Evening star., 1945-09-30

that's the way this reporter feels about
1t after a six-hour tour of the center.
According to Test Center officials, 1t
has the longest runway-9,700 feet-and
the largest wooden arch hangar of any
airfield in the country, perhaps in the
world
Well Worth the Cost
Incidentally, while driving along the
broad expanse of concrete which con-
stitutes the almost 2-mile-long runway,
officials pointed out that the extra cost
involved in its added length already has
paid dividends in terms of lives saved.
They recalled several instances in
which planes being tested for load
capacity got off the ground 40 or so
feet but were forced to crash land.
If the runway was about 5000 feet
long, for example, they explained, the
plane would have crashed on rough ter
rain, possibly resulting in casualties to
the crew. Because of the extra length
of the center's main runway, however,
they said, planes were able to land on
smooth concrete, thus preventing injury
or even death to members of the crew
as well as extensive damage to the
plane.
A 40-mile rail line has been built
to enable the center to haul its own
equipment from railroad terminals in
Southern Maryland.
In addition, this is the great trans
Atlantic base for the Naval Air Trans
port Command, covering the tremendous
expanse of territory bordering the At
lantic from Iceland to Rio de Janeiro
Startling Statistics
When the huge station was first
opened in April, 1943, it had only one
runway, partially completed; one group
of barracks, bachelor officers quar-
ters, one plane and about 400 naval
and civilian personnel.
The last two years have transformed
the base into a bustling beehive of
activity. Here are some statistics
tossed at me by center officials:
One 9700-foot runway, two of ap-
proximately 6,400 feet each and a
fourth of 1854 feet under construc-
ton; an average of 200 planes kept
at the base at all times with an ap-
proximately 200 additional aircraft
flown in to the base from other naval
installations during bad weather.
-Four barracks areas housing about
5000 naval personnel, three bachelor
officers quarters housing about TOO OFF,
GERS, 127 married officers quarters,
200 married enlisted mems quarters, a
$3.50, 900 elementary school named for
the late Secretary of the Navy Frank
Knox
A 100000 drill hall, which has in
1t swimming pool for enlisted men,
q 1,700-seat motion picture house, bas-
ketball courts and boxing ring; a
library, bowling alleys, beauty shop,
sewage disposal plant, nine large double
hangers, a Diesel power plant, steam
plant, officers club and about 40 miles
OF roads.
Personnel of $4,000
The number of personnel living in
and around the test center has swelled
to approximately $4,000, including their
families-more than the entire 1910
population of St. Marys County, in
which the base is located.
I got good idea of the number of
workers when I left the base in my
car shortly before pm. A line of
cars extended back from the entrance
gate to the base for distance of almost
two miles. 1t took me half an hour
to cover one-fourth that distance.
total of 1900 pieces of rolling
equipment, including trucks, tractors
and cranes, are maintained at the
center along with enough buses to make
officials OF the center claim the largest
bus line on the Eastern seaboard-
even larger than the Richmond Grey.
hound line.
Model Community
Where do all these workers live2 Well
virtually all of the naval personnel liv,
In the center itself, which also has
accommodations for a comparativel,
few civilians. The rest live In board
ing houses, trailers and one-time sum
mer cottages scattered over an area a.
far as 10 miles away
Center officials admit that the hous
ing problem is acute, but they poin
out that steps are being taken to cop
with it.
Plans are under way to erect mode
community just outside the gate to b.
known as Lexington Park. All street
In the development will be named afte
carriers with the principal street Il
be called Midway.