Victoria Regional Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Victoria Regional Airport
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =

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image-width = 250px
caption = Victoria Regional Airport, 27 Jan 1996
IATA = VCT
ICAO = KVCT
FAA = VCT
type = Public
owner =
operator = County of Victoria
city-served =
location = Victoria, Texas
elevation-f = 115
elevation-m = 35.1
coordinates = Coord|28|51|09|N|96|55|07|W|type:airport_region:US|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 12L/30R
r1-length-f = 9,101
r1-length-m = 2,774
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 12R/30L
r2-length-f = 4,643
r2-length-m = 1,415
r2-surface = Concrete
r3-number = 17/35
r3-length-f = 4,899
r3-length-m = 1,493
r3-surface = Asphalt
r4-number = 6/24
r4-length-f = 4,200
r4-length-m = 1,280
r4-surface = Asphalt
h1-number = H1
h1-length-f = 60
h1-length-m = 18
h1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

Victoria Regional Airport Airport codes|VCT|KVCT|VCT, formerly Foster Air Force Base, is a public airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the central business district (CBD) of Victoria, in Victoria County, Texas, USA. The airport covers convert|1766|acre|ha|0|lk=on and has four runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by two commercial airlines. Service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.

Airline and destinations

* Continental Airlines
** Continental Connection operated by Colgan Air (Houston-Intercontinental)
* Southern Skyways (Dallas/Fort Worth [begins April 7] , Dallas-Love Field [begins April 7]

History

World War II

Foster Field began as a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) facility that was established in 1941 as an advanced single-engine flying school for fighter pilots. Originally known as Victoria Field, it was renamed in 1942 in memory of 1st Lt Arthur L. Foster, a United States Army Air Corps instructor killed in a crash at Brooks Field in 1925. oster's son received his training and commission at the base in the spring of 1942. A local funding campaign had raised some $17,000 to locate the base at Victoria as an economic asset. Subsequent government construction cost more than $4 million.

The first class of cadets arrived in September 1941 and served under Lt Col Warren R. Carter, the first commander. WACs began to arrive the following May. Foster became a major pilot training base for the AAF Traning Command, with cadets using the North American AT-6 "Texan" and Curtiss P-40 trainers to drill in aerial gunnery, though actual practice took place on ranges located on Matagorda Island and Matagorda Peninsula. In addition to these bomb ranges on Matagorda, at least ten auxiliary landing fields and a sub-base (Aloe AAF, built in 1943 5 miles southwest of Victoria) was controlled by Foster for emergency landings and aircraft overflow. Many pilots returning from overseas service were taught to become aerial gunnery instructors at Foster Field.

In addition to the pilot training mission, Foster also served as a medical evacuation facility for injured veterans. There were several housing facilities located on the base.

After World War II, Foster Field was deactivated and the site was returned to its private owners, the Buhler and Braman estates.

Foster Air Force Base

The Air Force retained a recapture right which it exercised here and at many other former bases to accommodate the Korean War training surge. Foster Field was designated Foster Air Force Base on an inactive status on September 1, 1952, by Department of the Air Force General Order No. 38, dated August 29, 1952. The base was activated on January 1, 1953 by Department of the Air Force General Order No. 33, dated August 20, 1953 as part of Tactical Air Command (TAC).

The initial USAF unit at Foster AFB was the 3580th Pilot Training Wing, Activated on 1 January 1953 flying T-33 Shooting Stars, a training version of the F-80. After additional construction was completed, the 450th Fighter-Bomber Wing, was activated at Foster, on 1 July 1954, replacing and absorbing the assets of the 3580th PTW. Four operational squadrons (720th, 721st, 722d and 723d) were assigned to the 450th Fighter-Day Group, equiped with the F-86H Sabre. In addition to the 350th, the 322d Fighter-Day Group was activated with three additional F-86H squadrons (450th, 451st, 452d). Base personnel increased to about 6,000.

On 8 July 1955, Foster AFB became the location of Headquarters, Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF), although the 450th TFW remained assigned to Ninth Air Force. Nineteenth Air Force used temporarily attached units to carry out the first overseas deployment of a complete tactical fighter force as a unit in a training flight to Europe in 1956. The next year three Foster-based F-100s flew the first TAC single-engine, nonstop, round-trip mission over a great distance when they "attacked" Panama in a training maneuver.

In late 1956, the the 450th was upgraded to the North American F-100C SuperSabre and the wing was redesignated as the 450th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 322d was upgraded to the F-100C in early 1958

On August 28, 1957, despite the fact that President Dwight D. Eisenhower appropriated funds for new construction at the base, the base was ordered closed by the spring of 1959, with the resident 450th TFW and both groups inactivating.

Today Victoria has several hospitals that have eventually branched off the medical facilities located on the base. It's estimated that approximately 1583 troops were housed in the critical care facilities during the years from 1952 - 1958. The numbers of deaths that resulted from the war are unknown.

At a great cost impact to the local economy, the base closed in December 1958. It was formally inactivated on January 1, 1959 by Department of the Air Force General Order No. 7, dated February 9, 1959.

Post Military Use

The local economy suffered greatly from the closure of Foster AFB. In the summer of 1960, the General Services Administration approved the exchange of Aloe Field for Foster Field, and Victoria County Airport was moved to the latter site. The growth of the county airport slowly replaced the loss of Foster AFB as numerous businesses located there.

Two of the largest businesses to locate at Victoria County Airport were the Devereux Foundation, a therapeutic-education center, and Gary Aircraft, which repaired surplus C-54 Skymaster (Douglas DC-4) aircraft in 1968. In 1976 Foster became the site of Victoria Regional Airport, which provides passenger service and connections with major carriers.

See also

* Texas World War II Army Airfields

References

* [http://www.flyvictoriatx.com/ Victoria Regional Airport] (official web site)
*FAA-airport|ID=VCT|use=PU|own=PU|site=24971.*A

External links