Gerstner Lake Charles LA Postmark

I found this postcard the other day on Stamps2go.com. This is the second I've found from this location. When the US joined the fight in WWI there was a push on to increase the amount of pilots and to enlarge the you S Army Air Service Corp. This was Louisiana's first you S Army Air Service base. This base was for beginner pilots and had older model planes. It was wiped out by a hurricane and rebuilt. It didn't really add to the history of WWI but is an interesting fact for Lake Charles and Louisiana. Here is a good link to read. http://www.louisiana101.com/rr_Gers...ield2013.pdf

The base was re-activated as Lake Charles Air Force Base. In 1958 it was renamed Chennault Air Force base to honor General Claire L. Chennault of Flying Tigers fame. With the departure of the Strategic Air Command units in 1963, the base was closed. I was stationed there with the 68th Bomb Wing from 1960-1961.

I'm sure the "Skeeters" were just as big and just as hungry as they were in WWI.