Old Sloan Field, built 1931, in 1942 became Midland Army Flying School, for bombardier cadets. At one time it was called largest bombardier training center in the world. One of over 25 World War II airfields in Texas, its cadets flew 861,510 hours in Beech "AT-11" aircraft, dropping 1,245,107 bombs. Last class of cadets graduated in Jan. 1945. The field was used as an Army Air Forces instructor school (Bombardier) until World War II ended later that year. After military phase-out, 1947, commercial field opened 1950. (1968)