When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, U.S. Army, had only 112 pilots, yet the allies were planning the greatest of all aerial fleets and relying heavily on the U.S., which moved at once to meet those expectations. In August, Wichita Falls was chosen for a new aviation field for pilot training because of its good winter weather, and through the efforts of local citizens this 640-acre site was leased and named for Lt. Loren H. Call, a pilot killed on duty in Texas in 1913. Construction on the primary flight training school began on Sept. 4, 1917, with 50 to 60 buildings erected north of this spot on Call Field Road and runways and 12 hangars situated south of the road. Planes used included the Standard JL and Curtis JN4. Maj. John Brooks, later Maj. Gen. Brooks, was the first commanding officer, and with him came 15 enlisted men from 6th Aero Sqn., Hawaiian Terr., and five flying cadets from San Diego, California. In time, more than 3,000 officers, cadets, and enlisted men were based here. Before the field closed in July 1919, the school awarded commissions and wings to about 500 men and sent two aero squadrons overseas for combat duty.