DAGGETT AIRPORT During the 1920s and 30s, Daggett Field was used primarilly as a mail plane re-fuel stop. A teenager living in Newberry Springs served as the fuel boy. When a plane circled his home, he would hop on his motorcycle and race to the airport. Pumping fuel from drums into the waiting aircraft. When Wordl War II erupted, Daggett field was to become a modification plant for the then Donald Douglas Aircraft Co., who constructed the twin engine attack bomber, (A-20) Havoc. Several hundred aircraft were flown from their factory in Santa Monica to Daggett where the weapons, radios and paint were changed to become a part of the Lend Lease Program with Russia. The weapons installed were 20 mm cannons; the practice target still exists as a bunker constructed of railroad ties with the cavity filled with sand. Only our imagination can picture the sights and sounds across the open space at Daggett field. Upon completion, the aircraft were flown to Alaska and Russian pilots would pick them up for their flight home. Personel living and working at Daggett field were provided housing; twenty, two storied wooden frame and tar paper barracks, both for singles and families. The families were provided with a little more privacy than the singles in their military style barracks. Military officers and their families were housed in two bedroom houses with garage, some of which are still being used. The FAA Flight Service Station had the distinction of having serial Number 2 on its radio panel until its de-commission just a few years ago. A few months before the wars end, Daggett Field was a training base for the twin boom, twin engined P-38. The one the Japanese pilots called the "fork tailed devil". After the war, Daggett Field became a dry storage area for the Marine Corps, whose repair and storage base is located a few miles to the West. In the early '60s the County of San Bernardino became the controlling agency and owner of Daggett Airport, so long as it is maintained as an airport. Mobil Homes were once assembled at Daggett Airport, by Detroiter Mobil Home Co. The assembly line snaked thru the wooden hangar buildings and completed units were taken by rail car to their destination, due to their size, they could not be moved over the highways. Most of the current activity comes from the group of Army helicopters based and maintained here and used in the desert warfare training taking place at Fort Irwin, deep within the restricted airspace between Daggett and Death Valley. Civilian aircraft are also warmly welcomed at Daggett Airport.