Pyote, Ward County, Texas is located about 26 miles east of Pecos, Texas and 66 miles north of Fort Stockton, Texas. In 1925 the population was a mere 100 persons but when oil was discovered in 1928 it jumped almost overnight to 3,500. By 1931 it dropped back to 1,097. In 2000, the population was 131. Established for bombardment crew training in 1942, an Army Airfield began life under the name Pyote Army Air Field, being just a mile from the town of Pyote and constructed on 2,700 acres of land belonging to the University of Texas. After the war, control of the base was transferred from the Second Air Force to the San Antonio Air Tech Service Command and became an aircraft-storage depot (graveyard). Lester Henry Turner (1920-2004) was stationed here during World War II.