b'U . S .M i l i t a r yAt the start of 1940, a new Navy air training base inBackintheforegoneerawhenAmericasmostAbove: Map depicting Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and its adjacent air Texas was a low priority that rose to the preferred listprominent celebrities, sports heroes, and aristocratstraining fields built during World War II; Below: A PBY Catalina flying boat within a month, and was commissioned to operatevoluntarily stepped up to serve their country andlaunching from NASCC; Bottom: Navy WAVE on duty during World War II.15 months later. The urgency for naval air assets wasfight to save the Free World, many of the air cadets at accepted as an emergency by President Roosevelt,NASCC came from the countrys most elite circles. just as the Battle of Britain raged, and the U.S. beganEd Frutig was a University of Michigan All-Amer-to supply the U.K. with thousands of weapons for itsican football star who was drafted into the NFL by war against Hitler. His urgency proved prudent onthe Green Bay Packers in 1941, but joined the Navy the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, when theto become an aviator after Pearl Harbor. Frutig led ImperialJapaneseNavylaunchedacarrier-based,the NASCC Comets team to a winning record ver-sneak attack of the U.S. Navys Pacific Fleet at Pearlsus Texas college football teams and served for three Harbor, Hawaii, then a U.S. territory. years as a pilot trainer before returning to the NFL, After years of opposition by the American publicafter the war. Tyrone Power was one of Hollywoods to entering yet another deadly and horrific foreignmost popular actors during the decade prior to the war, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, fol- war, playing iconic roles like Zorro and Jesse James, lowed by the U.S. declaration of war on Japan thebut in 1942 he joined the Marine Corps, and with next day, and then Germanys declaration of war on180 flying hours under his belt, he completed an ac-the United States later that weekthe inevitabilitycelerated training program in Corpus Christi. Power of a second world war had come full circle. The verywas over the Marine Corps age limit for combat fly-first class of 45 cadets at Naval Air Station Corpusing, so he piloted cargo planes in the Pacific theater, Christis University of the Air received their wingsearning multiple medals including two bronze stars.and commissions as Navy officers five weeks beforeMany of the men who earned their wings in Corpus thePearlHarborattack.Afterwarwasdeclared,Christi were not famous going into the war, but went NASCCwentinto24/7operations,constructionon to great success in their lives. Famed The Price is began on the regions multiple support bases, and aRight gameshow host Bob Barker earned his wings massive recruiting effort across the country wouldas a Navy Reserve cadet in 1943, although he did soon deliver thousands of cadets to Corpus Christi. not end up seeing combat. The most accomplished 100THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE TheCoastalBend.com'