70 years ago today - Dec 9, 1941

[World War II] On 9 December 1941 Henry H. Arnold, commanding the United States Army's Air Forces, directed that military resources be dispersed inland so that a single attack could not destroy significant military capability. In such an environment, decisions to locate training and other support facilities to inland areas was a natural extension. The greater security for bases in the Great Basin interior ensured that military efforts would not be impeded by possible enemy attack.

[Source: Utah History Encyclopedia: World War II, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/w/WWII.html]