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A SPENCE POTPOURRI



A brief tour of a few of the sights and events at Spence Air Base in the 1950’s.

Spence AB        
Spence Air Base (click to enlarge) as it looked in the early 1950’s.  The Quitman Highway is at bottom of picture and main entrance gate at bottom right.  Enlargement reveals about 130 T-6’s parked on the ramp (picture was obviously taken on a weekend).
Base Layout - Early 1950's

                             
3 over Spence
A T-6 view of Spence.  
Sign
  Sign at the main entrance gate.
                            

Stdnt HQ
Student Headquarters

Cdt Clb
Aviation Cadet Club

Stdnt Bks
Student Barracks

Ofcrs OM
Officers Open Mess

Officers Open Mess
Officers Open Mess 
Pool
Cadet Swimming Pool

Student Center
Student Center 

Chute Bldg
Parachute Department

Theatre
Base Theater


The above color pictures contributed by Fritz Neal of Class 60-E
                     
 Chapel 2
"Chapel in the Pines"
 Choir
Spence Air Base Choir
                      

             
Swmg Pl
The old swimming hole.   Overhead is one of our fearless flight students, about to stall into an inverted flat spin.    
Volley Bl
Spence flying trainees demonstrate their athletic skills.
            

    Parade    Float
Spence personnel participated in community events on a regular basis.

 Bevo-Bueck2   Bueck in flt   Bueck inv    
 Hawthorne President “Bevo” Howard often entertained graduating classes with his precision aerobatic demonstration -- few could match his aerobatic skill.
 
  Columbine
President “Ike” Eisenhower visited Spence six times during his eight years in office, arriving aboard the presidential airplane “Columbine",  forerunner of Air Force One.

 Ike g'bye            
The "Columbine" Today - USAF Museum

Hwthrn wngs

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