The waymark coordinates are for the Texas State historical marker at the airport office building for the Corsicana Municipal Airport.
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.
The state historical 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)"
From the airport website: (
visit link)
"AIRPORT HISTORY
The site that is now Corsicana Municipal Airport, C. David Campbell Field began as a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) primary training field. The field was constructed in 1940 and operated as Air Activities of Texas, a civilian owned and managed facility. After training thousands of army pilots for World War II (WWII). As WWII was winding down, the field closed in October 1944 and became a storage depot for a short time.
In 1946, the facility was turned over to the City of Corsicana and became the Corsicana Municipal Airport. The buildings were used for veteran housing and later became the first campus of Navarro Junior College. Some of the buildings were relocated to the current Navarro College location.
Present Day
The airport has seen many renovations over the years, and today serves local businesses such as Collin Street Bakery, Atwoods, Russell Stover Candies, McCoys', and many private and government agencies. With a 5,000-foot asphalt lighted runway and an unlit 3,200-foot turf runway, Corsicana Municipal Airport attracts business and corporate jet and helicopter traffic as well as small general aviation aircraft.
Coyote Squadron
The Coyote Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force is located in the N.H. "Tucker" Hardgrave Memorial Hangar. The unit meets the second Saturday of each month, at 10:30 a.m. Meetings are open to the public. The squadron maintains and operates a Fairchild PT-19 aircraft. The squadron sponsors an annual air show, the second Saturday in May.
United States Army Air Force Cadet Memorial Park
Dedicated on Oct. 10, 2009, the 5-acre memorial park was constructed to honor all Army Air Force (AFF) cadets of WWII. Consisting of three patios spaced across the width of the 5-acres, includes a life sized bronze statue of an aviation cadet, a triad monument with plaques memorializing the AAF casualties of WWII, and the men that perished in training here at Corsicana Army Air Field and descriptive plaques depicting the men and women that operated the field."