Since the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WR-ALC) History Office (HO) became a separate staff office in the late 1970s, its personnel have conducted Oral History interviews with dozens of individuals who led the Base and Depot through its evolution from a series of pre-World War II dairy farms into the modern industrial facility that it is in the 21st Century. While many focused on important military and civilian leaders, five interviews were with persons whose memories were particularly significant regarding the earliest origins of what the Army Corps of Engineers first called the Georgia Air Depot and Robins Field, Georgia. Three of these Oral Histories have already been published while two have been conducted but never published.

On 22 October 1985, then Chief of the Center History Office, Dr. Richard W. Iobst, conducted an interview with Major Edgar B. Boynton, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retired, at his home in Richmond, Virginia. As a captain, Boynton had reported to Robins Field in April 1942 as Executive Officer to Area Engineer, Major Henry J. Gerdes at the Georgia Air Depot near the small railroad depot of Wellston, Georgia. On 15 November, he was promoted to major and succeeded Gerdes as the lead engineer. It was Boynton who oversaw the completion of Job A-42, the construction of the Robins Field industrial area and the main depot facilities.

Less than two years later, on 5 May 1988, then History Office Deputy Chief, Dr. William Head, conducted an interview with Lt. Col. George E. Kegin, USAF, retired who, from October 1941 to November 1943 served as the first Chief of Supply at Warner Robins Army Air Depot (WRAAD). His vivid memories of the early days at Robins Field and the first depot commander Colonel (later Major General) Charles E. "Steve" Thomas (1941-1944) provided one of the most important insights into the realities of that time.

On 2 November 1992, Dr. Head conducted an interview with Mr. John H. Griscom, the son of Major Charles W. Griscom, Depot Construction Engineer and Post Utilities Officer from December 1941 to August 1944. Major Griscom had worked closely with both Boynton and Gerdes in the construction of Robins Field and then acted as the primary facilities officer after the Depot began official operations in March/April 1942. John Griscom's career also proved significant to the understanding of Robins' early history since he had been employed at the Center from 2 January 1943 to 31 July 1975.

The final two interviews were conducted by current Deputy, Ms. Diane Truluck. The first took place on 2 September 1994 with Thomas H. Chapman, Jr. and Mary Chapman Greenslade, the children of the Depot's second commander Major General Thomas H. Chapman, Sr. The second interview, held on 3 September 1994, was with Robert W. Thomas, the sole surviving child of the first Depot commander Major General Charles E. Thomas. Both interviews were originally, conducted as research for a special study of the "Front Row Officers' Circle" houses at Robins AFB. Because of her transfer from WR-ALC, Ms. Truluck never published either the interviews or study.

With the 60th Anniversary of WR-ALC and Robins AFB now upon us and new interviews and articles being conducted and published, the History Office staff has decided to reprint these five interviews in one volume entitled "Remembering Robins at 60." All of us hope that it will, once again, provide our current Base and Center workforce with a clearer understanding of the origins of this important Air Force installation and national defense asset.

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