The Dale Mabry Airport, names after Dale Mabry was an American World War 1 aviator and was born and raised in Tallahassee, Fl. Can you believe that right under the campus of Tallahassee Community College was the actual Dale Mabry Airfield?
How ironic is that? It was named dale Mabry Field in honor of Tallahassee native Army captain Dale Mabry, killed in 1922 while commanding the Army Semi-Rigid airship Roma. “In 1928 the city of Tallahassee bought a 200 acre tract of land for $7028 for its first airport.” Dale Mabry Army Airfield was a World War 2 United States Army Air Force located at the Dale Mabry Field in Tallahassee, Florida. It all began in 1938 when the U.S. Army Air Corps established a contract flying school at the airport, under the influence of U.S. Senator and Florida governor to make Dale Mabry Field a United States Army Air Force as part of the buildup of the military prior to the U.S. entry into World War 2. In October of 1940 the reconstruction began many improvements were put together to overcome the swamp conditions at the site. A 90 day completion dead line was given by the Federal Government because of the need for a place to train pilots. The field was initially activated on January 13th, 1941. Its initial use was a Base Head Quarters and Air Base Squadron. The first unit to train at Dale Mabry Field was the 79th Fighter Group. Combat training was upgraded to the P47 Thunderbolt in 1943. “At Dale Mabry the 338th Fighter Group inactivated, and replaced by the 335th Army Air Force Base Unit.” The Command Fighter training ended on May 31st, 1945, with the Japanese surrendering as well. Demobilizations was the major activity being performed at the base because of personnel being separated and returning to life.
Dale Mabry Field was closed to general aviation during World War 2. The Air Base was deactivated in the fall of 1945. After the war, male students attending the Florida State College of Woman ran by TBUF.By 1947 the Florida State College for Woman was renamed Florida State University. Tallahassee Regional Airport opened in 1961, and Dale Mabry Field was closed. The land was redeveloped in the 1960’s into the Campus of Tallahassee Community College to location of the Airport is what is now Appleyard Drive and W. Penscacola Street.
Resources “enwikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Mabry_Field.” Dale Mabry Field.
