What are 5 things I’ll bet you don’t know about Scott AFB?
Bryan Vogt here! Scott Air Force Base has been around for over 100 years, and it has become an icon not only for St. Louis and the metro-east but the entire country. Almost 40 years ago they became the Air Mobility center for the country, and they haven’t looked back since.
However, even though Scott has been around forever. Here are 5 things I bet you don’t know about the base!
#1 St. Louis, or more specifically. The St. Louis Chamber of Commerce along with Belleville was given the task of where Scott would be located way back in 1917 during the first World War. The government had given 10 million dollars to the project but gave them only 60 days to build it because of the First World War raging in Europe. And they did. With over 2000 men they built 60 buildings along with the airstrip and a mile-long railroad spur in record time!
#2 The person who played a large part in the final decision of where Scott was to be located was. Albert Bond Lambert Who was a well know aviator at the time and of course whose name adorns the Lambert-St Louis International Airport!
#3 Most people know who the base is named after. Frank Scott. But most people don’t he was never at Scott! In fact, he was a corporal in the military who had the unfortunate distinction of being the first service member to die learning how to fly when his engine gave out over the state of Maryland
#4 Scott Field as it was known at the time almost closed as soon as it opened. Having been built for the first world war the government was set to close it in 1920. However, that is when the military stepped in. Why? The price. Even though the government had spent millions to develop, and open the base. The cost of buying it was only $119,285.84 And thank God they did!
#5 Of course the military had to find a mission for Scott so they made them the communications training center for the country. And that paid off big time when World War 2 broke out. Scott trained skilled radio operators to produce, as the Radio School’s slogan proclaimed, “the best-damned radio operators in the world!” Scott’s graduates flew in aircraft and operated command and control communications in every Theater of World War II, and were often referred to as the “Eyes and Ears of the Army/ Air Force
And one last fun fact. Scott Field officially became Scott Air Force Base when the Air Force became the third branch of the Military. Along with the Army and the Marines in 1947!
And speaking of the military. Me and my team have helped 100’s and 100’s of service members find their dream home for the past 20 years. If you know of anyone who is PCSing to Scott. Please have them contact us. We would love to help them.
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Until the next episode! Make it a great day!