Memorial to Venice Army Air Base

The history of the Venice Army Airfield began in 1941. At that time, a group of influential Venice citizens contacted the War Department offering 3000 acres to be used as an army camp site.

The War Department subsequently surveyed the site. Originally the Venice site was selected to be used as an army air force anti aircraft training site. However ths never happened.

Beginning in early 1942, the army airforce decided to construct a small training site for 1000 men. It was to train army airforce support troops.

Construction began in May, 1942. 2 5000 feet concrete runways were built. A third runway was built in 1943.

The facility was under the control of the 27th Service Group. Service groups were trained prior there deployment.

By the end of 1943, seven groups were trained.

By January, 1944, authority for the operation was transferred to the 3rd Airforce.

As the war came to an end in Europe and Japan the number of trainees and the level of activity decreased.

The airfield became inactive and was closed. The field was decommissioned. The city of Venice was granted a license to operate the field.

Today the facility is known as the Venice Municipal Field. It operates only 2 of the 3 original runways