Roberta Aguirre
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) was opened to the public on May 23, 1999, but the site has a long history. The airport is named after the former Air Force Base, which itself was named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, the first native Austinite killed in World War II. The airport has been the subject of renaming campaigns, with some suggesting it should be named after LBJ, a former president of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the airport | Austin–Bergstrom International Airport |
| Who is it named after | Captain John August Earl Bergstrom |
| Who was Captain John August Earl Bergstrom | The first native Austinite to be killed in action during World War II |
| When was the airport opened to the public | May 23, 1999 |
| Who owns the airport | City of Austin |
| Is tax dollars used to build the airport | No |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group
- Bergstrom Army Airfield, previously known as Del Valle Airfield
- Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, Austin's first municipal airport
- Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas native and former US representative
- Barbara Jordan, a Texas politician honoured with a statue at the airport
Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, which opened in 1999, is named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group.
Captain Bergstrom was a native Austinite and a graduate of Texas A&M University. On December 8, 1941, he was serving as an administrative officer with the 19th Bombardment Group at Clark Field in the Philippines when he was killed. Aged 34, he was the first person from Austin to be killed in action during World War II.
In March 1943, at the urging of his former employer, Austin National Bank, and Lyndon B. Johnson, then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas’s 10th District, the U.S. Army Air Force renamed a base in Austin after its fallen native son. The Del Valle Airfield thus became the Bergstrom Army Airfield.
When the Air Force became its own military branch in 1947 or 1948, the base was renamed the Bergstrom Air Force Base. It retained this name until it was decommissioned in the early 1990s, with all military aviation ceasing in 1995.
The construction of Austin–Bergstrom International Airport began in November 1994, and it opened to the public on May 23, 1999, with one of the nation's longest commercial runways. The airport was built on the foundations of the base named after Captain Bergstrom some 70 years prior.
The Nedumbassery Airport: Cochin's Gateway to the World
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bergstrom Army Airfield, previously known as Del Valle Airfield
The name change was urged by Bergstrom's former employer, Austin National Bank, and supported by Lyndon B. Johnson, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives at the time. Johnson later became a congressman and suggested renaming the base to Bergstrom Field in November 1943. The base became known as Bergstrom Air Force Base in December 1948, after the Air Force separated from the Army to become its own military branch.
Bergstrom Air Force Base served as a major base for the United States Air Force and played a role in significant historical events, such as the Berlin Airlift and the Cold War. However, in the 1970s, the base faced increasing noise complaints from the surrounding community, and proposals for a joint civil-military airport were rejected by the USAF. In 1990, the base was slated for closure by Congress, and it was officially decommissioned in the early 1990s, with all military aviation ceasing in 1995.
The City of Austin acquired the land and began transforming it into a commercial airport, which opened to the public as Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 23, 1999. The airport features the Barbara Jordan passenger terminal, named after Barbara Jordan, and a statue honouring her resides within the airport.
Airport High School: A Chaotic Day
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, Austin's first municipal airport
In the late 1920s, the Austin City Council sought a suitable site for a municipal airport. The site chosen was Matthews Farm, four miles northeast of downtown Austin. This became Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, Austin's first municipal airport. The airport was named after Robert Mueller, a city commissioner who had died in office in January 1927.
The airport began operations on October 14, 1930, and was officially dedicated on the same date. By 1931, Mueller Airport was served by three airlines, and a second runway was added in 1937. During World War II, the airport was busy, with some trainees practising landing Douglas C-47s at Mueller due to congestion at Del Valle Army Air Base.
By the 1980s, Mueller Airport sat on 711 acres of land in the middle of Austin, with the city growing around it. This landlocked position meant that by the 1990s, Austin was outgrowing the airport, and the city began considering options for a new airport. Robert Mueller Municipal Airport's commercial service ended on May 21, 1999, and it was replaced by the new Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
The redevelopment of the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport site has created a diverse mixed-use community, with residential, retail, dining, and entertainment spaces. The airport's control tower has been preserved and restored, and the view of the Texas State Capitol from the base of the tower is protected from obstruction by tall buildings under state and local law.
Denver Airport: COVID Testing Availability and Options
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$39.99
![Austin Powers Triple Feature (International Man of Mystery / The Spy Who Shagged Me / Goldmember) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91YNHjASr0L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texas native and former US representative
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, which opened in 1999, is not named after Lyndon B. Johnson, but there is a campaign underway to rename it after the former US representative and Texas native. Johnson frequently visited his Johnson City ranch by landing at the airport, and the West Runway (17R/35L) has been dedicated to him.
Johnson, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas' 10th District at the time, convinced the U.S. Army Air Force to rename a base in Austin after its fallen native son, Captain John August Earl Bergstrom. Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group, was the first Austinite killed in World War II.
The airport's history dates back to the late 1920s when the Austin City Council requested that the Army Corps identify a suitable site for a municipal airport. The chosen site became the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, named after a city commissioner who died in office in 1927. However, by the 1970s, issues with Mueller led the city to consider building a new airport. The search for a new location became a political issue, with residents and environmental groups expressing concerns.
In 1993, a public vote approved the issuance of bonds to fund the construction of a new airport, and groundbreaking began in November 1994. The new airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, opened in May 1999, with the old Mueller airport closing its commercial operations around the same time.
Paris Airports: Which is the Best Gateway to France?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Barbara Jordan, a Texas politician honoured with a statue at the airport
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group who was the first native Austinite to be killed in action during World War II. The airport, which opened in 1999, stands on the foundations of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport features a statue of Barbara Jordan, a Texas politician honoured with a statue at the airport. Jordan's political career and calm, ethical focus made her a respected figure in Texas history. She served as a politician until the late 1970s, after which she joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, where she taught at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. In 1994, Jordan was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour. She passed away two years later at the age of 59.
Jordan is remembered for her powerful voice, oratorical skills, and ability to clarify complex moral issues. Her testimony during the Watergate hearings in 1974 inspired Americans to pay attention to the strength and foundation of the US Constitution. Jordan's commitment to ethical leadership and racial equality left a lasting impact on the state and the nation.
The life-sized statue of Barbara Jordan at the Austin airport was created by California artist Bruce Wolfe. The bronze sculpture depicts Jordan seated in deep thought, with her fingertips pressed together, and her glasses and a book placed in her lap. It is the first major public artwork in the country to honour Jordan and serves as a landmark for visitors to the Barbara Jordan Terminal, named in her honour. The statue was unveiled by Austin Aviation Department officials in November 2002.
Portland Airport: A Busy Travel Hub?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport.
The airport is named after the former Air Force Base, which was named after Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group, who was the first native Austinite killed in World War II.
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport opened to the public on 23 May 1999.
