History of Perrin Air Force Base: From Army Air Field to Closure
By: Art Leatherwood
Published: 1976
Updated: May 1, 1995
Perrin Air Force Base at Sherman was known as Perrin Army Air Field when it was established as a basic flying school in the summer of 1941. It was named for Lt. Col. Elmer D. Perrin, a Texan who was killed while flying the new B-26 aircraft at Baltimore, Maryland. The field was deactivated in 1946 but reopened as Perrin Air Force Base in April 1948. The base conducted jet pilot training and survival training for air crews through 1969. It also had a pilot instructor school. The installation was finally closed in 1970, and the property was deeded to Grayson County.
Bibliography:
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.
Art Leatherwood, “Perrin Air Force Base,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed March 09, 2026, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/perrin-air-force-base.
Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
TID:
QBP01
- 1976
- May 1, 1995
