Webb Air Force Base

Webb Air Force Base, located near Big Spring, Texas, was originally established in 1942 as Big Spring Army Air Field to train bombardiers during World War II. After a brief deactivation post-war, it reopened in 1951 as Webb Air Force Base, named in honor of Lieutenant James L. Webb, a local pilot killed in World War II. The base became a major site for undergraduate pilot training under the Air Training Command, producing thousands of Air Force pilots during the Cold War era. Webb AFB was eventually closed in 1977 as part of post-Vietnam defense cutbacks, with its facilities later repurposed for civilian use.