History TSTC Waco Airport

the airport opened may 5, 1942 waco army air field , headquarters army air force central instructors school during world war ii. deactivated after war in 1945 reactivated in 1948 pilot training base under air training command. named colonel james t. connally had been killed in japan in 1945. airport called connally air force base name evolved include first name.

in 1957, base became support facility headquarters of twelfth air force (12 af) located in nearby waco , concurrently concentrated on providing navigator flight training under cognizance of air training command.

in 1968, part of nationwide reduction in air force bases , naval air stations stay within congressional funding limits while continuing prosecute war in vietnam, james connally afb closed. navigator training consolidated @ mather air force base, california , 12th air force relocated bergstrom air force base in austin, texas. @ point, facility conveyed state of texas general services administration (gsa).

civilian use

george w. bush, laura bush, , barney @ airport

the airport , base facilities used technical school while general dynamics remained tenant performing modification work on various military aircraft. general dynamics facility later closed.

electrospace systems opened hangar @ facility; operations later sold chrysler , renamed chrysler technologies airborne systems. chrysler subsequently sold operation raytheon renamed facility raytheon aircraft integration systems. in 2002, raytheon sold facility l-3 communications , known l-3 communications platform integration division.

george w. bush during presidency flew in , out of airport on air force 1 during visits home @ prairie chapel ranch.

in 1991, tsti renamed texas state technical college (tstc).