Boca Raton Historical Society

Black unit, Squadron F, on parade at Boca Raton Army Air Field,
1938 - 1948.

The Boca Raton Army Air Field opened in 1942. The Base was the only Air Corps Radar Training School and their work was highly classified.

“ The Army was segregated. The black men had their own barracks and their own area…we had all our sergeants and things, all were black…but the lieutenants and captains…were white.”

“The black soldiers came over to Pearl City sometimes to try and find dates and that sort of thing. When they came there were more things to do. Yes they sure did a lot of things, I guess because they had cars, they carried the girls out of town to Deerfield, Delray. The girls got a chance to go to the movies a lot because they had movies on the field that you could go to and it was nice.”

Squadron F at Training Command,
Boca Raton Army Air Field,
circa 1942.

World War II: Boca Raton Army
Air Base Main Gate.

Army men in front of F building.

“The Base for Pearl City was most of the major jobs for the men that wasn’t working at that time or either…working and they stopped what they were doing and got jobs out there. You had farmers…some helped cook…some worked in the Officers Mess…and some worked in the Officers Headquarters…It was better pay than Butts farm….I think most people would have rather worked for the Army than for any place else.”

Squadron F at Training Command
Boca Raton Army Air Field,
circa 1942.

“Boca Rhythm Boys”

Smitty Air Instructor