Corsicana Municipal Airport-- Corsicana TX USA
N 32° 01.636 W 096° 23.754
14S E 745935 N 3546423
The Corsicana Municipal Airport, which began as a US Army Primary Flight training school in February 1941, southeast of Corsicana, Texas.
Waymark Code: WM164BJ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/02/2022
Views: 3
The waymark coordinates are for the Texas State historical marker at the airport office building for the Corsicana Municipal Airport.
The marker reads as follows:
"AIR ACTIVITIES OF TEXAS CORSICANA FIELD
Prior to the United States' entry into World War II, the U.S. Government contracted with a number of civilian flying schools to assist in training military pilots for the Army Air Corps. In December 1940 the Air Activities of Texas, Corsicana Field, was authorized to provide primary flight training, the second phase of a three-level process.
Construction of the facility on a 400-acre tract of land began here in February 1941, and employed more than 250 laborers in addition to a landing strip, they built hangars, barracks, offices, maintenance buildings, and a mess hall/kitchen. In March, 51 cadets arrived to complete 10 weeks of intense training. By 1943, each class contained more than 300 cadets. By 1944 8,480 cadets received flight instruction in 37 training classes. The flight school employed more than 550 civilians by January 1944, and provided a significant impact on the local economy.
As the war drew to a close, the need for the flight school became unnecessary, and it closed. Post-war use of the property began in 1946 with the opening of Navarro Junior College, which occupied the site until 1951. The City of Corsicana purchased the site in 1963 for a municipal airport.
(1996)"
The original 1941 Flight Training School gates, as well as several Quonset hut hangars another 1940s accessory buildings remain from this airports days as a Army flight training school. In addition, there is a large memorial dedicated to those who died while training here. All of these sites may be photographed.
The public is welcome to visit the airport building and the associated WWII Flight Training School memorials, but must stay off the flight line, away from parked airplanes, and out of private hangars.
Related Website: [Web Link]
Supplementary Related Website: [Web Link]
Admission Fee: 0
Opening Days/Times:
Open daily, dawn to dusk
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Visit Instructions:
Posting a picture(s) of the location would be nice although not required.