History Lesson:
Perrin Air Force Base in Denison, Texas, was a key U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force training facility operating from 1941 to 1971, training thousands of pilots for WWII, the Korean War, and the Cold War. Originally established as Perrin Field in 1941, it was later designated a permanent base in 1952, specialized in jet pilot training (T-33, F-86, F-102) and, later, interceptor training. The site is now home to the North Texas Regional Airport and the Perrin Air Force Base Museum.
Key Historical Details
- Establishment (1941): Established in 1941 as a basic flying school, it was named for Lt. Col. Elmer D. Perrin, a Texan killed while testing a B-26 in Maryland in April 1941.
- World War II: The field became operational shortly after Pearl Harbor, graduating over 10,000 pilots by the time it was briefly deactivated in 1946.
- Reactivation (1948): Reactivated in April 1948, the base served as a critical training hub for the Korean War, focusing on jet pilot and interceptor training.
- Cold War Role: From 1952, it functioned as a training base for all-weather interceptor crews under the Air Training Command. A radar station was added in 1952, later becoming a permanent Air Defense Command unit.
- Closure (1971): Due to budget constraints and changing defense priorities, the base was closed in 1971 and its, properties were transitioned to civilian use.
Legacy and Museum
The base was known for training on various aircraft including the BT-13, AT-6, T-28, T-33, F-86, F-102, and T-37.
Cache Information:
This cache is a 3-stage multi cache.The final coordinates are N 33 42.ABC W 96 39.DEF. Stage 1 and 2 are both visible waypoints and both need to be visited, in any order, to get the coordinates to the final. Stage 1 will answer the North coordinates and Stage 2 will answer the West coordinates.
At stage 1 is a State of Texas Historical Marker. Etched into the concrete base of the sign is a date.
What is the Date etched into the concrete? This answer will give you ABC.
March 13, 1999-- 578
April 12, 1989-- 568
September 09,1977-- 565
November 11,1988-- 557
At stage 2 is a statue of Harold Thomas Hastings. Captain Hastings, a World War 2 fighter pilot, was presented with the Silver Star in 1943 for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepity in action against the enemy over Lae, New Guinea on January 7, 1943. Along with Captain Hastings, there is a Greek mythological being represented on this statue.
Which Greek Mythological being is represented here? This answer will give you DEF.
The Minotaur-- 665
Daedalus-- 675
Zeus-- 688
Icarus-- 680
Stage 3, the final, is a short distance away. After finding this cache, I encourage you to visit the nearby Perrin Air Force Base Museum.