Map of George Field

1943 From the Visitors Guide to George Field published a year after the activation of the Field.

George Field may be approached over a variety of picturesque country roads, but the usual visitor will come in on the hard surface road through the main gate. This road is equally accessible to both Lawrenceville and Vincennes on Route #50 which is a main East West highway. Visitors will stop at the main gate to have their passes examined, or to have passes issued to them.  From here on into the field a standard gauge railroad spur runs to the coal pile and to the warehouses for the purpose of bringing bulk supplies into the field.

The first group of buildings which the traveler will encounter on his left is the station hospital, a complex network of one-story buildings, interconnected by enclosed corridors. This hospital is furnished with the most up-to-date equipment for the care and treatment of military personnel. It has a modern X-ray room and a model Dental Clinic. At an Army posts such as this the health of the military personnel is excellent and a large proportion of the facilities of the hospital are devoted to keeping health as its present high level rather than to treating the occasional case of illness. The Flight Surgeon’s Department specializes in the periodic examination not only of enlisted personnel but particularly of cadets, for they must be maintained at a high pitch of physical well-being to enable them to take the best advantage of their training.

On the right opposite the hospital are the quarters of the Negro troops assigned to this station. It will be noted by even the most casual visitor, that the upkeep of their area is exemplary and that their landscaping areas are the pride of the field.

Continuing down Tinker Ave., the main axis of the camp, the visitor enters the Cadet area. Here are grouped the living quarters of the Cadets, their Mess Hall and their recreation rooms where they spend their leisure hours; here is located Cadet Headquarters, where the administration of manners pertaining to the Cadet detachment is carried on.

Buildings flanking the road at the end of the Cadet detachment are used for the purpose of housing the Ground School. The Ground School building on the left contains offices, classrooms equipped with motion projection apparatus and a War Room maintained for the purpose of acquainting the Cadets with the latest confidential information on the progress of the global struggle in which they will soon play such a large part. The school buildings on the right contain a library for study and recreation, as well as rooms furnished with complete working models of all parts of the ships which the Cadets will fly.

The next large building on the left is a gymnasium which is the center of athletic activities for the field and is also the scene of some Post dances and social events. The first barracks area before the flagpole is assigned to the 327th Base Headquarters  and Air Base Squadron, a group of men whose duty it is to keep the administration functions of the Field running properly. The center of life of the Field is Post Headquarters, which faces down Tinker Ave. To the left of the flagpole is the  Headquarters of the 28^th Flying Training Wing, a Subdivision of the AAFSETC,  which houses the offices of the Commanding General  of the Training Wing and his staff.  To the left of the Headquarter Building is the Bus Depot whence buses leave for Lawrenceville and Vincennes on an almost hourly schedule.

Headquarters itself is the nerve center of the field, the place from which all activities of the field are directed by the Commanding Officer. It contains the offices of his staff, record rooms, and all activities pertaining to enlisted and commissioned personnel.

Continuing down Tinker Ave. toward the flight line, the large building set back from the street on the left is the Enlisted Men's Mess Hall and next to it the Non-Commissioned Officers Club. The white building at the intersection of Hangar Road and Tinker Ave. contains the offices of the Director of Training, from which the entire training program of the Cadets is directed. Stretching left and right from Tinker Ave. are the barracks and administration buildings of the men who serve as the planes and maintain them in flying condition.

Stretched along the “apron” are the hangers where the planes are serviced and inspected. Situated on Tinker Ave. are various buildings containing activities pertaining to “keeping them flying” such as Post Communications and most striking of all, the Control Tower which directs all aerial traffic entering and leaving the Field. Far down to the right on Hangar Road is a large building of the 313th Sub Depot, which is fully equipped to handle all types of repairs on aircraft. It contains Carpenter shops, Machine shops, and Sheet Metal shops.

Facing Headquarters to the right is the Post Exchange, which not only supplies everything that the soldier wants to buy but also serves as a between- hours meeting place.

In front of Post Headquarters Straubel St. runs at right angles to Tinker Ave. Turning down Staubel St. to the right, the first building one encounters is the Post Chapel, where services are held for all denominations. The next building is the post theater which is used not only for motion pictures, but also for USO shows and large group meetings of different kinds. The Quarter-Master area on Staubel St. includes not only the offices necessary to the transaction of a large volume of business, but also the warehouses in which the not inconsiderable amount of material required for an establishment of this size is stored. The visitor leaving George Field would do well to turn left on Straubel St. and left on Westover St. passing the Obstacle Course, the comfortable two-story barracks of the WAAC area, the Officer’s Club and thus back to the Hospital and the Main Gate.

Properly admitted visitors are welcome to most parts of the Field, however in the interest of military security, it has been judged essential that certain parts of the Field should be closed to the general public. This restriction, which will be readily understood by all, applies particularly to those areas where flying training is carried on; in other words, most particularly to the flight line and all activities pertaining thereto. In general, Hangar Rd. The warehouses of the Quarter-Master department and also the gasoline tank area are closed to the general public. Beyond these areas visitors properly admitted are welcome, particularly to the Post Chapel and the Post Exchange.

Friends and relatives of military personnel stationed at this Field are also welcome during certain hours at the various recreation rooms, the enlisted men's service center, the Non- Commissioned Officer’s Club and the Officer’s Club.