Sheppard Air Force Base

Book excerpt: The history of flight for the US Army Air Corps became increasingly important during World War I. Wichita Falls, Texas, was determined to be a fair weather flying location for training cadets to become aviators. Wichita Falls was the gracious host not only for World War I pilots training at Call Field, located near the city, but when World War II came along, the city also hosted the opening of Sheppard Field, adjacent to the municipal airport. Thousands of personnel were trained there during World War II, and later, the field was redesigned as Sheppard Air Force Base. The base has been a hub for pilot training as well as technical training for many Air Force specialties. Wichita Falls, therefore, has a rich history as a host for decades of military training. Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, has trained hundreds of thousands of military men and women from within the United States, as well as thousands of men and women from allied countries around the globe. Sheppard Air Force Base became the largest training base in the Air Force and continues actively today with its primary mission of training military personnel.