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Show SALT FLAT NEWS, AUGUST, 1970 2 by Richard Menzies Wendover Air Base, which once figured prominently in Americas topmost secret project in World War II, and which, geographically, was the worlds largest military reservation, is today a nearly deserted huddle of barracks on years the edge of the great salt desert. Where twenty-fiv- e of warplanes, the ago throbbed the powerful radial engines in wind the telephone the of a for is air still, except sighing wires and the regular clanging of a cable against a flagpole. Padlocked doors bearing esoteric numbers and abbreviations still keep a few secrets perhaps, and empty hangars and harbor the ghosts of past. B-2- 5s B-1- 7s One man who knows the old NEWS photos by R. Mwuiai When there was trouble, Kerdeys fire-tea- base better than anyone else and who is conversant with its ghosts and history is Fred Kenley. A longtime employee of the Air Force, Mr. Kenley has served as fire chief at the Wendover basl for 29 of its 30 years history. Though the base is now inactive, Chief Kenley and his department remain busy with essential maintenance; his department also serves as Wendovers municipal by fire department. Summer Hymas Chief Kenley s fire station is a well-kebuilding at the edge of a The electric excitement of people jerking slot machine levers, exchanging cards and vast concrete taxiing ramp, large chips, tossing dice, twirling roulette wheels, and ordering drinks is a complete contradic- enough itself to serve as a runway. tion to the warm calmness of people quietly pumping gas and renting motels in the small, Near the station stand four large wooden hangars, empty, their predominately Mormon community comprising the rest of the town of Wendover. yellow paint fading in the sun. To This strange paradoxical na a war baby whose memories of ture of Wendover is perfectly repMcEntire keeps the job of the period are necessarily vague, resented by the Don McEntire dealing cards interesting by getthe scene recalls, more than anyfamily. Since they are very active ting involved with the game and thing, a late TV show. Rising in the Mormon church, which is actually trying to beat the people. against the blue sky, the buildings basically opposed to gambling Even if theyre tipping, he wants like an abandoned set from a look and drinking, it is extremely surto beat them as a matter of pride. Johnson-Jun- e Van Allison war alprising to find that Don is a dealer However, the house doesnt movie. One Casino. at the Stateline ways win. Sometimes a person At the station I met with Mr. doesnt run across a situation like will leave when hes ahead who keeps detailed scrathat every day ! smarter the Kenley, someone than average There seems to be no apparent gambler! pbooks of the active years 1941-194when. Wendover was When Don deals cards to peoantagonism in the town with the a major training ground for pilots Mormons and gambling, but ple, he never looks at their faces; NEWS photo by S. Hymai whether or not the members of he looks at their hands. Its their learning to fly the big bombers. Mrs. Mr. Donald and McEntire There was a lot of flying in those the Church would just as soon the hands that put out more chips with the other. Don days and, naturally, a lot of crashgambling didnt exist is a matter than theyre supposed to. Its conflicts of many varied personal opinions. their hands that do the things to McEntire deals his cards as sin- ing. Chief Kenley has covered more than a hundred and fifty air be guarded against. All the signals cerely as he lives his religion. However, since the aspect of gamtown is the the crashes at the base; for outstandand moves are indicated by the bling glue holding the economically together, ing service and efficiency he has quiet hands. Could deal to my own the the of received 37 commendations. gas stations, mother and wouldnt recognize people When Mr. Kenley was transmotels and the church are mighty her! said Don. Live live. and let referred from Fort Douglas to WenI be grateful. Gee, thought youd I deal cards at the Stateline in dover 1941 he was already an in stare and them cool ally right Wendover has several bars, caand Im very active in the Morfireman. He started the eye! sinos, motels and gas stations, but experienced as fire mon Church, said Don. No one chief but shortly assistant movie I stuff. look thats Aw, no bank, no drugstore, no lumever looks down on me. My job is them in the eye, and here they are afterward received a field promoberyard, no clothing store, no like any other. Only people who switching aces on me! fire the chief when a tion, during barber shop, no dentist, and no rushed up and asked him, 'What indulge in gambling are die ones However, even if he did recog- doctor! shall I do? The question was throwing away their time and nize his mother he couldnt make asked When about medical overheard by the commanding her win. A lot of people dont money. folNews The received the care, officer, and Fred soon found himEvidently Dons wife, Francis, realize that there is absolutely no answers: no self its chief. wish Oh, the had used to situation underhanded dealing in a gam- lowing problem. For instance, when my never occurred. At first I didnt bling casino. Kenley soon established himis wife have to about we a as a first rate fireman. In self want to move from Ogden. There baby, When asked if he ever had any ahead. she delivers I those plan Usually much here. too out days the department had a really isnt exciting experiences as a dealer, worried about the gambling enDon replied, We try to avoid ex- about a half hour after her pains limited arsenal of firefighting vironment for my children, and I citing experiences! The ideal shift begin. So when they start we equipment. An orchard sprayer cram everything into the car and was adapted to fit a one inch high was ashamed of my husbands job is when nothing happens. Someat first. I would never tell people times, though, people get tough. drive 100 miles an hour to the pressure hose. Later Fred invented a nozzle deflector with which where he worked! But then, like They have it fixed in their minds nearest hospital. my husband says, wherever you that by some stroke of magic I What you do is make sure the fireman could regulate the can make them win, but I cant. I that go you can find whatever you you only get sick during your spray pattern to best cover any want to find. couldnt deal crooked to anyone, vacation. type of blaze. To train his crew in A bit defensively Don meneven my own brother. I couldnt One nice thing about our sit- the operation of the new nozzle, tioned that he could have found make him win. Yet, some people, uation is that we dont have too he painted a large ruler scale on a work anywhere, but with seven after winning four hands, if I win hangar wall, so his men could children to provide for one two, will get unhappy. They usu- many hypochondriacs. learn to judge the distance and efdoesnt work just anywhere. I ally do all right for a while, but Agriculture in Wendover is fect of various deflector settings. had an offer of a job as a credit when they start losing their char- somewhat limited. However, it Through practice and by using manager in a bank in Ogden. It acter changes. The nice people seems that pigs are being raised scientific methods his men learnpaid $350 less than what Im dont change. But some have a just north of town. Some of the ed how to control and contain making now, and it paid pretty thin veneer, and when things are squealers belong to the chef at the even difficult gasoline fires, using going badly they crack that ve- Stateline Hotel. Rumor has it that only water. Investigating a good. They pay higher here than neer and their true character he has the hasher put all the any other gambling establishment FAA inspectors in the state of Nevada. Including shows. Its just as if their fangs scraps of food in buckets so he were incredulous to discover the tips, I average about $1000 a were coming out and the hair can feed his pigs! We would cer- landing wheels still inflated and tainly encourage all patrons of unmelted, so effectively had the month, which is nothing to growing on their faces. and is the Stateline Restaurant not to Maze been confined to the fuel excitement sneeze at, especially in a place like Gambling this where you cant spend any of the game in Wendover, Nevada, eat so much. Think of those poor tanks by Kenley and his crew. but religious tolerance is the game starving little pigs over in the pigit unless you gamble. In July of 1944 federal offiin Wendover, Utah; neither one pen! A dealer is the cogwheel becials converged at Wendover to hind the total enchanting operaconduct a crash school. As it turntion of gambling. What does he ed out, Chief Kenley did most of think and feel while hes workthe lecturing. Many of his ideas We're a ing? Usually people are too woradapted by the Air Force day. were ried about amassing their forand made standard operating proALLEN ft GAYLE JONES AT YOUR SERVICE tunes to wonder about the guy on cedure at other installations. WENDOVERS ONLY AUTOMOTIVE PARTS HOUSE the other side of the gametable. WE MAINTAIN A DRUM LATHE AND A PRESS But Mr. Kenley is reluctant to ALSO TRUCK AND TRACTOR PARTS. take much credit for himself; he Dealing is never boring to Don unless hes dealing to just one perinsists that firefighting is not a one man job. Instead, he comson, betting one dollar at a time. I get hypnotized. I know its pares his fire team to a body, congoing to be a dollar next time, and sisting of legs, arms, and hands, all next time, and next time. Someworking together as one. Because times I feel like just grabbing his he happens to be the head, he exeollKt if naad ba (phom chips and sticking them all out plains, makes him no more importhere! tant or necessary than any other Chief Kenley stands on vast concrete parking ramp, now deserted, where airplanes once stood wingtip to wingtip. mi RHe m went in headfirst. Here Fired tests a fireproof suit of hi own design. fiSwmmi pt 5, fire-gutt- ed part of the body. Nonetheless, when there is trouble. Chief Ken-ley- s fire team is known to plunge into things head first. Qne official base photograph shows Kenley walking into a pit of flaming no protection but his deflector nozzle. In another he emerges from a burning building after testing a fireproof suit of his own design. Kenley was always the first to give a new idea the fire test; fortunately, his ideas always worked. Mr. Kenley remembers when activity at the base was at a peak, in the summer. of 1945. The governments Manhattan Project had borne its dreadful fruit; the first atom bomb had been successfully tested in New Mexico. The next would fall on Japan. Wendover was selected as the base from which to launch the atomic age, the desolation of its three and a half million acres a grim presage of the destruction to come. No one knew then what the project was or why the population of Wendover had nearly doubled with the addition of FBI agents. No one could guess what were the two black bombs, the cylindrical little boy and the bulbous fat man. There were rumors and guesses of course; Kenley remembers the most widely circulated scuttlebutt was that the U. S. had invented anew type of magnetic torpedo which, when dropped into the sea, could ferret out and destroy an enemy submarine anywhere in the vicinity. While the fated crew trained for their historic mission their airchristened Enola craft, a 9 in a huge black housed was Gay, A special door quonset hangar. had to be installed above the regular doors to accommodate the planes tail structure. The hangar stands today, still black and oil-wit- h B-2- sinister-lookin- g. Its exact dimen- sions are unavailable, but since the Utah State University football squad once offered to buy it from the Air Force for indoor training purposes, we may assume it is at least 'as large as that standard of measurement, the football field. Today there is little to suggest the significance of the past at Wendover Air Base. An occasional airplane from Hill Field lands, or sometimes paratroopers drop in on maneuvers. An abbreviated fire crew passes the time batting golf balls across the ramp or pitching quarters at cracks in tiie concrete on the Utah ride for fun, the Nevada ride for keeps. B-1- 7, m up? here 24 hours FeU&m AUTO PARTS As a young man Kenley played for the Five Points Ogden baseball team, intermountain dumps of 1923. Later he played professionally as a fielder. |