Lockbourne / Rickenbacker Air Force Base Memorial Wall

Be a part of the Lockbourne / Rickenbacker AFB Legacy

The former Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base is a rich contributor to national military history, including early inclusion of Black and women pilots and the honoring of a local aviation hero as its namesake. Originally known as the Lockbourne Army Airfield, the base was a training airfield for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the first “women with wings” to fly non-combat missions in U.S. military aircraft during World War II. After World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen 477th Composite Group and its supporting units were transferred to Lockbourne Army Air Base and stationed there until 1949. The Tuskegee Airmen played a major role in the integration of all U.S. military forces. In 1974, the base was renamed to honor World War I flying ace Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker.