Millville had always been known for its glassmaking, but with the outbreak of World War II, the community�s identity was primed to change forever. A private civilian airfield gave way to the creation of America�s first defense airport, the training ground for the U.S. Army�s Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt pilots. Bright and brave young men from across the country converged on Millville in the early 1940s to learn to fly and fight for freedom. Some died in training; others flew into history as heroes. While in Millville, they lived the average lives of the country�s military men, playing baseball, flirting with the girls at the local USO dances, and attending Sunday night dinners with local families, creating lifelong friendships in a time when a young man�s life expectancy was in the hands of America�s enemies.
