Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, located two miles southeast of Goldsboro, North Carolina, was established during World War II. It was initially activated in June 1942 as Headquarters, Technical School, Army Air Forces Technical Training Command. The base was named in honor of U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a Goldsboro native and test pilot who died in a plane crash in 1941.
In June 1943, it added a secondary mission to prepare officers and men for overseas duty. It was known as the Provisional Overseas Replacement Training Center. In September 1943, Seymour Johnson Field took on another mission, providing basic military training for cadets preparing to become technical officers in the Army Air Corps. During its history, Seymour Johnson Field also played a significant role in training replacement pilots for P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft. It served as a central assembly station for processing and training troops after World War II. It has been home to various aircraft, including B-52 bombers, KC-10 and KC-135 tankers, and F-4 and F-16 fighters.
After being deactivated in May 1946, the base was reactivated in 1956 as Seymour Johnson Air Force Base under Tactical Air Command.
Learn more about Our NC Military at OurNCMilitary.com.
*U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Rebecca Sirimarco-Lang
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