One of the greatest accomplishments of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II was the training of hundreds of thousands of flying and ground personnel for its air armada. Coming from all walks of life, they were molded into the most formidable Air Force the world had ever seen. Before the war, few of them knew much about aviation, but by the time Japan surrendered in 1945, they had become experts in their fields. In March 1944 their numbers reached a maximum of 2,411,294 -- approximately 31 percent of the total strength of the U.S. Army.
For additional information on aviation training during WWII, click on one of the following links.
Cadet Program
Into the Sky: Primary Flying School
Crossroads: Basic Flying School
Winning Their Wings: Advanced Flying School
Forging Combat Pilots: Transition Training
Shooting the Sun: Navigators
Link Trainer
Click here to return to the World War II Gallery.