In March 1942, Cadet Tom Harmon reported to Santa Ana Army Base in Santa Ana, California for pre-flight school and classification.  As one of the Army's largest bases during World War II, it  processed over 150,000 recruits and cadets between 1942 and 1944.  The 10 week course consisted of calisthenics, testing and training.  The testing was for determining the recruits weakness and strengths for classification as pilots, navigators, or bombardiers.  Everyone wanted to be a pilot, including Cadet Harmon.  By mid-May, Cadet Harmon would get his wish along with orders to Primary Flying School in Oxnard, California.

 
Cadet Harmon found
his Stearman YPT-9A,
Oxnard, CA 1941/05/02,
(Harmon Family Photo
Collection) 

     Cadet Harmon arrived at Primary Flying School in late May 1942.  The 6 week course consisted of rigorous and intense training.  By the fifth week, Cadets were expected to successfully complete their first "solo-flight," and their number one fear was washing out.   Cadets would practice spins, rolls, loops, and precision turns in their Primary Trainer, the Stearman PT-9A (pictured above).  The "dodos," as they were reffed to by the upperclassmen, lived in small cabins that had to be kept immaculate.  Discipline was enforced by a 3 "gig" demerit system in which one's weekend pass was held in the balance.
     Cadet Harmon graduated in July and was ordered to Gardner Field, Taft, California for advanced training.  There he would start learning how to fly in formations and learn instrument work in the BT or the Basic Trainer, a larger ship then the Primary Trainer.   In August he, after hours of training in the BT, he was ordered to Advanced Flight training at Williams Field, Arizona. There he would move to flying the two engine AT-17 or Advanced Trainer.  Cadets would learn aerial gunnery and preform cross-country flights.  By the time graduation came Tom Harmon, had flown the Army's three best Advanced Trainers, AT-6, the AT-17, and the AT-9.  In 10 months time, Tom Harmon had been completely trained as U. S. Army Air Corps pilot.  Cadet Harmon was presented his "Silver Wings" in the Fall of 1942, and given orders to Glenville, South Carolina, to fly the B-25B "Mitchell."  2ndLt Harmon desperately wanted to fly the Lockheed P-38 "Lightening" instead, but he was proud that he would be flying the ship that had bombed Tokyo.  

        

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written 12/11/05 by Donilo Voyne