History
The airport opened in 1929 and a small hangar was built in 1930. The landing strip was approved by the Civil Works Administration in 1933. In 1940, the Civil Aeronautics Authority took control of Wilmington Airport as an emergency landing field. The Army Air Corps took over the airport in 1942, renaming it Clinton County Army Air Field. The Air Material Command used the airfield for glider research, as well as training and development until the end of World War II.
The airfield was closed after World War II, but reopened during the Korean War. By 1958, the Clinton County Air Force Base was home to the newly created 249th Air Reserve Training Wing. The runway was extended from 6,000 to 9,000 feet in 1960. The air force base was closed in 1971; its operations moved to Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus.
The base was decommissioned in 1972 and the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) began developing the area as the Wilmington Industrial Air Park (WIAP). It also became home to the Great Oaks Joint Vocational School District. In 1977, the Southern State Community College opened, using old barracks buildings as classrooms. In 1980, Midwest Air Charter was acquired by Airborne Freight Corporation, resulting in Airborne Express, which became the largest tenant at WIAP and resulted in the airfield being named Airborne Airpark.
Read more about this topic: Clinton County Air Force Base
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