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BRADLEY AIRPORT - HISTORY
On January 23, 1941, Governor Robert A. Hurley sent a proposal to the Connecticut General Assembly that the State acquire 1,700 acres of land in Windsor Locks, most of which was then a tobacco plantation. The Army had indicated that it wished to have a fighter plane base in or near Connecticut as part of the air defense of this part of the country. The Tract was purchased and the War Department initiated efforts to clean the land, build runways, buildings and facilities required for housing a wartime fighter squadron. The area before development was a relatively flat, sandy plain, partially wooded and partially tobacco land. The original installation included three runways, perimeter and connecting taxiways, hangar apron, three parking aprons, taxiways and revetments, having a total paved area of over 794,000 square yards. The runways were wide enough to accommodate three Republic P-47 Thunderbolt's to take off side-by-side. The field was built at a cost of approximately $17 million and was ready for its first airmen and aircraft by early summer of 1941. At this time it was named the "Windsor Locks Air Base," because most of the airfield complex fell within the town limits of Windsor Locks. One of the first groups to be stationed at the new air base was the 57th Fighter Group. On August 21, 1941, a young pilot from the group, Lt. Eugene M. Bradley, 24, from Antler, Oklahoma, dove his P-40 into the ground and became the first fatality at the new base. In January 1942, the War Department formally authorized the field's designation as Bradley Field, as a tribute to the flier's memory. During the summer and early fall of 1942, Bradley Field was a major embarkation point for scores of bombers that were on their way overseas. A little known role for Bradley Field during World War II was its use as a prisoner of war camp for German soldiers, the only POW camp in the State. The first of the captured German men started to arrive at the field on October 8, 1944. They were permitted to perform a variety of tasks at the base until repatriation began late in 1945. An enviable record was established in 1945, when 4,000 bombers, carrying 65,000 airmen arrived at Bradley from Europe for redeployment. Not so much as a blown tire was suffered. In 1946, control of the airport was given back to the State on a temporary basis. However, it wasn't until October 15, 1948 that the documents were signed passing control to State by the War Assets Administration officials. Commercial aviation began at Bradley Field on April 1, 1947, when Eastern Airlines became the first airline to operate from the field. Using temporary installations, Eastern's Douglas DC-4's started to serve the Northeast. That summer, United Airlines began transcontinental service from the field, and by the end of the year, Trans-Ocean was flying international cargo from Bradley. American Airlines started operating from the field on February 1, 1950, with their new Convair 240's. In September 1949, the State Legislature passed a major bond issue for the improvement of Bradley Field. As part of this plan, Dwight D. Eisenhower broke ground for a new, modern terminal building dedicated as the "Francis S. Murphy Terminal," in honor of Francis S. Murphy, publisher of the Hartford Times, Chairman of the Connecticut Aeronautics Commission, and long time proponent of the development of Bradley Field. Kaman Aircraft Corp. started at Bradley Field in 1946 and the first flight of a Kaman helicopter was made at the field in January 1947. The Hamilton Standard Division of United Aircraft Corp. built a large plant adjacent to the field early in 1951. The 103rd Fighter Group, Connecticut Air National Guard, was activated at Bradley Field on March 1, 1951. During the ensuing years, the Bradley complex grew in size and in scope and today, the name Bradley International Airport more truly reflects the importance of this facility. New England Air Museum - February 1992 Learn more about the history of Bradley International Airport in Thomas Palshaw’s book on Bradley entitled "In the Beginning". Copies are available at the New England Air Musuem or call (860) 623-3305 EUGENE M. BRADLEY Eugene Morris Bradley was born to John and Lean Bradley on July 15, 1917, on their farm near the small community of Dela, in southeastern Oklahoma. He was the eldest of eight brother and sisters. After graduation from Rattan High he attended Murray Junior College at Stillwater, Oklahoma. Bradley was inducted into the service and was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma on September 16, 1940. After a few months he applied for Army Air Corps cadet training. His advanced fight training was completed at Kelly Field in May 1941, class 1941-D. That month he received his wings. The next day he married his sweetheart, Ann Blackerwick of San Antonio. He entered active duty on May 29 as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps Reserve. Lt. Bradley was assigned to the 64th Pursuit Group, forming at Mitchell Field, Army Air Base in Connecticut. The couple, with Ann now pregnant, took a small apartment on Poquonock Avenue. First Lieutenant Frank H. Mears was the commander of the 64th squadron. During an interview with Col. Mears (ret) in 1991 he said, "Bradley was a quiet fellow. He was not outgoing like a lot of fighter pilots. He seemed to be very happy any time he was flying an airplane. He was happy because he was flying the P-40's. As I remember he was a good pilot". On the morning of August 21, 1941, Lt. Mears had finished his paperwork at the squadron headquarters, Col. Mears related in his interview; "I walked into operations to see who was present, of course all were present, all four of them; Bradley and three others. I remember asking the question 'Who would like to go up for an individual combat?' That is, two pilots would square off and would make out like we were going to shoot each other down. The first one to speak up was Lt. Bradley, and as I say, he was always eager to fly. He answered, ' I want to go'. I said, 'Well, get your parachute and we'll get a couple of airplanes and we’ll go up and do a little dogfighting’. So out we went to the airfield and then to the airplanes. We were to start the play combat in the standard Air Force way, two airplanes flying at each other. We would pass one on the right, one on the left and on the entrance to passage, the simulated combat was on. The squadron commander generally was the experienced pilot who trained the younger pilots and then about the fight afterwards to show what we had done, what they had done wrong, and what they had accomplished. The older pilot would out- fox the younger one, but of course the younger pilot, after he had a couple of flights of this kind, naturally was going to try tricks of his own." "On this particular morning we went to 10,000 feet. Bradley was coming on the same line as I was. The instant we passed I chopped the throttle, pulled back real quickly on the stick and went right up into the sun. I looked back but Bradley was below me so I bent my wing over to see where he was and at that instant I saw Bradley flashing by underneath me. He was pulling streamers in a P-40 at 10,000 feet. That means, he was pulling very hard on the stick. At that moment I said ‘Okay Bradley, that’s enough, let’s start over again.’ I leveled off and waited for Bradley to come up from underneath me and when he didn’t, I flicked my wing down again. Bradley was below me in a spin…. It was a slow spin…. I think he made about two turns… By this time I was yelling for him to bail out! The airplane stopped spinning just before the trees swallowed him. There was no explosion. His just slipped into the trees and that was it. I am sure he blacked out. I did not go to the wreck." Lt. Bradley crashed into the wooded section of the base in the town of East Granby; the nose, engine, and cockpit of his fighter becoming embedded six feet into the ground. He was found still in his seatbelt, no attempt had been made to bail out. The funeral service was held in the Talarski Funeral Home in Hartford the following Sunday. The remains were sent to San Antonio, accompanied by his widow and escorted by Lt. Weldon E. Veteto, Bradley’s friend and fellow pilot. On September 3, 1941, the HARTFORD TIMES carried an editorial stating that: "Suggestion has been made that the new training airport at Windsor Locks be named Bradley Field in honor of Lieutenant Bradley who recently lost his life in training crashes the first death at the airport. Other suggestions may deserve consideration, but this one is not without merit. The center will be devoted to aerial preparedness. One who gave his life in the course of training for that purpose is something of a symbol of the risk and sacrifice involved in becoming equipped to give battle in the air should the enemy approach? War may not come to these shores. Pursuit fighters may not need to mount into the skies to meet the oncoming foe. Lives may not be lost in combat. A very good reason why that may not happen will be that fact that many Bradleys became so well trained that no enemy dared to challenge them. In that preparation, if lives are lost, they will deserve a place on the honor roll." In commemoration, the field on which he lost his life was officially designated, "Army Air Base, Bradley Field, Connecticut" on January 20, 1942. Lt. Bradley’s name has remained on the airport in spite of attempts to change it. Today it is known as Bradley International Airport, the principal airport in Connecticut.
Timeline 1940 - Land acquired by State 1941 - State makes available to military 1947 - Military returns to State 1947 - 1949 AA, EA, NE, UA, and Trans Ocean begin operations 1950 - 1952 Murphy Terminal runways 15 - 33 (6700') constructed 1957 - Runway 6-24 (9500') constructed 1961 - Rt. 20 connector built 1979 - Tornado
PASSENGER TRAFFIC 1950 - 118,000 1966 - 1 Million 1972 - 2 Million 1978 - 3 Million 1985 - 4 Million 1995 - 5 Million |
