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xi Acknowledgments I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the former British Royal Air Force students and the United States Army Air Forces cadets who trained in Terrell, Texas, during World War II. They gave generously of their time to answer my numerous questions. I am also indebted to the former members of the civilian training staff at the Terrell Aviation School who always responded unselfishly to my inquiries. In England, A. J. “Bert” Allam, Alan Bramson, Paul Ballance, and Don Stebbings provided information. Bert Allam clarified numerous details and provided his unpublished manuscript covering his time in Terrell. Julia Baker copied her late father’s Royal Air Force flight log book for me. In the United States many offered assistance. Among these were former RAF students Eric Gill, Henry Madgwick, Jim Forteith, and Arthur Ridge. Mr. Madgwick, a past mayor of Terrell, allowed access to his large file of official documents, provided his unpublished manuscript , and took time to show me around Terrell and the former auxiliary fields. Eric Gill read an early draft and provided additional comments . Bill Brookover and Ray Flenniken, former flight instructors at the Terrell school, provided information on the aircraft and training syllabus. Rick Brown, a former RAF cadet at No.6 British Flying Training School in Ponca City, Oklahoma, provided historical information assembled by the No.6 BFTS Association. Former Army Air Forces cadets, Ben Brown and L. G. Bue, shared their experiences training with the RAF. Marvin Krieger, Jane Howell, and Pauline Baxter explained the roles of the various civilian instructors at Terrell. Virginia Brewer who, along with her sister Bertha, tended the RAF graves in xii Acknowledgments the Oakland Memorial Cemetery for many years, shared her scrap books, photographs, and clippings. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Gilbert S. Guinn, professor emeritus in history at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. Dr. Guinn shared his extensive files, including microfilm from the Public Record Office in London and the United States Air Force archives, extensive interview records with former British students, and his unpublished manuscript, and took time to read various drafts, offer suggestions, and answer numerous questions concerning RAF training in the United States. The staff of the Terrell Public Library, especially Janice Sauer, Katherine Brittain, and Director Rebecca Sullivan, and the staff of the Texas and local history section of the Dallas Public Library provided much assistance. James McCord of the Terrell Heritage Society opened the society’s extensive files and answered numerous questions. Ann Kelley, history librarian at the University of Texas at Arlington, located additional information on Major Long and his Dallas-based flight school. Col. Knox Bishop of the Frontiers of Flight museum, and Joe Norris of the Experimental Aircraft Association provided technical details on World War II flight training. R. D. Nolen spoke to me about his brother Lloyd Nolen, founder of the Confederate Air Force. The Lancaster Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force allowed access to the aircraft in their collection. Jack DeWeese, my good friend, sometimes copilot, sometimes aircraft mechanic, sometimes adventurer, and computer guru, helped with the collection of photographs. His friendship and warped sense of humor are much appreciated. The majority of this work originally appeared as my master’s thesis at the University of Texas at Arlington. I wish to thank my faculty advising committee, Dr. George Green, Dr. Douglas Richmond, and Dr. Gerald Saxon for their help. The quality of the work is due to these efforts; any errors which remain are mine alone. And finally a word of thanks to my wife Ann who not only provided abundant love and support throughout the effort, but has also shared in my adventures. ...

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