Sweet Land of Liberty

Training planes in formation, such as those which adorn our cover this month, is a reassuring sight in this broad, strong Land of the Free these days. There is thunder in the skies, my neighbors, thunder in the skies, and there is thunder on the ground and thunder all around and everywhere. High over our land planes are flying, manned by young America. That old but energetic man with the whiskers, Uncle Sam, is rolling up his sleeves. There are sparks in his eyes and sparks in his beard. He no longer speaks in a whisper, but with a roar. Lightning leaps from his clinched fists. Yes, my neighbors, there is thunder in the skies.

There is a lot happening out our way these placid June days, and a lot more will happen. To keep you informed of what's doing out here in the West (by your leave our humble mission) we have the pleasure this issue of taking you to Luke, Williams, Thunderbird and Falcon Fields, where American, English and Chinese cadets and all sorts of officers and soldiers are doing their part to deliver thunderous greetings from the American, English and Chinese people to the enemy (them louses) where ever they may be.

This is by far from being a complete picture of things military in Arizona. Sometime we will tell you about historic Fort Huachuca where the 93rd Division is being polished into a great fighting unit. Then, too, there is a great air base operated by the U. S. Army Air Forces near Tucson, which is no small potatoes when you are speaking of thunder in the skies. But we hope you will gather from these pages something, at least, of what Uncle Sam is doing here in our Valley of the Sun. Your humble scribe, in gathering together these pages, was tremendously impressed by the happenings at Luke, Williams, Thunderbird and Falcon, and if you could see what is going on you would be as impressed as we were. You would be proud to see the way your U. S. Army Air Forces are getting ready to fight this war. Officers, cadets, soldiers in a few months transformed from citizens of a Democracy in peace, to fighting men of a Democracy at war you can be proud of them, too. And offer your cheers, as well, to the Chinese and English boys who have been and are training here with our boys.

We would like sometime to tell the story of Arizona in this war and the part that Arizonans are playing in it, but alas! that may not ever be. Arizona boys are scattered to the four winds today, following Old Glory and the proud banners of the Army, Navy and the Marines Corps.

Arizonans have fought and died at Corregidor, Bataan, and in Java. They've sailed the Coral Sea and today you'll find them all the way from Alaska to Australia, from Ireland to Shangrila, from Panama to Pago Pago.

They'll give a good account of themselves, we promise you. They have in other wars and they'll do it in this. Two Arizonans, Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. and Captain Bucky O'Neill, of whom more is said within these pages, were among the great heroes of World War I and the Spanish-American War. So gallantry and distinguished service is not unusual among the boys and men from Arizona. We may never be able to tell the story of these Arizonans-from Phoenix, Tucson, Miami, Kingman, Bisbee, Douglas, Flagstaff, Winslow and all the places big and little in our state but if these pages should fall in any of their hands, wherever they be, we'd like for them to know they've been remembered and that we'd like to say "Howdy, pardner!"

You are reading a lot today of the Serbian patriot Draja Mihialovich and his Chetniks, who are doing so much to harass the German and Italian invaders in the Balkans. Of such people was John Vukcevich, an Arizonan, whose story is concluded in this issue. John came from the old country to help dig our mines. He told his story to his son, Nick, the story of an American, and it has been a privilege to have been able to offer it to you. To keep the record straight and in conclusion we would like to point out that, Captain Barry Goldwater is responsible for our cover study and the beautiful air pictorials of Luke Field training planes appearing over our land, which appear at intervals within. Merchant, public-spirited citizen, explorer, historian, traveler, photographer, lecturer Barry has been all of these things. Now he's in the Army, stationed at Luke Field, and getting along very well, it can be reported. John Swope of Thunderbird Filed, whose reputation as a photographer, is international, appears also with us in some fine studies around the field and with a study of the Chinese cadet along about page 31 and some fine pictures of Thunderbird Airport.

Arizona Highways

the friendly journal of life and travel in the old west Published monthly by the Arizona Highway Department in the interest of good roads and for the promotion of tourist travel over highways of Arizona. Communications should be addressed to Arizona Highways, Arizona Highway Department, Phoenix, Arizona. Subscription rates: One Dollar per year, Ten Cents per copy. Printed in the U. S. A. "Entered as second-class matter Nov. 5, 1941, at the post office at Phoenix, Arizona, under the act of March 3, 1879."

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

As a magazine of America and the West IS MIGHTY PROUD, INDEED, TO PRESENT

"Thunder in the Skies"

A Portrait of Old Glory Preparing for War with special emphasis on the activities of American, English and Chinese cadets, officers and soldiers at Luke, Williams, Thunderbird and Falcon Fields

Acknowledgements

The pictures showing "Thunder in the Skie" are by Captain Barry Goldwater, U. S. Army Air Forces, Luke Field; the photographic section of the U. S. Army Air Forces, Luke Field; the U. S. Army Signal Corps; Mr. John Swope of Thunderbird Field; and Mr. Max Openshaw, Mesa.

The art design for these pages is by George M. Avey, formerly of the Arizona Highway Department, now with the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, and the words are by Raymond Carlson, editor of Arizona Highways.

We are indebted to, and with grateful appreciation we acknowledge, the help of the public relations offices at Luke and Williams Fields and of Mr. William Menhennet of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce in compiling the information for these pages.

GENERAL OFFICE

F. N. Grant, Deputy State Engineer; Sid Smyth, Director of Personnel and Purchases; B. H. McAhren. Motor Vehicle Supt.; R. A. Hoffman, Chief Div. of Bridge and Certification; E. V. Miller, Chief Division of Plans; J. W. Powers, Engineer of Materials; A. F. Rath, Manager, Planning Survey; George Steisel, Supt. of Equipment; J. S. Mills, Chief Division of Estimates; Horace Moore, Patrol Superintendent; Harry Duberstein, Right of Way Agent; W. M. Murray, Purchasing Agent.

FIELD ENGINEERS

Percy Jones, Chief Locating Engineer; Joe DeArozena. District Engineer, District No. 1; R. C. Perkins. District Engineer, District No. 2; J. R. Van Horn, District Engineer, District No. 3.