Field in Texas, Scott Field in Illinois, and Payne Field. The first units stationed at Payne arrived in April, 1918, being transferred from Kelly and Ellington Fields, Texas. However, only a few U.S. Army Air Service aircraft arrived with the squadrons. Most of the Curtiss JN-4 Jennys to be used for flight training were shipped in wooden crates by railcar. Payne Field served as a base for flight training for the United States Army Air Service. In 1918, flight training occurred in two phases: primary and advanced. Primary training took eight weeks and consisted of pilots learning basic flight skills under dual and solo instruction with a student capacity of 300. After completion of their primary training, flight cadets were then transferred to another base for advanced training. Training units assigned to Payne Field were: Post Headquarters, Payne Field 175th Aero Squadron, April, 1918 (Transferred from: Ellington Field, Texas) Re-designated as Squadron "A", July–November 1918 238th Aero Squadron (II), April 1918 (Transferred from: Kelly Field, Texas) Re-designated as Squadron "B", July–November 1918 239th Aero Squadron (II), April 1918 (Transferred from: Kelly Field, Texas) Re-designated as Squadron "C", July–November 1918 252d Aero Squadron, April 1918 (Transferred from: Ellington Field, Texas) Re-designated as Squadron "D", July–November 1918 Flying School Detachment (Consolidation of Squadrons A-D), November 1918- November 1919 In all some 1,500 pilots trained at the field during its operation. Accidents were frequent and in the first four months of operation there were four fatal plane crashes. Airplane crashes, however, were not the primary health concern. In June 1918, the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service stated that Payne Field; "was located in one of the worst malaria belts of the United States." Physicians there reported that 20 percent of their practice consisted of malaria cases. With the sudden end of World War I in November 1918, the future operational status of Payne Field was unknown. Many local officials speculated that the U.S. government would keep the field open because of the outstanding combat record established by Payne-trained pilots in Europe. Cadets in flight training on 11 November 1918 were allowed to complete their training, however no new cadets were assigned to the base. Also the separate training squadrons were consolidated into a single Flying School detachment, as many of the personnel assigned were being demobilized. Closure Payne Field played a role in one of the milestones of aviation. The first