1940's Events and News in Arizona

The national women's softball title is won by the Arizona Ramblers.  Throughout the 40's the Ramblers and the A-1 Queens - both of Phoenix - dominated the softball scene.

Phoenix declares itself the "Air Conditioning Capital of the World" in 1940.

In 1941 Luke and Williams Army Air Bases are established.  Western Arizona opens Camps Bouse, Horn, Hyder and Laguna.  In 1944 the Desert Training Center is closed.

1942 brought the Japanse-American camps to the United States. Arizona was home to the Gila River Relocation Center and the Poston Relocation Center.

1944 was the famous escape of German POW (prisoners of war) from the Papago Park Camp on December 24th.  Twenty five prisoners tunneled out of the prisoner camp.  They later surrendered.  Camp Florence in Florence, Arizona  was the largest all new prisoner of war facility ever constructed in the United States.

In 1946 "The Boneyard" or U.S. Aircraft and Missile Storage facility was opened in Tucson at the Davis-Monan Air Force Base.

1946 the first Yellow Front store opens in Phoenix.

Spring training tradition begins in 1946.  The Cleveland Indians began training in Tucson and the New York Giants began their training in Phoenix.

The State of Arizona elected Wing F. Ong, the nation's first Chinese American citizen, to the state legislature in 1946.

The first elected Mexican American was Adam Diaz to the city council of Phoenix in 1948.

Motorola builds a laboratory in Phoenix in 1949.

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