 Road construction was simultaneously undertaken including the rebuilding of the Hobbs-Lovington Highway to military requirements, and the access road to the base now known as Jack Gomez Boulevard.The first mission of Hobbs Army Airfield, as a bombardier school for the United States Army Air Forces, began with the arrival of 80 cadets and 20 instructors on 7 September 1942.This was to be the only class of bombardiers, and 69 of the original 80 cadets graduated from the program on 21 November 1942.