Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial, Scottsdale, Arizona

The Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial (TB2) is located at the entrance of the Scottsdale Airport, a cornerstone of Scottsdale’s development and progress. During World War II, the airfield, built for the sole purpose of training U.S. Army Air Corp pilots in 1942, was known as Thunderbird Field II. TB2 graduated over 5,500 men and women pilots of who many saw military action in Europe and the Pacific. The field and school were deactivated on October 16, 1944, sold to Arizona State Teachers College (ASU), then to the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and finally to the City of Scottsdale in 1966. The Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial was designed to commemorate this rich history of the Scottsdale Airport, honoring all veterans and creating educational opportunities for students interested in aviation careers. The centerpiece of the memorial is a 1942 Stearman PT-17, which is the type of airplane young aviators trained in at Thunderbird Field II. Nestled below the Stearman in a prominent location is a granite monument containing the service plaques of all the armed services plus the revered POW-MIA plaque. Rounding out the memorial are two 55-inch touch screen kiosks with videos and pictures highlighting veterans and the airport history. The Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial is free to visit. www.tbird2.org