Laredo Air Force Base

During World War I, Kelly Field (San Antonio), reached its peak training capacity and the U.S. Army built several auxiliary landing fields in South Texas, including one in Laredo north of Fort McIntosh. In 1940, as the nation faced another war, the city of Laredo hired local contractor H.B. Zachry to build an airport to replace the landing strip. The city named the airport Zachry Field in honor of H.B.'s father, U.S. Army colonel John Zachry. In 1941, local leaders persuaded U.S. senator Morris Sheppard, chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee, to petition for a wartime training facility in Laredo. On May 7, 1942, the U.S. Military acquired Zachry Field, expanding the site to more than 2,085 acres, with an additional 685,000 acres of aerial target ranges northwest toward Eagle Pass ad 35,000 acres north of the city for ground target practice. In 1944, Laredo Army Air Field Flexible Gunnery School reached its peak capacity with more than 15,000 personnel and 250 aircraft. Airmen here trained in gunnery instruction and airplane and turret mechanics for medium and heavy bombers. While Women Airforce Service pilots flew engineering tests. In late 1945, the field became inactive and the land transferred to the War Assets Administration. In 1952, during the Korean War, the site reactivated as Laredo Air Force Base, providing basic training for cadets from the U.S. Air Force and 24 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. The base continued in operation until 1973, when the military declared the facility excess and deactivated the command. The site reopened in 1975 as Laredo International Airport, continuing its long association with aviation history in the area. (2007)

Laredo Air Force Base is a historical marker in Laredo, Webb County, dedicated in 2007. It is one of 16 historical markers documented in Webb County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 49 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 27.5437, -99.4555 near Laredo. The nearest cataloged historic site is Laredo City (cemetery), about 1.8 miles away. Others within a short drive include Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Zuniga House, and San Bernardo Avenue.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507014030. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.