🇺🇸 Camp Wolters Army Airfield

Camp Wolters Army Airfield, later known as Fort Wolters, had a significant operational history before its final closure. Initially established in 1925 as Camp Wolters for the Texas National Guard, it became a major U.S. Army Infantry Replacement Training Center during World War II, at one point being the largest in the nation and also serving as a German POW camp. Following a brief deactivation in 1946, it reopened in 1951 as Wolters Air Force Base for aviation engineer training before reverting to Army control in 1956 to become the U.S. Army Primary Helicopter Center. Renamed Fort Wolters in 1963, it was the primary training facility for Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War, graduating over 40,000 students.

The base was officially deactivated in 1973-1975, with the helicopter school transferring to Fort Rucker, Alabama, largely due to the winding down of the Vietnam War and the reduced need for such a large training program. Today, much of the former site is known as Wolters Industrial Park, housing various businesses. Portions of the land were also transferred to the City of Mineral Wells, Weatherford College, and Lake Mineral Wells State Park. While many original buildings are abandoned, parts of the site are still used by a summer camp and the Texas Army National Guard for training, and Fort Wolters Helicopters Heliport remains an active aviation facility.