Naval Air Base Collection

Aviation cadets at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Aviation cadets at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Working with a sea-plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Working with a sea-plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Sailor mechanic fueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Sailor mechanic fueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Aviation cadet in training at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Aviation cadet in training at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

A rivet is her fighting weapon... Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
A rivet is her fighting weapon. Oyida Peaks, daughter of a Navy lieutenant, one of many women taking NYA training to become mechanics at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

As an NYA trainee working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
As an NYA trainee working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace is learning the construction of Navy planes, Corpus Christi, Naval Air Base, Texas

After seven years in the Navy, J.D. Estes is con... Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
After seven years in the Navy, J.D. Estes is considered an old sea salt by his mates at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

J. D. Estes at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
J.D. Estes at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Women from all fields have joined the production army, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Women from all fields have joined the production army, Corpus Christi, Texas. Miss Grace Weaver, a civil service worker at the Naval Air Base, and a school teacher before the war

Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis, senior supervisor in the Assembly and Repairs... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis, senior supervisor in the Assembly and Repairs Dept. of the Naval Air Base, talking with one of the men, Corpus Christi, Texas

Bowen and Olsen, a riveter and her supervisor, in the... Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Bowen and Olsen, a riveter and her supervisor, in the Assembly and Repair Dept. at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Cadet L. Deitz at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Cadet L. Deitz at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Starting a propeller at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Starting a propeller at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Mrs. Doris Duke, who is 26 and a mother of one child, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Mrs. Doris Duke, who is 26 and a mother of one child, Corpus Christi, Texas. Mrs. Duke is a civil service worker in the Assembly and Repair dept

Women are contributing their skills to the nations needs by keeping... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Women are contributing their skills to the nations needs by keeping our countrys planes in top-notch fighting condition, Corpus Christi, Texas. Wife of a disabled World War I veteran, Mrs

Bowen, a riveter, and Olsen, her supervisor, in the Assembly... Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas
Bowen, a riveter, and Olsen, her supervisor, in the Assembly and Repair Dept. at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Learning to work a cutting machine, these two NYA employees... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Learning to work a cutting machine, these two NYA employees receive training to fit them for important work, Corpus Christi, Texas

Working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace is learning the... Corus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Working inside the nose of a PBY, Elmer J. Pace is learning the construction of Navy planes, Corpus Christi, Texas. As an NYA trainee at the Naval Air Base, he gets practical experience

Jesse Rhodes Waller, A.O.M. third class, tries out a 30-calibre... Naval Air Base, Corpus... 1942
Jesse Rhodes Waller, A.O.M. third class, tries out a 30-calibre machine gun he has just installed in a Navy plane, Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Mrs. Virginia Davis, a riveter in the assembly and repair department of the Naval air base... 1942
Mrs. Virginia Davis, a riveter in the assembly and repair department of the Naval air base, supervises Chas. Potter, a NYA trainee from Michigan, Corpus Christi, Texas

Answering the nations need for womanpower, Mrs. Virginia Davis made arrangement for the 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Answering the nations need for womanpower, Mrs. Virginia Davis made arrangement for the care of her two children during the day and joined her husband at work in the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi

At the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
At the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Drilling on a Liberator Bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Drilling on a Liberator Bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

A sailor mechanic refueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
A sailor mechanic refueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Consolidated transport planes being loaded, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Consolidated transport planes being loaded, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

Fueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Fueling a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas. Photo probably shows man adding oil, rather than fuel, because of his location on the airplane

Working inside fuselage of a Liberator Bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas, 1942
Working inside fuselage of a Liberator Bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

Mrs. Cora Ann Bowen (left) works as a cowler at the Naval Air Base... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Mrs. Cora Ann Bowen (left) works as a cowler at the Naval Air Base; Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis is a senior supervisor in the Assembly and Repairs Department, Corpus Christi, Texas

Working in the Assembly and Repair Dept. of the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Working in the Assembly and Repair Dept. of the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Working on a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Working on a plane at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Painting the American insignia on airplane wings is a job that Mrs... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Painting the American insignia on airplane wings is a job that Mrs. Irma Lee McElroy, a former office worker, does with precision and patriotic zeal. Mrs

Navy N2S primary land planes at the naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Navy N2S primary land planes at the naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Riveter at work on Consolidated bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Riveter at work on Consolidated bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

This sailor mechanic is inspecting a PBY plane at the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
This sailor mechanic is inspecting a PBY plane at the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas. The ship had been reconditioned by the Civil Service employees at the Assembly

NYA employees receiving training in the Assem... U.S. Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
NYA employees receiving training in the Assembly and Repair Dept. U.S. Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Hes like to use that gun on the Axis, Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Hes like to use that gun on the Axis. After seven years in the Navy, J.D. Estes is considered an old sea salt by his mates at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Frances Eggleston, aged 23, came from Oklahoma... Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, TX, 1942
Frances Eggleston, aged 23, came from Oklahoma, used to do office work. Removing paper from pilots window(?), Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

Ens[ign] Noressey and Cadet Thenics at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Ens[ign] Noressey and Cadet Thenics at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Oyida Peaks riveting as part of her NYA training... Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Oyida Peaks riveting as part of her NYA training to become a mechanic in the Assembly and Repair Department at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Lorena Craig is a cowler under civil service at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Lorena Craig is a cowler under civil service at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Av. Cadet Thanas at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Av. Cadet Thanas at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Women in white doctor Navy planes (motors) at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Women in white doctor Navy planes (motors) at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas. Mildred Webb, an NYA trainee at the base

Feeding an SNC advanced training plane its essential supply of gas... Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
Feeding an SNC advanced training plane its essential supply of gasoline is done by sailor mechanics at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

With a womans determination, Lorena Craig takes over a man-size job, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942
With a womans determination, Lorena Craig takes over a man-size job, Corpus Christi, Texas. Before she came to work at the Naval air base she was a department store girl

Riveters at work on fuselage of Liberator... Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas, 1942
Riveters at work on fuselage of Liberator Bomber, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. Fort Worth, Texas

Aviation cadets in training at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Aviation cadets in training at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis has been appointed by civil... Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942. Creator: Howard Hollem
Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis has been appointed by civil service to be senior supervisor in the Assembly and Repairs Department at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas

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"Capturing the Spirit of Aviation: Life at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas in 1942" In 1942, the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas was a hub of activity and excitement as aviation cadets trained to become skilled pilots. Howard Hollem's photographs provide a glimpse into this fascinating world. One image shows aviation cadets diligently working with a sea-plane. Their determination and focus are evident as they learn the intricacies of aircraft mechanics and navigation. Another photograph captures a sailor mechanic fueling a plane, highlighting the teamwork required to keep these flying machines operational. The planes themselves were magnificent creations that dominated the base's skyline. With their sleek designs and powerful engines, they symbolized both innovation and military might. The American insignia proudly painted on their wings served as a reminder of national pride during wartime. But it wasn't just men who contributed to this vital effort; women from all fields joined what was known as the production army. Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis stood out as senior supervisor in Assembly and Repairs department, breaking gender barriers while ensuring top-notch maintenance for these aircraft. Aviation cadets underwent rigorous training that tested their physical endurance and mental fortitude. Elmer J. Pace is seen working inside the nose of a PBY seaplane - an NYA trainee using every ounce of strength to master his craft. For those like J. D Estes who had dedicated years to serving in the Navy before arriving at Corpus Christi, this airbase represented new beginnings and fresh challenges. Intriguingly titled "A rivet is her fighting weapon, " one photo showcases an unnamed woman wielding tools with confidence - showcasing how everyone played their part regardless of gender or background when it came to defending our nation's freedom. These captivating images by Howard Hollem transport us back in time to witness life at the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas during 1942.