Pratt in Pratt County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Taken from Tailwind December 22, 1945
"To sum up the operation and the effectiveness of PAAF requires no flowery words or elaboration on actual facts. The records speak for themselves.
"Pratt trained the first B-29 Group to see active service overseas.
"The first Group to raid Tokyo
The first Group to make a fire-raid on the Japanese capital
"And more firsts too numerous even to mention
"Its Groups were the first into aggressive B-29 action against the Japanese and the count tolled against the enemy is still being tabulated
In an even larger sense, the Field [PAAF] pioneered the B-29 program of the Army Air Forces being the number one installation exclusively dedicated to training crews on the Army Air Force pride.
"With PAAF's demise the era of "Training-for-War" in Kansas comes to a close, the foremost producer passing out of existence
"The field brought much to Kansas and to Pratt itself, but no more then was given it in return by the people of the state and the town."
Erected 2003.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II.
Location. 37° 42.271′ N, 98° 44.422′ W. Marker is in Pratt, Kansas, in Pratt County. Memorial is at the intersection of U.S. 281 and NE 40th Street, on the left when traveling north on U.S. 281. The B-29 All Veterans Memorial is located on the grounds of the Pratt Municipal Airport (former Pratt Army Air Field). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pratt KS 67124, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. B-29 All Veterans Memorial (here, next to this marker); Pratt Army Air Field (here, next to this marker); 45th Bombardment Squadron (VH) Honored Dead (here, next to this marker); 29th Bomb Group (here, next to this marker); 58th Bomb Wing (here, next to this marker); Training Fatalities - Pratt Army Air Field (here, next to this marker); 40th Bomb Group VH (here, next to this marker); Heroic Efforts of B-26 Aircrew (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pratt.
Also see . . .
1. Pratt Army Airfield. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on January 7, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. B-29 All Veterans Memorial, Pratt, Kansas. Facebook page. (Submitted on May 5, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Additional keywords. Taken from Tailwind December 22, 1945
Credits. This page was last revised on January 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 377 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 5, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.