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One for the history books

McChord Field is focus of new book

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For local author, longtime military researcher, photographer and military spouse Kimberly Peterson, being a student of history, community and military and civilian culture is a lifelong passion. Peterson decided to channel that passion into a stunning new book that combines the historic majesty of flight, the spirit of the people "behind the gate," and early work and life at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Arcadia Publishing's beloved "Images of America" series is pleased to add Peterson's new book McChord Field to its collection. The book chronicles the life and times of what was known as McChord Field in the late 1930s and 1940s.

Officially opened as a training base July 3, 1940, McChord played a vital role in major conflicts around the world. At that time, McChord notably trained bomber crews for the B-17, B-18, B-25, B-26 and some of the Doolittle Raiders.

McChord also produced P-39s and served as a homeland defense center during World War II due to its strategic location. In later years, other aircraft, processes and missions were added to the fold, further enhancing its history and important local, national and world presence.

Peterson collected and chronicled this bygone era with a substantial and stunning historic photo collection. Additionally, the book includes biographies accompanied by photos of the seven Doolittle Raiders stationed at McChord Field, and a section about the role that women played at the base during World War II.

Peterson's favorite images start with the book's cover:  a rare, hard-to-find photo of McChord Field on its opening-day ceremony July 3, 1940. She also loves the shot of "Butch" the dog, "a sweet image of a beloved mascot that gives some normalcy during difficult times."

She also continues to marvel at the flying shot of the C-141, C-130, and L-124 with iconic Mt. Rainier as a stunning backdrop.

Peterson's passion stems from her personal history as a military spouse. The Air Force took her on a journey of a lifetime. First stop - Japan.

"In Japan, we had such a sense of place," she said. "Just simply living amongst the local community really sparked my curiosity and taught me that the world is a big place."

After Japan, Peterson and her husband found themselves in Korea, not too far from the Korean demilitarized zone. For Peterson, it was a "wow" moment.

"I just had this sense of ‘wow,' this is really ‘real' and it felt extremely powerful," she said.

The family's next move took them to Germany, another country that had a profound influence on what was to be her future work on the book. She was able to explore and really get a real-life glimpse of what U.S. servicemembers went through in the 1940s in Europe.

Eventually, Peterson returned to the United States. In San Antonio, she joined others who loved history and photography and promptly found herself working on some projects that sparked her imagination. New Jersey was another important stop, in that she volunteered as a historian on base. This is where she met World War II veterans who gave her tremendous insight about bombing runs and air history.

For the last two years, Peterson has made the South Puget Sound her home. She and her family love it here.

"Learning about local history is important wherever you are," she said. "I really hope readers enjoy the book and really get not only a sense of McChord's history, but also a sense of place of the late 1930s and 1940s and to make a personal connection with the area."

To learn more about McChord Field visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Peterson will hold book signings at the following times and locations:

Wednesday, August 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McChord Field Exchange, Bldg. 504. For more information, call (253) 582-3110.

Friday, Aug. 9, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in the Lakewood Towne Center. Call (253) 983-0852 for more information.

Both events are free and open to the general public, and McChord Field will be available for purchase.

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