Pennfield Air Base Opened With Little Ceremony Monday
Brief, Simple Exercises Mark Start of Training; May Be Public Program Later
Transcribed by G. Christian Larsen

    Pennfield Ridge, July 21 - No. 2 Air Navigation School, a link in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, was opened with little ceremony today.

    Wing Cmdr. F.R. Miller, the commanding officer, opened the school in the presence of several hundred men who are ready to start training. Airmen have been arriving at the huge partially completed airport in a steady stream since a month ago, when there were only 25 airmen here.

    "You see, we're in a hurry to start training," said one officer in commenting on to-day's brief ceremony. "When the men finish here they're ready to go overseas."

    Advance astronomical training for air observers and air navigation will be studied here. The school is described as "splendidly situated" to provide training under diversified weather conditions, including operation in fog similar to that encountered over sections of Europe.

    The field, on a broad stretch of level ground ten miles from St. George, is so large that an extra storey had to be added to the observation tower to give a good view of both ends of the field.

    Four hangars and auxiliary buildings have been erected, housing training bombers. Construction work is expected to be completed in about month.

    "We just pitched in to work," Wing Cmdr. Miller said explaining the lack of ceremony today. "Later, in a month or so, perhaps, we plan to hold an official opening to the public."

SOURCE: The Saint Croix Courier (St. Stephen, NB) - July 24, 1941.