Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-21
Wright-PattersOn
Has Tour Service
BY: Everett Milstead

by. Everett MllSJedu
There is a tourist service at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
that conducts thousands of visit
ors from all sections of America
on tours of the base each year.
People from 8 years up are shown
the latest type aircraft, shops,
buildings, and other points of in
terest by experienced guides who
explain each sight as they appro-
ach it.
It would take more than the
available space to name all the
groups and organizations who have
visited the base, but those listed
below will give you an idea of the
variety of them:
They are, Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, All Clubs, FLA, school
children, college students and pro-
fessors, ROTC and CAP groups,
civic clubs, civil defense workers,
church organizations, educational
workshops, industrial organiza-
tions, P.T.A.'s, and many others.
In the case of children under
Is, the base requires one adult
to accompany each 10 children.
Regulations limit visitors to 40 in
one group however, on special oc-
caSionS arrangements are made to
handle more. On September 25
National Kids Day. more than
600 children visited the base, and
on Armed Forces Day adults and
children by the thousands availed
themselves of the opportunity to
become better acquainted with
their Air Force.
The Air Force is happy to
show itself to the public. 1t feels
that the more people who see air
power and the facilities of air bases
the better they will understand
this branch of the nations de-
fenSe.
In order to arrange a tour of
the Base, interested citizens should
call KEITH, Extension 54217 and
ask for Miss Rudolph or Airman
Neal Taylor. If you prefer to
make arrangements by mail the
letter should be addressed to the
Commander Headquarters, Wright
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio,
Attention: Miss Rudolph, EWO.
You should include the date YOU
wish to make the tour and list the
full names of all persons in the
visiting group. Miss Rudolph will
give you the available date and
time, arrange clearance for the
admission of the group to the base,
transportation if necessary, the
itinerary of the tour, and other
necessary procedures. A guide will
meet the visiting group at the
gate and conduct them on tour.
There are drive through" tours
and regular" tours. The drive
through" takes about 2 hours, and
the tourists remain in the vehicle
except when they visit the Wright
Memorial. The regular tour lasts
from to 5 hours - depending on
the organizations available for
visiting. On this tour, the tourists
leave the vehicle at most of the
points of interest and take a clos
er look at things.
1t must be remembered that
there are many places on the base
that are never open to visitors be-
cause of security factors. Other
places are open at some times and
closed at others - depending on
the project they are working on.
A tour of Wright-Patterson is
an interesting and educational ex-
perience for most people. Read
ers of this paper are invited to
use the tourists facilities, but to
avoid disappointment it is rec
commended that arrangements be
started several weeks in advance
OF the anticipated tour, as thous-
ands of people visit us each year.