Walterboro Army Airfield
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In the late 1920's end 1930's a rough landing strip
was made on the farm of C.C. Anderson just outside of
Walterboro. Starting in 1941, as part of the World War II
effort, the U.S. Government acquired the site of the strip
and assembled a total of 3,815 acres for the Walterboro
Army Airfield. Construction began in April, 1942, and just
four months later, on August 4, 1942, the base was activated.
The completed installation consisted of a large
Airfield with extensive support facilities.
Army Air Forces Fourth Service Command conducted
combat Air Crew training. The Tuskegee Airmen were part
of this effort. They were located near Tuskegee Circle,
which is now the site of Walterboro High School.
Many notable objectives were completed here.
Trained pilots and crews went directly to combat in many
parts of the world. Seven of the famous Doolittle Tokyo
raiders were trained at Walterboro. There was a compound for
German prisoners of war. The largest camouflage school in the country was located here.
Approximately 600 acres were used for bomb storage.
Air Combat support was provided from Walterboro for
many important defense facilities and cities, such as
Santee Cooper Dams, the Parris Island Marine Base, the
Navy Yard and Charleston. This was a very desirable
airfield Iocation because it had good flying weather and
was beyond the range of hostile Navy guns. Effective November
15, 1945 the total installation was
classified as surplus and conveyed the
property to the Colleton County/Walterboro Airport Commission. |
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In honor of the Tuskegee Airmen,
their instructors and ground support
personnel who participated in preparing for
combat training at the Walterboro Army
Airfield during the Second World War.
Because of their heroic action
in combat they were called
Schwartze Vogelmenschen
(Black Bird Men) by the Germans who
both feared and respected them. White
American bomber crews in reverence
referred to them as the "Red Tail Angels"
because the identifying red paint
on their tail assemblies and because of
their reputation for not losing any
aircraft they protected (escorted) to
enemy fighters as they provided fighter
coverage for missions over strategic
targets in Europe.