Library Reference Number: 096
Pensacola, USA
Although Wilf Hall spent his early years in Musselburgh, Scotland, he had been born in Pittsburgh, USA, giving him dual nationality, and this produced problems later. This is an 'in-between' story from Wilf, for he had completed Elementary Flying Training in UK, and after gaining his 'Wings' at Pensacola, had gone on to operational flying in Sunderlands, described in web library story No.36 "Memoirs of a Coastal Command Pilot."
Before arriving in Pensacola, Wilf had undergone flying training at Grosse II Naval Air Base, Michigan. On one of his final training flights in a Stearman aircraft at Grosse, the engine blew up shortly after take-off, and despite engine oil covering his windscreen, Wilf managed to survive an emergency landing in a farmer's field.
"The last section of the course at Grosse II was three plane formation flying and once this was completed I was ready for posting to Pensacola, the Naval equivalent of the American army's West Point. We entrained at Detroit and the journey south took two days and one night before arriving at Pensacola. The change of climate, in so short a time, was remarkable leaving in arctic conditions and arriving in the tropical heat of Florida."
"A naval bus met us at the railway station and transported us the short journey to the United States Naval Air Station, on arriving we were amazed at the massive entrance gates that led us into what can only be described as an aviation city. Masses of buildings with four airfields for land planes and three waterways for seaplanes and flying boats. The airbase covered over thirty square miles with an internal bus service with appropriate bus stops that included a map of the base and a service timetable. We were told that civilian personnel numbered thirty thousand but no figures were given for service personnel for security reasons."
"There was a shopping centre like a large supermarket where you could buy almost anything, several restaurants and a cinema equal to the finest in the UK completely air-conditioned and a programme change three times each week. All sporting facilities were available including forty tennis courts and you were encouraged to use them. Because of the many airfields and waterways, the first week was devoted to learning the rules and regulations governing each of the various circuits, as in some cases there was an overlap, and the height approaching your circuit was very important. Each airway was colour coded and with coloured markers on the ground for each airfield indicating your approach course, and one would not at any time deviate from your coloured airway or your allocated height as laid down in the regulations."
"The week preparing us for flying duties also required another medical examination. This included being put into a decompression chamber, six at a time, where our bodies were wired up to an outside monitor where doctors could check your reactions, heart beat and responding during the tests. A simple exercise in mental arithmetic was given with normal air pressure at sea level, then air was pumped out in stages of the equivalent of 2,000 ft altitude when a further mental exercise was given. This was repeated at 2,000 ft intervals up to 12,000 feet without oxygen when 2+2 was found to be very difficult. Normality recovered on descent."
"At the end of the week's examinations and preparations, we were moved out to Saufley airfield and its satellites for advanced flying in the naval version of the Harvard called a SNJ3. The Americans liked to identify their aircraft by letters and numbers. The airfield did not have runways, but had a massive square of Tar Macadam divided into four squares, with taxiways like a St.George's Cross. You took off in one square and landed in a square diagonally opposite to the rear, and it was quite in order to take off and land in threes. When all the airways and waterways were operating, there could be as many as 1,000 landings and take-off per hour. Flying duties commenced at 6 am and had to be completed by 12 noon. In warmest part of the day convection currents were so strong that it was difficult to keep control of the aircraft coming in to land from over the sea."
"The SNJ3 aircraft was much heavier than the Stearman and more powerful in many respects to operational fighter aircraft. Once familiar with SNJs a large portion of the course was devoted to formation flying. Using only one of the take-off and landing squares, we were taught this in three plane V formation and various aerial manoeuvres finishing with nine plane landings and take-offs using all four landing/take-off squares. Our standard of flying was judged by an instructor from a chasing plane checking every aspect of formation flying."
"Before moving on to Flying Boats, we required more ground school studies which included seamanship, direct reckoning navigation and astro-navigation. Also included was another course of meteorology and all aspects of the environment concerned with safety of operating aircraft far out to sea, where landmarks are totally absent."
"We were now in a position to be introduced to the consolidated P2Y flying boat, a massive twin-engine 12-ton aircraft. After being found competent in that, we were then considered ready to fly the PBY3, known to us as the `Catalina.' This aircraft was already in operational service with the U.S. Navy and the Royal Air Force. The Catalina was a much more manoeuvrable aircraft and responded to the controls in a more positive manner."
"Having successfully completed all the courses at Pensacola, I was now ready to receive my Wings. I had flown almost one hundred hours in primary aircraft, about forty in intermediate planes, and thirty-five hours on flying boats, making a total of one hundred and seventy-five hours in six months."
"The presentation of our 'Wings' was quite a posh affair and made a family day with all the pomp and ceremony, complete with the United States Marine Band which Americans are good at. On the lawn in front of the Administration Block were open-sided marquees decorated with an abundance of flowers, and provision of light refreshments. The American students all had their families present for this special day. After the `Wings' presentation, unfortunately the British students were completely ignored. We were still very proud and happy at receiving both the American and British wings, and had our own celebration later."
"After a short leave, we returned to Pensacola to be interviewed for possible commissions. There were five students with U.A.S. (University Air Squadron) after their names, and it so happened these were the only pilots commissioned. Many of us did not approve of this method of selection, when in our opinion better qualified pilots had not been considered."
This appeared to be an ironical twist of fate, for earlier, Wilf's Commanding Officer at Grosse Naval Air Base had suggested that because Wilf had been born in Pittsburgh, USA, he was an American citizen, and should transfer to the US Navy. "Despite being given the financial advantages, being guaranteed a commission and several other reasons, I declined his offer. I told him that I had relinquished American nationality when joining the RAF on 4`h September 1939 before America came into the war... I told the Commanding Officer that, with no disrespect I would continue the course in the R.A.F. and the rest of my service career." This did not entirely solve the dual-nationality problem, as before leaving USA, Wilf was arrested by US Navy Police and spent a night in prison, before being finally cleared of evading his US service duty as an American citizen.
"Returning to UK, it was at Windrush a satellite of Little Risington, that I completed advanced flying under conditions of war with lots of night flying in black-our conditions. From Windrush I was posted to an Operational Flying Unit for conversion to Sunderland Flying Boats. Although having experience of Catalinas, the Sunderland was enormous by comparison. At Alness on the Cromarty Firth, we were `crewed up' myself as pilot, and along with eleven other categories, making a total of twelve. Now we were ready for operations against the enemy submarines in the North Atlantic, being based either in UK or West Africa."
"The British Pensacola Veterans: During a post-war reunion visit to the Naval air base at Pensacola, there was the opening of a U.S. Naval Aviation Museum which included a section devoted to British Pensacola Veterans, and I am proud that my name appears on the role of honour along with other RAF and Royal Navy pilots. On that occasion, in a message of greeting, the Mayor of Pensacola, Barney B. Burke announced the city council . . . . do hereby claim that November 23rd in each year be set aside in Pensacola as British Pensacola Veterans' Day, and ask that this day be set aside in Pensacola in observance of the significant occasion and all citizens of this community join together in recognising the sacrifices of these British Brothers-in arms during World War 2, and the strong sense of camaraderie and brotherhood between them and the people of this city'."
Footnote: Sadly, after many years of valuable service to the ACA Saltire Branch, Wilf Hall died in 2001, and in recognition of this service, and with the approval of Wilfs wife Isobel, we wish some of his memoirs to be remembered. A copy of Wilf Hall's Certificate from Pensacola Naval Air Station is displayed on this page.