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MWSA Review
Helicopter Training at Fort Wolters, by historian Wes J. Sheffield, is a pictorial account from the period when the US Army trained new pilots in helicopters. US Army Camp Wolters, in Mineral Wells, Texas, was a common training ground for American and foreign armed forces from its beginning in 1925. As also noted in the introduction, World War II caused the base’s expansion into an infantry replacement training center for soldiers. The US Air Force activated the base in 1951 following the base's end-of-war closure. The Army regained its management beginning in 1956 with the burst of helicopters and the need to train thousands of aviators. The oncoming Vietnam War, within a decade, increased that need. The region was ideal for primary helicopter training with its broad, open prairies and good weather. The Army management staff was fortified in its flight training and aircraft maintenance by Southern Airways, a civilian corporation.
The 126-page, soft cover book contains approximately 200 photographs, many picturing military commanders. The author had access to private and public photo collections plus written histories collected by a former commanding officer. All photos are in black and white. Images might invoke some vivid memories when viewed by individuals among the thousands of flight students in their few weeks passing through. Included is a section recognizing Medal of Honor recipients who once trained at US Army Camp Wolters.
Review by Tom Beard (February 2025)
Author's Synopsis
Originally a World War II infantry training center, followed by a brief stint as a US Air Force base, Camp Wolters was redesignated a US Army installation in July 1956, and its primary mission was to train helicopter pilots.
Mineral Wells offered an ideal climate and terrain for flight training with predominately clear skies, rolling open ranch land, high bluffs, and the Brazos River valley. An integral part of Mineral Wells’ economy, the flight school expanded in the 1960s due to escalation of the Vietnam War. During the war, with the exception of the US Navy, all helicopter pilots receiving primary flight training passed through Fort Wolters. During its 17 years of operation, over 40,000 pilots were trained, which included international students from 33 countries. The last Fort Wolters pilots graduated in 1973, and it was formally closed in 1975 and was converted into an industrial center.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review Genre: Artistic—Pictorial/Coffee Table
Number of Pages: 128
Word Count: 16,914