In the depths of World War II, things were so uncertain.
Martha and Doris were two Clarksdale girls who found themselves swept up in a changing world that brought a pilot training school to Clarksdale and two flight instructors who later became their husbands.
Martha Cooper Quinn and Doris Cooper Neal came back to Clarksdale last week to visit friends, the graves where their parents are buried and to see the spot north of Clarksdale that brought them and their future husbands together.
“The instructors did a little better and lived in town, while the cadets learning to fly lived in the barracks out here,” said Martha, 96. “I still remember the sound of those planes when they flew over Clarksdale.”
Fletcher Field saw thousands of young men from across the nation come to Coahoma County to take their first flight training to become pilots during World War II. Training boys who had never flown before was dangerous work and Martha and Doris’ future husbands were part of that war effort.
“My husband did ground school and I remember him talking about how some of those kids didn’t know a lot and he had to wash them out (of flight school),” said Doris, 97. “I remember several crashes out here and he always said he didn’t want to talk about it.”
The Coopers had a store on Issaquena. The girls grinned and both said they asked their future husbands out on their first date.
“My brother was home from the service and had gotten to know the guys in a boarding house down the street,” said Martha. “He was down there and there was this guy I was sort of interested in and so I went down there to tell him we were having a get-together that weekend. E.L. (Quinn) answered the door and wanted to know why I was there. I ended up asking him.
“He looked so good in that uniform,” she remembered. “He just swept me off my feet.”
Many men trained at Fletcher Field and Doris and Martha looked through photos of graduating classes. Doris pointed to a picture of a guy from New York that everyone called Yank. Martha pointed to a photo of men “turning props” before take-off and remembered seeing that happen at Fletcher Field.
Fletcher Field was downsized as the war came to a close and Doris and her new husband found themselves transferred to South Carolina. Martha said her husband was ultimately transferred to Austria.
They raised their families, lived prosperous lives and came back regularly to Clarksdale to visit friends, most who have now passed away. Martha lives in Texas. Doris lives in Tennessee.
“This will probably be our last trip,” said Doris. “We have another sister who wanted to come, but couldn’t, but her son came with us this time. It was nice to visit these places once again.”
The Clarksdale Coahoma County Airport Board has dedicated a room at the airport to remembering those who trained and served at Fletcher Field. It has become somewhat of a tourist attraction for modern flyers and families from across the country looking to see where daddy learned to fly.
The Airport Board hosted a lunch for Doris and Martha at Stone Pony last week.
“The airport is a key part of the infrastructure of Clarksdale and Coahoma County and is critical to business and industry,” said David Huggins, Airport Board chairman. “I also don’t think people realize the role it played in World War II. We need to be proud of that.”
A steering committee headed by Jean Duff has launched the Fletcher Field Project aimed at preserving the history and telling the story of Fletcher Field. Plans are to connect with local veterans, research Fletcher Field, find funding and develop local support for the project.
Anyone wanting to be part of the project can contact Huggins at 662-627-4126.
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