14 Facts About Randolph Field

On 1 October 2010, Randolph Field AFB merged with Lackland Air Force Base and the US Army's Fort Sam Houston to form Joint Base San Antonio.

Randolph Field AFB was named after Captain William Millican Randolph Field, a native of Austin, who was on the base naming committee at the time of his death in a crash.

Idea for Randolph Field began soon after passage in the United States Congress of the Air Corps Act of 1926, which changed the name of the Army Air Service to the Army Air Corps, created two new brigadier general positions and provided a five-year expansion program for the under-strength Air Corps.

Randolph Field soon learned that the facilities at Kelly and Brooks Fields were not sufficient for proper training.

Ironically, Captain Randolph was serving on the committee to select a name for the new field at the time of his death.

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Basic flying training at Randolph Field continued until March 1943, when the Army Air Forces Central Instructors School was created.

The US Air Force became a separate service on 18 September 1947, and Randolph Field was officially renamed Randolph Air Force Base on 13 January 1948.

When Randolph Field resumed flying training activities in March 1948, primary pilot training was deleted from its program, and in August 1948 the 3510th Pilot Training Wing was activated.

On 1 April 1952, the Air Force established the Crew Training Air Force with its headquarters at Randolph Field to administer nine bases and combat crew training wings, including the 3510th.

Randolph Field became the Air Force's primary PIT base as the Air Force completely revamped its pilot training program, abolishing the nine independent pilot training squadrons that had been performing primary training for a decade and gearing up to conduct all undergraduate pilot training in jet aircraft.

Randolph Field has completed major renovations to the Base Commissary as well as completely re-paving Harmon Drive, the main entrance to the base leading to "The Taj".

Randolph Field ISD is one of three school districts in the state whose boundaries are coterminous with a military installation; the other two are Fort Sam Houston ISD and Lackland ISD.

Randolph Field offers Elementary through High School education for both the residents of the base and the children of former or active Air Force members.

Randolph Field Historic District, located at the center of Randolph Air Force Base, is a National Historic Landmark.