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Life At Corpus Christi Naval Air Station In 1942

Before the outbreak of World War II, the US Navy realized that it didn’t have the adequate training facilities to deal an emergency demand for new pilots, and that’s when Corpus Christi Naval Air Station came into being. More than 35,000 aviators graduated from there, including President George H.W. Bush. These color photos, taken in 1942, depict Navy cadets and members assembling, repairing and training with a variety of aircraft:
 
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Boeing-Stearman Model 75 primary land planes.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Virginia David, a riveter in the naval base's assembly and repair department, supervises a trainee.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress

 

Aviation Ordnanceman, Jesse Rhodes Waller, tries out a machine gun newly fitted to a Navy plane.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Elmer J. Pace, a trainee, learns how to construct naval planes at the base.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Two employees work a cutting machine. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
This lady is reconditioning spark plugs for a plane engine. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Another shot of a new machine gun being tested. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Mildred Webb, another trainee, learns the ins and outs of a cutting machine. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A cadet jumps into his plane.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A cowler works on the tail of a plane.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A supervisor is pictured on the right. Her job was to find convenient and comfortable accommodation for the base's female workers. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
 
Eloise J. Ellis, a senior supervisor in the assembly and repairs department, keeps a close watch on the workers.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Ensign Noressey and Cadet Thenics pose for a photograph.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Munitions are loaded onto a plane.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A new machine gun finds its new home in a PBY plane.
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A navy veteran displays one of the biggest machine guns that the Navy used in its aircraft. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Former office worker, Irma Lee McElroy, paints an insignia onto a wing. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
Aviation cadets in training. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A training plane gets refueled by two sailor mechanics. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress
A cadet smiles as he clambers into his plane. 
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Image Credit: Library of Congress

Content and image source: Mashable Retronaut
 
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