Narrator: By 1942, McClellan and Mather were in full operation. McClellan provided aircraft maintenance while Mather was the only navigational school for the Army Air Force. But military leaders decided another major facility was needed.
Gary Leiser: The war department decided to place a base between Sacramento and San Francisco because of its proximity to major east-west railroads and highways. This resulted in a very strategic location for coastal defense.
At the beginning of the war, no one knew for sure how long the conflict would last and at the same time, building materials were in short supply. So the first building that was constructed were made primarily of plywood and tar paper. It wasn’t until the war had lasted for a couple of years that more permanent buildings were constructed. At that point the base was devoted primarily to being a transit center. Aircraft from factories were brought to Fairfield soon and there, carried out shakedown cruises to prepare them for the front in the Pacific.
Narrator: Originally named Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, it would later change its name to honor General Robert F. Travis, who, like his predecessors Mather and McClellan, lost his life due to a plane crash.
Gary Leiser: Shortly after the Korean War began, General Travis was ordered to depart the base with a squadron of B-29 bombers. They carried parts of atomic weapons that could be assembled in the field if they were needed. General Travis’ aircraft was the first to take off, unfortunately it crashed on takeoff. This resulted in the worst catastrophe ever to befall the base.
Narrator: As Travis expanded, the number of base employees grew rapidly. Within a year, there were nearly 2,000 military personnels stationed at the base, 10% of them women. There were also a large number of cargo and attack aircraft including B-25 bombers. Travis would also act as a medical evacuation point for wounded troops. The war had a major effect on the Fairfield-Suisun community, as it did on most small towns throughout the United States. But unlike other air bases, Travis would stand the test of time.
With war comes great sacrifice. Throughout every community in America, luxuries were set aside and rationing became a way of life.
Gus Kanelos: It became a daily part of the routine of the community because we never knew what they were going to want us to do next, what they were going to ration next and so it was difficult really because you just took it as it come. You took life—and you accepted it.
Female: Nobody complained about anything, except the kids wanting gasoline to run around a little bit, everybody did what they had to do with the rationing and it was fine.
Narrator: The United States Ration Board created war ration books to monitor the food and necessities to monitor the food and necessities of each family and business throughout the community.
Gus Kanelos: I remember when I went to school, when I was attending in Outgrove High School, we had to get rations for our shoes or clothing and for gasoline too, and everything you needed you had to have a ration coupon book and even to go buy butter and stuff like that. It was a time when I thought was pretty hard for most people.
Male: But it caused people to ride public transportation together, it caused people to consider what they did in their off hours, what they ate, what they wore. Everything was very closely examined that the luxuries were set aside and it was something that was a hardship but it was necessary so that it was accepted and whether it was the lack of fuel to take a drive in the country or some type of meat or other food that wouldn’t be on the table this week, people accepted that as part of the burden to bear and that they were all bearing it equally.
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