ASSEMBLY & REPAIR SHOP CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, 1941

THE CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER-TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1941 Assembly and Repair Shop Largest Of Buildings at Naval Air Station Huge Structure Covers Nearly Six Acres and Is To Be Enlarged The most massive of the buildings at the Naval Air Station has a sign in huge letters across its front, "Assembly and Repair Shop."      In front of one wing is a long low building which provides the officers and civilian personnel who direct the work being carried out in the 15 acres of shop space.      This department is responsible for the erection of all new airplanes and for the overhaul and repair of all airplanes and engines attached to the station.      The assembly and repair officer is Lt. Comdr. Herman E. Halland, who has as his officer assistants at present Lt. Comdr. W. E. Lees, USNR; Lt. R. E. Hess, USN, and Lt. C. M. Whiterell, Jr. This group of officers will be augmented as the shops go into commission by 12 additional officers.   EARLY SERVICE AT CORPUS CHRISTI I was transferred to Corpus Christi on January 28, 1941. I was assigned to A&R by Lt. Comdr. Herman E. Halland as Engineering Officer. Halland was a very peculiar guy. I don't think he knew too much about aircraft maintenance and didn't seem to care. He would go away for a week at a time, say nothing to any of us and not leave anyone in charge. After several days, the exec of the station would call me in and tell me to take over, as I was the next ranking officer to Halland.      When Halland would return, he would barge into the office, not saying a word to me, not asking me what had gone on in his absence.      Then a new officer came aboard, Lt. Dwight Wrigley, so Halland assigned me to Production. One never knew from one day to the next what position he would hold the next day. This went on until late in 1942 when Halland was finally transferred to the west coast.      I was assigned as head of A&R for several months, until they could get a regular Navy man, a Lt. Comdr. Garton or Gordon. Incidently, Lt. Garton was below me in rank years, but I was only in the Reserve.      Note. Garton came out of the war with the rank of Rear Admiral, while I came out as a full Comdr. There is no justice.      I, being higher in rank than Garton, was transferred from A&R to Inspection officer in A&R.      While with A&R, I flew the following planes: Stearman primary trainer, SNJ advanced trainer, SNC advanced trainer, Howard and single engined Beechcraft SELECTIONS FROM WALTER LEES' JOURNAL   Gallery 11 .