Salt Lake Telegram | 1941-03-12 | Page 3 | 44 Million Air School for U. S. Navy Opens

44 Million Air School IFor For U. U S. S Navy Opens CORPUS CHRISTI Texas March 12 UP The PI-The The nations nation's greatest naval air training station sta sta- sta- sta tion a tion-a a project at which cadets will be hastened through a at al streamlined seven- seven months course of pilot instruction tion was tion-was was placed in commission Wednesday Within sight of waters where the Union fleet shelled Corpus Corpus Corpus Cor Cor- pus Christi Christl when Civil war sundered sundered sundered sun sun- dered the nation Navy Secretary Knox dedicated the station to the defense and indissolubility of the United States The ceremony represented transition of the station from the construction to the operation stage although the giant building buildIng build build- ing program is only 70 per cent complete Read Ready for lor Trainees The first group of trainees probably will enter the station within the next two weeks The peak when pilots will be turned out annually will not be reached until the first of next year The entire naval complement I of the station station more more than 1000 enlisted men and officers in service blue members blue members of the house naval affairs committee 4 and other congressmen and Governor Governor Governor Gov Gov- W. W Lee ODaniel heard Secretary Knox's address After the ceremonies the guests were served luncheon luncheon- typical enlisted mens men's fare fare in m a amess amess amess mess hall Secretary Knox declared Tuesday Tuesday Tues Tues- day night at a dinner that the combination of air power such as will be provided here and sea power power would keep this nation free freer Knox Lauds British Nation after nation he said had fallen to Hitler and only for British sea power Hitler would hold sway in London Then the British air power came forward at odds of 20 to 1 he asserted and the result was the most magnificent demonstration demonstration demonstration demon demon- of a national defense anyone could find anywhere God gave us great advantages when he placed an ocean on each side of us Knox said and a two-ocean two navy is necessary for defense The Monroe doctrine was never ne in greater danger than at this moment when I 1 speak to you We must keep this evil thing of totalitarianism and human human human hu hu- hu- hu man slavery out of the western world