Early Development: 1941 - 1949
In early January 1941, Biloxi city officials assembled a formal offer to invite the U.S. Army Corps to build a base to support the WWII training buildup. The package included an early airport, the old Naval Reserve Park, and parts of Oak Park sufficient to support a technical training school with a population of 5,200 people.
On 6 March 1941, the War Department officially notified Mayor Braun that Biloxi had been selected. The War Department activated Army Air Corps Station No. 8, Aviation Mechanics School, Biloxi, Mississippi, on 12 June 1941. City officials wanted the base named after a notable figure in the local area's history, but it was War Department policy to name installations after service members killed in action. In late June, Mayor Braun received word that the new school would be named in honor of 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., of Greenwood, Mississippi. Lieutenant Keesler had died of wounds during World War I while serving in France as an aerial observer assigned to the 24th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service. On 25 August 1941, Army Air Corps Station No. 8 was officially designated as Keesler Army Airfield.
Base Construction
Congress initially appropriated $6 million for construction at Biloxi and an additional $2 million for equipment. By the time the War Department allocated the funds in April 1941, the projected cost had risen to $9.6 million. On 14 June 1941, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Newton, Glenn, and Knost Construction Company and J. A. Jones Construction Company contracts totaling $10 million to build Biloxi's technical training school. At the time, it was the most expensive government project to have been undertaken in the State of Mississippi.
First Soldiers Arrive
Captain Samuel A. Mundell arrived in Biloxi on 12 June 1941. He was joined two days later by a start up cadre from Scott Field, Illinois, consisting of a second lieutenant and 20 enlisted personnel; they established a temporary headquarters at the Biloxi Armory. Lieutenant Colonel William J. Hanlon arrived on 16 June to assume command from Captain Mundell. The same Arthur W. Brock who had first examined the site in January, now promoted to colonel, arrived on 17 July to become the base's first permanent commander.
On 8 September 1941, the 310th Technical School Squadron (the mess unit) became the first squadron to move to the new barracks. Before the end of the month, three basic training units, the 301st, 303d, and 304th Technical School Squadrons, had also moved into permanent quarters.
Basic Training
When the War Department activated Keesler Field in June 1941, the local community thought it was getting a technical training center with a student population, which might peak, at 20,000 people. Not only was Keesler to house a technical training center, but it would also host one of the Army's newest replacement, or basic training centers. Keesler's population almost doubled overnight.
The first shipment of recruits arrived at Keesler Field on 21 August 1941. During World War II, the Army's basic training program was little more than a reception process. At Keesler, basic training lasted four weeks, during which classifiers determined the type of follow on schooling that each recruit would receive. Many stayed at Keesler to become airplane and engine mechanics, while others transferred to aerial gunnery or aviation cadet schools. Trains passed through Keesler daily, dropping off new trainees and picking up graduates.
By September 1944, the number of recruits had dropped, but the workload remained constant, as Keesler personnel began processing veteran ground troops and combat crews who had returned from duty overseas for additional training and follow on assignments. Basic training wound down drastically after the end of World War II, and it was finally discontinued at Keesler on 30 June 1946.
Technical Training
Technical training school officers and staff began arriving at Keesler Field in mid July 1941, primarily from Chanute Field, Illinois. The new academic buildings were still under construction when the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School opened. Basic Branch students received instruction in five barracks buildings; Instructor Branch students were assigned to temporary classrooms set up in commandeered circus tents. In mid-1942 the Army Air Forces directed Keesler to focus upon the training of mechanics for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The school received its first B 24 in late September 1942. Six more arrived shortly thereafter, and specialized B 24 maintenance training began on 19 October. Over time, Keesler gradually replaced them with civilian instructors, including many women.
Women began training here in 1943, as did international students. Students from more than 50 countries have received aviation, personnel and electronics training at Keesler.
Generally unknown to most was the role that the Tuskegee Airmen and other African American troops played on Keesler. In fact, more than 7,000 African American Airmen were stationed at Keesler Field by the autumn of 1943. These soldiers included pre-aviation cadets, radio operators, aviation technicians, bombardiers, and aviation mechanics.
Keesler continued to focus upon specialized training in B-24 maintenance until mid-1944. Thereafter, the base was directed to expand its mechanics training curriculums to include other aircraft. Changing requirements forced the consolidation of all air-rescue training at Keesler in early 1945, however, and many of these programs had to be moved elsewhere for lack of facility space.
Specialized Flying Training
The rapid buildup of heavy bomber units overseas demanded additional aircrew, and Keesler was tasked to assist in the spring of 1944. A B-24 Copilot School began operation in July, and its curriculum was expanded to include B-32 copilot training in October. The need for B-24 crews had also diminished, and Keesler stopped training B-24 copilots two months later. In late July 1944, the Army Air Forces (AAF) consolidated all air-sea rescue training at Keesler. The situation worsened on 4 January 1945, when the AAF Training Command ordered Keesler to give first priority to air-sea rescue training. The Emergency Rescue School was disbanded in April 1946. Thereafter, air-sea rescue training passed to the Air Transport Command's newly established Air Rescue Service.
Previous Names
Biloxi Air Corps Technical School, 13 June 1941
Keesler Army Airfield, 25 August 1941
Keesler Air Force Base, 13 January 1948 – Present
Major Commands to Which Assigned
Air Corps Technical Training Command, 7 Feb 1941
Re-designated: Army Air Forces Technical Training Command, 1 March 1942
Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, 7 July 1943
Re-designated: Army Air Forces Training Command, 31 July 1943
Air Training Command, 1 July 1946
Major Units Assigned
HQ and HQ Sq, 69th Air Base Group, 12 June 1941
59th Air Base Squadron, 4 August 1941
Re-designated: 59th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, 22 June 1942
51st Training Group, 5 August 1941 – 30 April 1944
52d Training Group, 6 August 1941 – 30 April 1944
55th Training Group, 29 August 1941 – 30 April 1944
56th Training Group, 21 July 1941 – 30 April 1944
57th Training Group, 5 March 1942 – 30 April 1944
58th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944
59th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944
60th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944
Army Air Fores Basic Training Center #2, 14 August 1941 – 1 August 1947
Air Corps (later Air Forces, later USAF) Technical School, 14 August 1941 – 15 August 1973
Air Corps (later Air Forces) Mechanics School #2, 5 August 1941 – 30 April 1944
Air Corps (later Air Forces) Mechanics School #7, 13 April – 3 June 1942
602d Training Group, 13 April 1942 – 30 April 1944
603d Training Group, 5 March 1942 – 30 April 1944
607th Training Group, 15 April 1942 – 30 April 1944
611th Training Group, 23 July 1943 – 29 February 1944
1169th Training Group, 18 December 1942 – 30 April 1944
1170th Training Group, 18 December 1942 – 30 April 1944
21st Training Wing, 22 February 1943 – 29 February 1944
61st Training Wing, 23 July 1943 – 30 April 1944
3704th AAF (later AF) Base Unit, 1 May 1944 – 22 August 1948
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| Keesler Army Airfield: The Main Entrance to Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Keesler Army Airfield: Officer’s barracks at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Keesler Army Airfield: Inspection of squadron personnel at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Keesler Army Airfield: Air mechanics study training plane at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Squadron mail call at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Chapel Three at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Cadets march at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| B-24 mechanics class in session. |
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| Graduation of Free French Air Force mechanics trained on the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Free French Air Force mechanics undergo training on a Martin B-26 Marauder at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Free French Air Force mechanics undergo training on a Martin B-26 Marauder engine at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Free French Air Force pilots at Keesler Army Airfield for training. |
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| Free French Air Force pilots at Keesler Army Airfield for training. |
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| Airplane mechanics working on a trainer at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Aircraft Mechanic Students at Keesler Field performing a general inspection of a Bell P-39 Airacobra ground training aircraft. |
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| Mock-up of aircraft equipment for training at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Free French Air Force mechanics undergo training with aircraft equipment mockup at Keesler Army Airfield. |
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| Five months after the beginning of construction, the Biloxi Airport, ball park, and golf course were all but erased by the new construction. Training personnel used the large circus-type marquees to house the air mechanic school classrooms until permanent structures were ready. |
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| Colonel Brock, during a visit to Biloxi from 17-19 May 1941, speaks with Major Robert E. York of the Army Engineers, left, and Biloxi Mayor Louis E. Braun. |
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| Army and civilian officials present when the announcement was received that Biloxi was accepted as a site for an Air Corps technical training school, left to right, upper row: Captain L. O. Ryan, City Attorney G. B. Cousins, Jr., Major William P. Sloan, and Major Robert G. York; lower row: City Commissioner F. A. Tucei, Captain M. C. Young, President (Dr.) Riley Burnett of the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, Brig. General Rush B. Lincoln, Mayor Louis Braun, and City Commissioner John A. Swanzy. |
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| As the activation of the Army Air Corps training site neared, the Biloxi Airport became the scene of many visiting military planes during 1941. |
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| An ox team was used on the fringe of the golf course to move heavy timbers felled to make room for the barracks and school buildings. |
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| One of several tent chapels in use by August 1941. This field type facility was located in the Naval Reserve Park. |
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| By July 1941, the warehouse area of the new base was in the early stages of construction as heavy equipment cleared and leveled the site. |
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| The first indoor Chapel at Keesler Field was completed on 29 October 1941 and was located near the Biloxi Airport hangar. It was used for all services until other chapels were completed in 1942. |
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| The massive "Glennon Oak" still stands at the corner of Meadows Dr. and First St. (formerly the intersection of F and I Sts.). During ground-clearing in 1941, the impressive oak stood squarely in line with a projected road. Lieutenant O. E. Glennon and General Rush B. Lincoln intervened as it was about to be destroyed and the commanding officer directed that the road would be built around it. |
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| The first mess cooking facilities were outdoor brick grills constructed along the south shore of Back Bay near the tent area in Naval Reserve Park. Until the field's mess halls were ready for use, every day was "barbecue" day. |
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| Until the standard Monel metal trays were obtained for use in the newly-completed mess halls, outside field mess kit clean-up was routine following each meal. |
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| In the shadows of great live oaks, festooned with Spanish moss, the first military personnel for Air Corps Station No. 8 were settled into the former Boy Scout Camp in Biloxi's Naval Reserve Park. |
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| Where Wall Studio now stands, the scene in mid-1941 was one of two-man pup tents for the new air station's first personnel. In the background, the engine test block facility was beginning to take shape. |
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| School training facilities in October 1941 were located on the Biloxi Airport. Six classroom buildings (in foreground) and the engine test cell complex (background) were nearing completion. |
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| Seventy days after activation, the warehouse complex, built concurrently with the barracks, gave the site of Keesler Field a new appearance. |
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| A ward in the Keesler Field hospital in late 1941. The medical facility was 93.7% complete by Pearl Harbor Day. |
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| Officials who inspected this photo showing the progress of construction in late 1941 must have said, “It's beginning to look like a military encampment.” Of note is the steel water tower structure with the tank still to be installed. |
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| Colonel Arthur W. Brock, a member of General Lincoln's staff at Chanute, was the first permanent commander of Air Corps Training School No. 8, later named Keesler Field. |
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| In August 1941, the first 369 recruits were on station, and by Pearl Harbor Day recruits were in basic training and students were undertaking mechanics training. |
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| The first barber shop on Keesler Field had three chairs, fresh air, a wood floor, and a cot with mosquito netting for the night guard detail. |
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| In August 1941, the major shelter facilities on Keesler Field were tents. Four men occupied each tent and each man did his share to maintain pride in the prosaic living quarters. |
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| The first basic recruits and aircraft mechanic trainees messed at crude tables under pavilion-style sheds in the Naval Reserve Park. |
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Keesler Field’s first student unit, the 310th School Squadron, was located in Naval Reserve Park. The “blister bag” was a plumbing substitute to provide drinking water until the barracks and water distribution system were completed.
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| Long lines at mess call were a common sight soon after the activation of the station. Makeshift dining facilities were used to serve the heavy influx of basic trainees and mechanic students. |
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| The first recruits at Keesler Field, candidates for aircraft mechanic training, were drilled by Regular Army non-commissioned officers. |
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| Officers' Club at Keesler Field as it appeared during World War II. "Partial view of the Dining Room, Officers' Club, Keesler Field, Mississippi. The mural scene, painted by Cpl. Claude Marks, shows the harvesting and processing of cane sugar in Louisiana around 1859." Source: U. S. Government postcard. Date of postcard unknown, probably about 1944. |
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| Keesler Air Force Base - 1940s Main Gate. |
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Assembly Room.
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Chow Line.
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Giving a plane the once-over, 1943.
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Headquarters, 1943.
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Lowering the Flag at Retreat, 1943.
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New Soldiers Arrive, 1943.
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Night Training, 1943.
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Repairing a Camouflaged Plane, 1943.
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Retreat at Keesler Field, 1943.
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Retreat, 1943.
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Typical Street Scene, 1943.
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| Army Air Corps Station No. 8 was officially designated Keesler Army Airfield on 25 August 1941, in honor of 2nd Lt. Samuel R. Keesler, a World War I aerial observer. Keesler, a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, died after being shot down in air combat with four German aircraft in World War I. |
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Parade marches down the streets of old downtown Biloxi, 1942.
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| Mess Hall Row, 1943. |
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AT-6 Texan from Keesler Field.
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