03 Feb Victorville
The Bombardier Training School that Herman went to after he left Sequoia Field was located at Victorville Army Air Field, later called George Air Force Base, just north of Victorville, California. A newspaper clipping showing Herman in uniform and “Ready for Enemy” indicated that this was a 26-week course. Since Herman graduated on May 8, 1943 I assume that he entered the training shortly before Christmas 1942.
Bombardier training with AT-11s
Qualified cadets had been strenuously tested and standards were high. What I have learned is that cadets who “didn’t make the grade” in pilot training were often excellent candidates to be bombardiers … ideally they had a college education that included math and physics courses.
The AT-11 was the standard U.S. Army Air Forces World War II bombing trainer; about 90 percent of the more than 45,000 USAAF bombardiers trained in AT-11’s. The plane featured a transparent nose, a bomb bay, internal bomb racks and provisions for flexible guns for gunnery training. Many similarities, I can see, to the B-17. Student bombardiers normally dropped 100-pound sand-filled practice bombs. The instructors scored hits and misses, so there were plenty of bombardiers who did not finish.
The school was only about 65 miles from Los Angeles, and in one of his letters Herman said they went there as many weekends as they could. The Hollywood Palladium, “America’s largest ballroom”, was a favorite stop. There, big bands would entertain huge crowds. More than likely Herman danced to Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey or Frank Sinatra there.
No Comments