Helena Airfield Dedicated Day Before Pearl Harbor Attacked

The United States was already gearing-up for what many felt would be the dragging of the nation kicking and screaming into what many felt was Europe's war with the Nazi menace. 

Little did the vast number of Americans anticipate what was about to happen way out in the Pacific Ocean.

Built on what used to be a cotton field, Akron [Ohio] Airways under contract to the U.S. government constructed Helena Aero Tech with metal hangers and was Phillip's County first and only-ever airport with paved runways and control towers.  The airfield has was designed to give prospective pilots primary training using tandem trainers.

It had a large administration building in the middle of the complex of buildings.  Flanking that building were two long rows of buildings housing a mess hall, classrooms, barracks and other necessary facilities.  At the front gate was a manned guard shack. Training was done in a military manner with military officers and non-commissioned officers.

The field was dedicated on Dec. 6, 1941 and the airfield itself named for Army Air Corps lieutenants Jerome P. Thompson and Jack S. Robbins.  They were killed while on active duty.

The cadet pilots and Helena residents, because of the time difference, learned late on that December Sunday that air and naval forces of the Empire of Japan that morning had launched a surprise attack on the nation's Pacific fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor and on various Army and Air Corps facilities on Oahu.  

The following day President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked in a nationwide radio address before the Congress for a declaration of war against Japan which was swiftly approved.  Before the end of the week another declaration targeted Germany and Italy.