James Connally Air Force Base, Texas
Established: 1942 as Waco Army Air Field during World War II.
Primary Mission: Pilot training for the Army Air Forces.
Post-War: Continued as a training installation after the U.S. Air Force became independent in 1947.
Renamed: James Connally Air Force Base in honor of Colonel James T. Connally, a Texas aviator killed in a 1945 aircraft accident.
Cold War Role: Hosted undergraduate pilot training and later supported Tactical Air Command operations.
Closure: Closed in 1966 due to post-Vietnam force reductions.
After Closure
The airfield transitioned to civilian control and is now Waco Regional Airport, with industrial and aviation-related development on former base property.