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Laredo
Air Force Base, formerly Laredo Army Air Field,
was on U.S. highways 59 and 81 near the town of Laredo
in Webb County. Laredo Army Air Field began operations
as a World War II military installation in November
1942; it included a gunnery range and flexible gunnery
school. The field became inactive in late 1945, and
the propertyreverted to the city of Laredo, which used
it as a municipal airport in 1950. The base was reactivated
and renamed Laredo Air Force Base in April 1952 to provide
basic flight training for jet pilots, including pilot
trainees from twenty-four countries. The Laredo Air
Force Base utilized the vast cattle ranges to the northwest
of the city as aerial gunnery range. Units stationed
in LAFB were 38th Combat Support Wing and 3640th Pilot
Training Wing. The base was closed permanently in 1973
and was turned into the Laredo International Airport.
Thanks to Bill Morgan for the video footage of Old Laredo
seen at left, and to Tony Melli & Bill Dias for
getting it to us! |
