Landrum.

On September 11, 1961, the groundbreaking ceremony for Ellsworth AFB's Minuteman installations took place at Site L-6 near Bear Butte. The festivities started with a bang. While the Sturgis High School band played, representatives from Boeing, Kiewit, the Corps of Engineers, and Ellsworth AFB set off an explosive charge to begin the excavation.

Al Martin, a French Canadian learned English in the Army Air Corp's 11th Fighter Squadron where he was a payroll sergeant on several of the islands.

While the Ellsworth AFB sites were under construction, the Air Force was building several other Minuteman installations. By the end of 1967, the Nation had 1,000 Minuteman missiles on alert in six separate deployment areas located throughout the north-central United States.

Two Air Force officers served 24-hour tours underground as watchkeepers over ten Minuteman II missiles during the Cold War. Learn more about the routines they followed while working the front line of the Cold War.

Lieutenant Colonel Bob Brocklehurst was a pilot in the 343rd Fighter Group in the Aleutian Islands. He worked with Jack Chennault, son of the famous aviator Claire Chennault in the Aleutians and recounts the difficulties weather posed for flying safely. He shares many other recollections in this one-hour interview, conducted in 2019.