Blackland Army Air Field: Waco's Contribution to World War II

Last updated on November 10, 2024 at 07:50 AM

U.S. Army airplanes in the 1940s. Photo Courtesy of the Texas Collection and University Archives, Baylor University.

As the United States entered World War II in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack, Waco, Texas found itself playing a pivotal role in the nation’s war effort. A key part of this effort was the establishment of Blackland Army Air Field.

The Birth of a Training Ground

Blackland Army Air Field facility in the 1940s. Photo Courtesy of the Texas Collection and University Archives, Baylor University.

In the summer of 1941, construction began on a new municipal airport near the original Lake Waco Dam. However, the war’s onset shifted the airport’s purpose. In 1942, the U.S. Army accepted the City of Waco’s offer to lease the facility to establish an advanced twin-engine training school.

Within two months, over 100 buildings were constructed, and the Army flying school Waco No. 2 officially opened on May 25, 1942. Later renamed Blackland Army Air Field, the base quickly became a hub for thousands of young men honing their skills to become combat pilots.

The skies above Waco were filled with the roar of aircraft as cadets from both Blackland and Waco Army Air Field (later James Connally Air Force Base and now Texas State Technical College) practiced flying, aerial maneuvers, and simulated combat missions.

As the end of World War II neared, the U.S. Army Air Force announced significant cutbacks to its aviation cadet training program in early May 1945. The triumph of V-E (Victory in Europe) Day on May 8, 1945, temporarily halted flight operations, even as the war in the Pacific raged on. With the official end of the war in the Pacific on Sept. 2, 1945, Blackland Army Air Field closed its doors on Nov. 1 of that year. During its three-and-a-half-year operation, the airfield trained 5,416 U.S. cadets and 137 foreign cadets, logging a total of 451,501 flying hours.

From Airfield to Airport

Waco Municipal Airport in the 1950s. Photo Courtesy of the Texas Collection and University Archives, Baylor University.

Even after the war ended in 1945, the base’s legacy lived on. On July 17, 1946, the federal government offered to return the Blackland property to the City of Waco, including the fire station and equipment, with the condition that the City soon put the field to use as a municipal airport. However, since the government was tasked with disposing of countless wartime assets, the full transfer of the airfield to the City was significantly delayed.

The municipal airport officially opened for business on July 24, 1946, and the Waco Fire Department later assumed control of the Blackland Army Air Field fire station on March 10, 1947.

Later in November, the War Assets Administration auctioned off over 100 surplus buildings from the airfield. Finally, on April 8, 1948, the mayor of Waco signed the final paperwork, officially transferring the property back to the City.

Did you know? Central Texas Zoo originally operated out of the fire station on the Blackland Army Air Field property from 1956 to 1960. The zoo later moved to a more permanent home on land near the municipal airport in Feb. 1960 after a devastating fire.

A Legacy of Service

Waco Municipal Airport in the 1950s. Photo Courtesy of the Texas Collection and University Archives, Baylor University.

Over 75 years later, the municipal airport, now called the Waco Regional Airport, continues to serve the Waco area, a testament to Waco and McLennan County’s contributions to the war effort.

As we commemorate Veterans Day and celebrate Waco’s 175th anniversary, let us remember the sacrifices of those who trained at Blackland and the vital role they played in helping our nation win World War II.