High shot of Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, Franklin Mountains at top.  Old part of field is at extreme lefts.  Diagonal runway is two miles long.

First shot:  U.S. Army p-47 flying over the Franklin Mountains near El Paso Texas on November 7, 1944.

B-24s flying near El Paso.

Beginning around March 1945, I decided that I'd been near to flying, airplanes, flytalk, etc. without being able to actually do any, and that I would learn to fly myself.  Although physically unfit for military flight, I was OK for civilian flying, so I began training in Piper J-5s (cubs) at the San Antonio Municipal Airport.  I had about 25 hours solo at time of transfer to Monroe, where I continued, and finally received my private pilots license at El Paso.

Desert looking from El Paso northeast toward Hueco Mountains.  Road is to Carlsbad, N.M.  At left of picture is corner of El Paso Municipal field where I received my pilots license in November 1945.