Friends of the UTA Libraries invitation: January 25, 2013

Abstract

In 1849 Fort Worth was a military post without a stockade. The wooden buildings are long gone, but the military legacy of Fort Worth has expanded far beyond the military defense of North Texas settlers. The development of pilot training fi elds and a military camp during World War I and the placement of the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command in World War II, in conjunction with the construction of military aircraft beginning in 1940, all contribute to a robust military history. Home to the nation’s largest defense contractor and the largest helicopter producer (Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter, respectively), Fort Worth’s military defense legacy remains strong.

J’Nell L. Pate is retired from Tarrant County College where she taught history and government. Pate holds a BA in journalism and a MA in history from Texas Christian University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Texas. She is the author of nine other books, including Livestock Legacy: The Fort Worth Stockyards, 1887–1987 (Texas A&M University Press) and North of the River: A Brief History of North Fort Worth (TCU Press). Pate has written a column on western history for her hometown newspaper, The Azle News, each week since 1968.