▁John ▁J . ▁" Black jack " ▁Pers hing ▁invited ▁the ▁British ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps ▁( R FC ) ▁to ▁establish ▁training ▁fields ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁United ▁States ▁where ▁the ▁war mer ▁weather ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁condu ci ve ▁for ▁flying ▁year - round . ▁In ▁June , ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁ins pected ▁ 6 ▁sites ▁around ▁Fort ▁W orth , ▁Texas ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁offered ▁by ▁the ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Com merce . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁signed ▁le ases ▁with ▁the ▁R FC ▁on ▁ 3 ▁sites ▁around ▁Fort ▁W orth . ▁Kn own ▁as ▁the ▁F lying ▁Tri angle , ▁these ▁sites ▁were ▁H icks ▁Field ▁( # 1 ), ▁Bar ron ▁Field ▁( # 2 ), ▁and ▁Ben bro ok ▁( l ater ▁Car r uth ers ) ▁Field ▁( # 3 ) ▁based ▁on ▁their ▁locations . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁these ▁air fields ▁were ▁turned ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁Air ▁Service , ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁as ▁training ▁fields ▁for ▁American ▁pil ots . ▁H undred s ▁of ▁pil ots ▁learned ▁their ▁basic ▁and ▁primary ▁flying ▁skills ▁at ▁these ▁air fields ▁in ▁the ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁area ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁They ▁were ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁when ▁the ▁war ▁ended . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁had ▁file d ▁an ▁application ▁with ▁the ▁Civil ▁Aer onaut ics ▁Administration ▁( CAA ), ▁asking ▁for ▁a ▁primary ▁pilot ▁training ▁air field ▁for ▁the