From Rattlesnake Base to Bomber Hub: The Captivating Evolution of Pyote Air Force Station

A mile from the tiny Texas town of Pyote, there's a site that once bustled with activity. Thousands of officers and enlisted men called the 2,745 acres of land home. The site originally existed to train newly formed bomber crews in World War II. Eventually, it would become the final resting place for reserve aircraft after the war, including one of the most famous aircraft in history. In true Texas fashion, the story all starts with rattlesnakes.

Clearing Out Rattlesnakes To Make Way For History In Texas

Pyote Army Airfield, as it was originally called, was built on a massive swath of land in the Texas desert during World War II. It served as a training ground for bomber teams, and eventually as a place where replacement crew members were trained before serving in combat overseas.

Before any of that could happen, though, there was an issue that had to be dealt with. During construction, a Texas icon would rear its head and have to be cleared out. While an exact number is hard to find, legend has it that there was an incredible number of rattlesnake dens that had to be dealt with during construction.

The discovery of the numerous rattlesnake dens led to the name that most people know the base by; "Rattlesnake Bomber Base".

The Short Incredible History Of Rattlesnake Bomber Base In Pyote, Texas

At its peak, the population at the base was supposedly over 6,500. That was in October of 1944. Months after opening, it became the largest bomber installation in the entire country. After the end of World War II, though, it would be a slow decline until the base was eventually abandoned.

At one point, the base was used to store reserve aircraft. The most well-known aircraft to have been kept at Rattlesnake Bomber Base was Enola Gay, the bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It was eventually transferred to the National Air and Space Museum.

Once the decision was made to stop keeping aircraft stored at Pyote, the base became a Cold War-era radar installation. It was part of a network that was to be used as an "early-warning network" just in case the Russians decided to attack. This lasted until 1963, when operations at the base would cease.

Today, there's little left of Rattlesnake Bomber Base. Some traces are left of runways, ramps, and hangars. Not much else remains. There are those, though, who still remember the heydays of the Rattlesnake Bomber Base.