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Show 4D Lakeside Review North, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 1983 Background! of Hill Air Force Base has come a long way from the wishful hope of a community hard-hby the Great Depression. What started out as a desolate strip of land in Clearfield has today become Utah's largest employer. The story of Hill Field is a colorful and historic one and bears retelling as those who remember the early days of the it base grow fewer each year. When the Army Air Corps went looking for new base sites in 1935, Utah was considered because of its strategic location. Several sites were visited in the state by War Department officials and members of Congress. At the time, Utah was still m the midst of the great depression and the state, particurly the Og- - ' den Chamber of Commerce, sought the new base to provide an economic boost to the area. The proposed site in Davis County, seven miles south of Ogden and 25 miles north of Salt Lake City, had many distinct advantages. The site of- purchase of the acreage that would be used to build an air base on. On Dec. is Colorful, Historic Hill AFB Hill began a storage program of surplus airplanes and overhaul and repair of the 7 Thunderbolt airplane in June, 1944. In the letter part of the war, Hill had personnel shortages due to the draft, employee P-4- 1, 1939, the War De- partment named the site Hill Field7 in honor of Major Ployer P. Hill who was killed on Oct. 30, 1935 while testing the model until the Berlin Airlift operation! in July, 1948. Hill supported the I airlift of supplies to 2.5 million! Germans with the providing of I engines, equipment and miscel-- f laneous accessories. Continued on Page 5D discontent with living facilities on base and general job insecurity with the impending end of the war. After J Day, depot activity greatly decreased. A decrease in manpower at the basecontinued V-- of the Flying Fortress at Wright Field, Ohio. Because of his part in getting the air base here, Browning was given the honor of turning the first shovel of dirt in a special ceremony on Jan. 12, 1940. As originally planned, the Ogden Air Depot was to be a major supplier and maintenance depot. It would be responsible for the receipt, storage and disbursement of spare parts and all other Air Corps supplies. According to plans for the project, all buildings on the site had to be completed or underway by Jan. 1, B-- ground-breakin- g 1942. Throughout the early part of World War II, the newly established air depot filled its function of supply and maintenance. fered excellent drainage, So m,uch materials and equpi-meexcellent flight approaches from arrived that the depot had all directions and was accessable to rent a building in Bountiful to by highway and railroad. Its handle the overflow. The Depot close proximity to the Ogden ArMaintenance Department develsenal was also noted by the visitoped slowly with the first few airplane mechanics arriving in ing officials. Because of the interest disthe summer of 1941. played in the site, Ogden ChamDuring the war, planes were ber of Commerce chairman sent to Hill for repairs. A major Frank Browning obtained op- project for the maintenance tions to purchase over 4,000 shops was the winterization of acres of land in Davis County. plapes for the Alaskian Theater. The Chaihber kept the land in In early 1943, the depot began a escrow until the government derehabilitation program for used cided to purchase the land. Fibombers. Hill maintained a nally, in June, 1939 Congress goal of one bomber recondipassed legislation allowing the tioned per day. nt WAS A TIME TO BUY A GREAT SMALL CAR THIS IS THE TIME. IF EVER THERE MPG B-- 24 Its Our Anniversary. M 8 . . 30-4- 2 gas 42-6- 0 diesel SPECIAL SALE PRICE APR We're celebrating with an Old Time 1983 CHEVETTE Country Fair , Cloggers & Square Dancers Most Unusual Pet Show Miss Layton Hills Country Fair Queen Pageant Cake Baking Petting Zoo Cake Walk Apron Making Contest Unusual Hair Styles Animal Faslnon Show Talent Show . Pie Baking Pie Eating Pony Rides September 19th tilt wheel, 1551 doth sects, radial tires 1983 C AM CHEVETTE DIESEL rodio, SMSk Air . CHEVETTE conditioning C 1290 cloth seats $6239 $6374 $0300 12Q49 1983 1983 CHEVETTE 12591 14829 8SSk $14463 En $1000 Dnm 100 24th MAlTON MILLS MALL .645 NO. MAIN. LAYTON trtrrrrr 514-12-31 $ 0 I 4 i i $ t A 4 4 1 |