This Week in Texas Methodist History  October 6

Methodists Host Royal Air Force Cadets in Terrell, October 1942

As World War II was raging in Europe, thousands of Royal Air Force personnel were trained in the much safer skies of the United States.  The first and largest training facility was located at Terrell.   Chaplains were not assigned to the Field, but that did not stop the officers from having a “Church Parade.”  A church parade was military code for compulsory attendance at worship services.  Members of the Church of England attended the Episcopal Church, Roman Catholics the Roman Catholic Church, and all others (characterized as O. D.) attended the Methodist Church.  The O. D. contingent numbered more than one third of the cadets. 

Church members were impressed with the cadets, some of whom had musical talents they shared with the congregation.  

The Methodist church also provided Wednesday night entertainment for the cadets.  One such party had cowboy theme because the British aviator trainees complained that they had come to Texas but hadn’t seen a cowboy.  The WSCS took care of that by inviting young women of the city to dress in cowgirl outfits and come to the party.  

The Rev. and Mrs. Pete Throne invited cadets to the parsonage on Sunday afternoons for refreshments.  Other residents provided lodging for the cadets. 

The facility was in operation from 1941 to 1945 as part of the Lend Lease program.  The first cadets received 20 weeks of instruction, but that was later increased to 32 weeks. 

The air field began as grass, but  improvements made to the air field included a 5000 foot asphalt runway.  At the conclusion of the war, the facility was converted to civilian uses.  A museum on site provides interpretation of this episode of the Lend Lease.