Answers to Go
Q. I’ve heard of Gary Air Force Base. Where is it located?
Gary Air Force Base no longer A. exists as a military air base. It was converted in 1965 into the Gary Job Corps Training Center and the San Marcos Regional Airport.
Gary Army Air Field was originally a World War II aviation base that was partially paid for by the City of San Marcos and the Federal government. Construction of the air field was begun in late summer 1942 and completed on Dec. 15 of that year. The base was initially a navigator training facility housing the 2536th Army Air Forces Base Unit. The first class of cadets to graduate from training started in February 1943 and by September 1945, over 10,000 navigators had been trained. In the San Marcos Public Library’s files (TTWC Gary Air Force Base), is a copy of the special debut edition of the ASTEROPE, the San Marcos Army Air Force’s Navigation School Newspaper. Inside this opening day program, it cheerfully described the plan for dedication ceremonies:
Headline – OBSTACLE COURSE HOLDS KEY TO CADET’S SUCCESS.
The AAFNS (Army Air Field Navigators School) obstacle course, scene of the opening ceremony in the official opening of San Marcos Army Air Field today, is symbolic of the hurdles to be taken by an aviation cadet in navigation.
In the presence of high military officials, guests and members of the first graduating class of AAFNS, Mrs. Arthur Gary, mother of the first San Marcos officer to lose his life in the war, will fire and pistol as a signal to send 100 cadets scampering over the course.
The base was scheduled to be closed completely after the navigator training mission, but through the efforts of then House of Representative Lyndon Johnson, the base remained open with a change of mission. In May of 1946 the 3586th Liaison-Helicopter Training Squadron was transferred to the San Marcos Army Air Field (from Wichita Falls) and it was used to train helicopter pilots. The name of the base changed in 1947 when the U.S. Air Force was established as a branch of the military. The name of the field was changed from San Marcos Army Air Field to San Marcos Air Force Base. However, in 1949 the 3586th moved to Waco and the base was declared inactive. Fortunately, it was reactivated in February of 1951 when the 3585th Pilot Training Squadron moved in. At that time there were 21 squadrons assigned to the base with over 4,800 personnel. The focus of the base was still on training helicopter pilots, as it was in 1946 but pilot training was for both army and air force helicopter pilots, as was maintenance training for enlisted mechanics. The early 1950s was the “heyday” for the base, with an annual budget of two million dollars. In 1953 the San Marcos Air Base had its final name change when it was re-named Gary Air Force base. It was named after 2nd Lt. Arthur Edward Gary. Gary was killed at Clark Field in the Philippines on Dec. 7, 1941, when the base was attacked by the Japanese.
In December of 1963 the San Marcos community received final word that the air base would be closed. However, in 1965 the air base was resurrected as the Gary Job Corps Training Center, created by then President Lyndon Johnson as part of his Great Society. The airport was deeded to the City of San Marcos in 1966 when it became the San Marcos Regional Airport.
NOTE: The Library has an extensive collection of pictures of the air base and personnel throughout its history. These pictures are available to view at the library upon request. Just ask the Reference Librarian for the Local History File - TTWC Gary Air Force Base.
Suzanne Sanders is the new columnist for the library. She is the Community Services Manager for the San Marcos Public Library and came from the Austin Public Library in 2015 after having served there as a librarian for over 20 years. She gratefully accepts your questions for this column.
