Evening star., 1935-07-30
ARMY CHIEFS MAP
G NEW AIR BASES
Alaska Probably to Get First
Project Allowed by VIII
cox Measure.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Frankly elated at passage Of the
Wilcox air base bill, high-ranking
Army Air Corps officers today turned
their eyes toward maps to determine
where to build six new air bases au-
thorized by the measure.
Under the bill, which passed the
Senate yesterday and now is awaiting
presidential approval, the depots
would be established at key points in
six specified defense areas at cost
Of $12o, o,000, 900.
Inasmuch as the bill simply author
ICES, instead of appropriates, the
funds, progress will depend on the
financial backing of the Public Works
Allotment Board But in the opin-
Ion Of Representative wilcox, Demo-
crat, of Florida, author of the meas
ure, funds will be made available this
year for "at least one or two" bases.
Reports from an authoritative
source indicate Alaska will be chosen
first. It was said the need for an ex-
treme Northern Air Corps outpost,
and a desire to experiment with cold
weather flying are contributing fac
tors, Fairbanks Is the most probable
site.
Seattle or Portland Base.
The second area probably will be
that including the Pacific Northwest.
Portland and Seattle will vie for the
honors. This base will occupy key
position, it is explained, since 1t will
serve as a connecting link with Alaska
and play a vital part in West Coast
defense plans.
Several cities are seeking the base
planned for the Rocky Mountain area.
Denver would like it and so would
Salt Lake City, Pocatello, Idano, and
Albuquerque, N. Mex. With the
Rocky Mountain base serving largely
in a secondary defense move as am
muntion and supply depot for the
West Coast, o similar base Is planned
to assist operations along the At
lantic.
Situated somewhere in the South
eastern States, the field probably will
be constructed, according to one au-
thority. in Western North Carolina,
Western South Carolina or in North
ern Georgia. This would serve the
other two Atlantic Coast bases. one
in New England, the other IN Florida.
North Atlantic In Doubt.
Air Corps officials have not yet
narrowed down their choice In New
England The present East Boston
Airport is favored by some because
of its central location, easy access,
and because it would provide ample
opportunities to study fog and per-
form heavy weather flying. But New
Haven, Conn, has been mentioned,
as have Portland, Me, and Concord,
N. H.
If Representative Wilcox has a
word in choosing the Southeastern
and Caribbean air base, it will be at
Miami, Fla. Not just because that
city lies within his own congressional
district, he says, but because 1t Is
ideally situated for setting up q
primary defense of the Panama Canal,
the coal and iron mines of Alabama
and the Texas oil fields.
Chapman Field at Miami, though
undeveloped, was purchased during
the World War for Just this purpose,
Wilcox says, and If used as an air
base would permit the United States
to maintain aerial supremacy over
the Caribbean Sea.
Scattered between the six key fields,
officers plan to establish Intermediary
flying fields, but their locations will
not be determined until later.