TThe Barton County Historical Society Village and Museum has several items from World War I and World War II on display, including uniforms and information about the Great Bend Army Air Field. Researcher Linda McCaffery has been adding to the display and people continue to donate military items, said Richard Lartz, executive director at the museum.
With veterans day approaching, at least two elementary school groups have field trips to the museum planned next week.
Lartz reminds visitors that the museum has switched to its fall and winter hours as of Nov. 1 and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. The museum is located at 85 South U.S. 281, just south of the Arkansas River bridge in Great Bend.
The War at Home
A World War II display for Barton County wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the Great Bend Army Air Base. The following information can be found at the museum.
On Sept. 30, 1942, it was officially announced that an Army Air Field would soon be constructed west of Great Bend. Originally intended to serve as a satellite base for Smoky Hill Army Air Field at Salina, the initial plans were limited in size and functional utility. Construction began immediately with essential buildings and runways being completed first.
Designated to process and train heavy bombardment groups, GBAAF would eventually be assigned to the 58th Bombardment Operational Training Wing of the Second Air Force. Expanded to serve the vital mission of training crews for Boeing B-29 bombers, from 1944 through the end of World War II, GBAAF trained the crews of our heavy bombardment groups: the 444th, 498th, 19th and 333rd. In addition, the 489th was sent to GBAAF on its return from the European Theater for advanced training in preparation for reassignment to the Pacific Theater.
Due to a shortage of the new B-29s, for several months crews were trained using the B-17 and B-26 bombers, as well as a few B-29s. These efforts are often referred to as “The Battle of Kansas” for the serious work done by crews and Boeing employees in getting the gremlins worked out of these new planes.
With the end of World War II, GBAAF was placed on standby and then deactivated. The runways that once saw war birds take off now serve as the Great Bend Municipal Airport.
