Opened in October 1941 with three 6,000 ft hard surfaced runways, (00/18; 04/27; 15/33). Began training United States Army Air Corps flying cadets under contract to Hangar Six Corp with 305th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School). Assigned to Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Hangar Six, Inc. conducted pilot training. Airfield had four local auxiliary airfields for emergency and overflow landings. Flying training used Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks.
Inactivated on 30 June 1945 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. Declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers on 30 September 1945. Eventually discharged to the War Assets Administration (WAA) and became a civil airport. Little of the wartime airfield still exists, as most of the airfield has been rebuilt as Southwest Texas Junior College.
Garner Field covers 356 acres (144 ha) at an elevation of 942 feet (287 m). Its one runway, 15/33, is 5,256 by 100 ft (1,602 x 30 m) asphalt.
In the year ending May 28, 2023, the airport had 12,565 aircraft operations, average 34 per day: 96% general aviation, 2% air taxi and 2% military. 45 aircraft were then based at the airport: 28 single-engine, 8 multi-engine, 6 jet, 1 helicopter and 2 glider.[1]
Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC71006954, 29991467
Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC. OCLC57007862, 1050653629
External links
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