the usaf Msgt William t. english bmt flight photo archives

The MSgt William T. English BMT Flight Photograph Archives is a concentrated effort to collect the approximately 119,000 USAF basic training photographs from the inception of the US Air Force in 1947 to the present. The collection includes photos from all bases that conducted Air Force basic training including Lackland AFB, Texas, Sampson AFB, New York, Parks AFB, California, Keesler Field, Mississippi, Amarillo and Sheppard AFB, Texas. The collection will also include Air Force basic training that was conducted overseas in Germany, the U.K., Panama and the Philippines.

Current Project Information

Our new project is now on-line, it is a collection of master Air Force Base plans from the Zone of the interior - 1953.

We have uploaded more plans for around 90 Air Force Bases -- Check it out!!

Zone of the Interior - Master Air Force Base Plans - 1953 (click link)

Aim High!

 

And now for this...

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!

We pulled a large, old, dusty book from our archives that shows our Air Force Bases from the 1950s!

They are the Master Plans from these bases from the 'Zone of the Interior' --

Most have been uploaded and we are working on getting the last of the maps on-line.

The page stems from our History Web Page on the 37th Training Wing site.

Click here to go it directly :)

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We received a great copy of the 1949 John "Jake" Schuffert book called "Air Lift Laffs" 

Enjoy the cartoons --- this represents an important piece of our Air Force story..... uncontrollable laughter is highly encouraged.

Air Lift Laffs

Linked from the 37th Training Wing History Office web page

How to submit a photo

The Collection is in need of high quality scanned images of your Air Force BMT Flight Photo.  Ideally, the pictures can be sent via email to:
lacklandbmt.photo@us.af.mil

Photo images of pictures can be sent through the US mail system to:

37TRW/HO
2320 Carswell Ave (Bldg 7065 Room 2)
Lackland AFB  TX  78236-5155

If you have an oversized flight photograph, you can make two scans of the photo (or photocopy two halves) and send both in.  We can put them together and get them into the archives and on-line.
If you happen to be close to Lackland AFB, give us a call - we have an oversized scanner that can easily accommodate the older, larger folders.

All photos should be submitted in '.jpg' format preferably less than 2000KB (2MB).

If you can not manage the size or type of file, just send the photo -- we will work it!


Frequently asked questions

The most common questions we have been answering of late:

1. I did not see my flight photo on the site, is there a way to get a copy?
Answer: If you do not see your BMT flight photo on-line,chances are we do not have it (at least not yet). This
collection is made up of photo donations from those people who have copies of their BMT flight photos --
we are patiently awaiting everyone to send in a copyof their photo. We suggest that you continuously check the website
for your particular flight photo.

2. Do you have my Air Force record?
Answer: No. However you can check the National
Archives on-line for more information: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html.

3. How do I submit a copy of my Air Force BMT
flight photo?
Answer:

Please see the center aisle of information on this page: "How to Submit A Photo".  Copies of photos can be mailed in and digitized copies emailed.

4. I sent a copy of my flight photo in over a month
ago-- why is it not on-line yet?
Answer: We process the photos in the order they are received. Due to the overwhelming response to the project, we are behind in the processing of

newly arrived photos.  Please be patient and do not send duplicates.  We will get your photo archived as soon as possible. 

5. I have an oversized photograph - what do I do?
Answer: Please see the "How To Submit A Photo."

6. I am looking for a copy of my flight book from when I graduated. Do you have a copy?
Answer:

No. Along the same lines as the flight photos, independent contractors have put those together and like the photos, the contractors have not kept copies. The only ones out there are what you and your flight mates purchased. On the bright side, many people have been donating their flight books to the collection. However, in the case of those books from Lackland, typically only one flight was featured in each book. 

7. Do we have a list of everyone who has come
through basic training?
Answer:

No. I wish I did....but no. Please bear in mind that the Gateway has had nearly seven million people pass through the gates.  We are patiently waiting for the other 700K photos to arrive :)  

office of history

USAF BMT Flight Photo Project Information Line:
(210) 671-2248
DSN 473-2248

 

37th Training Wing Office of History & Research: 
2320 Carswell Ave Ste 2 (Bldg 7065)
Lackland AFB, TX 78236

Email Your Questions: 
lacklandbmt.photo@us.af.mil

Call us: 210-671-2232

Where were you?

The following link shows a map of Lackland (1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010) and the locations of the Basic Military Training Squadrons.
Do you remember where your squadron was?

Where Were You? Lackland BMT Squadrons 1955-2010
We are working on the earlier years, just give us a little bit to finish them.

**If you see an error, do not panic -- just contact us and we will update:
210-671-2232  or 37trw.ho@us.af.mil  Thanks!!

Video Archives!

The Lackland Gateway Archives Collection has a number of videos on the Youtube Channel: "The Lackland Historian"

Check them out!