Gowen Field air base was built at Boise as part of the U.S. mobilization for World War II. In the wake of earlier interest in the development of air travel in Boise, the city pursued this unique opportunity for economic development and was awarded federal funds towards the project in 1940. The first foundation was poured in January 1941, with the first soldiers arriving in March of the same year. Throughout the war, around 2000 enlisted men and 250 officers were working at the base at any given time. In addition, 4000 to 6000 students participated in a bomber crew training program. Boise residents for the most part responded positively to the new arrivals. The Gowen Field and Boise During World War II Oral History Project provides a detailed view of the transformative impact of the air base on the Boise community, including the central role it played in the social relationships among young people.

The Gowen Field and Boise During World War II Oral History Project recorded the memories of men and women who worked and trained at Gowen Field. It also included information from people in the Boise community who interacted with Gowen Field personnel. This project was conducted from 2000 to 2001. The collection includes 5 interviews.

The narrators discussed a variety of topics including African American soldiers, the Women’s Army Corp, civilian personnel working on base, relationships between soldiers and women from the Boise community, and leisure activities.

Several of the men provided details of their training and work at Gowen Field as well as other military bases. Some made comparisons between their experiences at Gowen Field and other bases. The project provides information on public transportation to and from Boise, the difficulty of finding housing during this time, and the work of civilians on base. Because local agriculture depended on the men to do farm work, these civilian workers were mostly women. The project also contains an interview with the cartoonist for the base newspaper, the Gowen Field Beacon.

The narrators who remembered the African American soldiers stationed at Gowen Field generally reported positive experiences with them. Several had no contact with African American soldiers since they were segregated in different barracks, while others sought them out despite prohibitions. By contrast, most narrators said little about the WACs, though one narrator considered them a distraction to the men’s work ethic.

Descriptions of leisure activities include descriptions of military pranks, flying to Nevada for whiskey, dining at Hill House, athletic competitions, and entertainers at the base. Several narrators also remembered meeting dates and future spouses at dances and other social activities involving soldiers and girls from the Boise community. Several former soldiers cited marriage to a local girl as the reason they came back to live in Boise.