 In 1930, a new Air Corps era began with the dedication of Randolph Field at San Antonio, Texas. As headquarters for the Air Corps Training Center, it soon developed into one of its more important bases. It was at Randolph that many of America's World War II Eagles learned to fly. The winter of 32 was a man killer in the Southwest. Navajo tribes were snowbound in Arizona without food and other necessities. The 11th Bomb Squadron from March Field was sent to help. Traveling at 133 miles an hour in open cockpits at zero temperatures, the V-2 Condor crews dropped 15 tons of supplies. It was a unique act of humanitarianism. Machines designed to destroy an enemy were saving Native Americans. While American pilots were flying missions of mercy at home, an ominous voice was heard in Europe. Many laughed at Adolf Hitler as he and his Nazi party were coming into power. But with a highly mobile army, the Wehrmacht, and a well-equipped Air Force, the Luftwaffe, Germany posed a great threat to world peace. In the meantime, the U.S. was developing faster and more powerful aircraft, the B-9, the P-26, and the B-10. An excellent trial for the new B-10s came in 1934, when Lieutenant Colonel Hap Arnold led 30 officers and enlisted men on a long-range test flight from Washington, D.C. to Alaska. On the return trip from Juneau to Seattle, the crews flew 990 miles nonstop through fog and rainstorms. Thus, as early as 1934, the Air Corps demonstrated that it was technically possible for an enemy to attack the United States from the Arctic. When the volcano Mauna Loa on Hawaii suddenly became active, the government called on the Army Air Corps to bomb the lava flow and try to save Hilo City. Five keystone bombers dropped 6,000 pounds of high explosives on the lava stream and its source. Two days after the bombing, the river of fire slowed, then stopped completely, and Hilo City was saved by air power. In March 1935, the Army set up three combat wings, one at Langley Field, Virginia, for the East, one at March Field, California, with aerial forces to protect the West, and one at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Thus, the nation was provided with small, mobile air forces that could spot and intercept hostile forces before they could get within striking distance. And if necessary, planes could be dispatched to reinforce American bases in Hawaii, Panama, or Alaska. Control of this tactical force was centralized for the first time under the newly formed General Headquarters Air Force. In the interests of scientific research, an historic balloon flight was made on Armistice Day, November 11, 1935, from the Strato Bowl in South Dakota. Piloted by Captains Albert Stevens and Orville Anderson, the world's largest balloon reached the greatest height man had so far attained, 14 miles. They landed after eight hours and brought back valuable knowledge on weather, cosmic rays, radio, and mapping, a profitable scientific expedition. Weather conditions in the spring of 1936 produced unprecedented floods in the eastern states. Thirty B-10 bombers with 45 officers and nearly 100 enlisted men were sent to help the victims. They dropped 8,000 pounds of medicine, clothing, and food to the stricken communities. The Air Corps played a major role in alleviating human suffering by quickly converting its weapons of war to wings of mercy. Meanwhile, Japan was making a bid for world power through an undeclared war against China. Japanese pilots were training for Pearl Harbor with a relatively modern air force that ruled the skies over China. At the same time, Italy was testing her air force in a campaign against Ethiopia. The American press raised a valid question. Why was U.S. air power falling behind Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and Britain? The War Department had an answer. The nation was not devoting sufficient money to aircraft development. But the Air Corps was planning an aerial dreadnought of tremendous capabilities, the 4-engine B-17, later known as the Flying Fortress. The Boeing Company delivered the first B-17s to the second bomb group in the spring of 1937. The new airplane gave the U.S. an unprecedented bombardment capability. On February 17, 1938, with Lieutenant Colonel Robert Olds in charge, the Air Corps dispatched six flying fortresses on a goodwill flight to South America. After visiting Argentina, Chile, Panama, and Peru, the bombers returned to the United States and landed at Langley Field, Virginia. All 49 men who participated were saluted for their skill in accomplishing the 10,000-mile mission. On March 11, 1938, German mechanized forces escorted by 400 aircraft crossed the Austrian border. Hitler himself followed the next day and formally swallowed up the Republic of Austria. On September 30, 1938, the Munich Agreement was signed. Without firing a shot or dropping a bomb, Hitler's military machine had won a great victory. The next day, 500 German aircraft took part in the invasion of the Sudetenland. Appeasement left Hitler free to conquer Czechoslovakia. Yet British Prime Minister Chamberlain believed he had achieved peace in our time. In 1939, President Roosevelt requested a larger defense appropriation for expansion of U.S. air power. First and foremost was concerned with increased aircraft production. Training was also stepped up at Randolph Field in Texas to build a pool of reserve pilots. There were intensive studies in meteorology, navigation, radio, and air regulations. On completion of the training, most of the cadets were sworn in and commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Corps Reserve. Rigid training converted raw recruits into men physically and mentally fit to defend the nation. On the fateful dawn of September 1, 1939, Hitler directed the German Army and Air Force in a lightning-like campaign against Poland. Without warning, 2,000 modern German combat planes took off for the first aerial blitzkrieg in history. With this earth-shattering overture played by Stuka Bombers, World War II began. In early 1940, Hitler's forces led by the Luftwaffe began to overrun the map of Europe, across Denmark and Norway, then southward over Holland and Belgium toward France. The Luftwaffe repeated its Polish success as it paved the way for advancing panzers that overcame three and a half million French soldiers. The Luftwaffe appeared invincible. The U.S. was forced to respond. President Roosevelt said, I should like to see this nation geared to the ability to turn out at least 50,000 planes a year. This meant speeding up from 2,000 planes a year to more than 4,000 planes a month. Many said it was impossible, but American industry rose to the challenge. After the French surrender, only the British Royal Air Force remained for the Luftwaffe to conquer. As German aircraft crossed the channel, the Royal Air Force sprang to England's defense, a modest but well-trained force of British airmen equipped with spitfires and hurricanes fought back. The best the Luftwaffe had to offer was knocked out of the sky, then Hitler switched to night raids. But the Luftwaffe's final effort was desperate and doomed to failure. Britain's airmen fought furiously and England was saved. Half a world away at dawn, December 7, 1941, a Japanese air task force headed for Oahu, Hawaii. Mission, sneak attack, primary targets, Pearl Harbor, Hickam Field and Wheeler Field. Wave after wave of Japanese planes bombed American aircraft and units of the Pacific Fleet in an attack that achieved amazing tactical surprise. Although America paid heavily for being unprepared, the U.S. Army Air Forces, led by men like General Hap Arnold, began to rise from disaster. Hap Arnold said, we are faced with a tough job, but I know that we can do it. And with all due reverence, I say, by God, we will do it.