Harris Field becomes a municipal airport

In March 1944, Harris Field ceased being a training facility for Army pilots. Three years later, voters here approved a $115,000 bond issue that paved the way for acquisition of the airfield to become a municipal, now regional, airport.

Spearheading the campaign for passage of the bond issue were members of the Cape Girardeau Airport Board: H.I. Himmelberger, C.A. Juden, A.W. Zimmer Jr., Frank A. Lowry and Rush H. Limbaugh Jr. The day after the favorable vote -- April 23, 1947 -- Missourian photographer G.D. Fronabarger, himself an aviation enthusiast, snapped a picture of Limbaugh holding a copy of the Southeast Missourian with a front-page, banner headline that read: "AIRPORT BONDS, CITY EXTENSION VOTED BY CAPE."

Curiously, that photograph wasn't published in the newspaper at the time.

Here's what Limbaugh read that day.

Published Wednesday, April 23, 1947, in the Southeast Missourian:

AIRPORT BONDS, CITY EXTENSION VOTED BY CAPE

ASK AIRPORT TRANSFER TO GIRARDEAU AT ONCE

Cape Girardeau, assured by the voters Tuesday of being served by a major airport of its own, moved forward today toward formal acquisition of Harris Field, its wartime air base.

Mayor R.E. Beckman, elated over the thumping majority (2,401 for, 519 against -- Sharon) given to the $115,000 airport bond issue proposal, said no time will be lost by the city in disposal of the bonds, this, of course to await formal transfer of the airport to the city.

To ask interim permit

Chairman C.A. Juden and Secretary Rush H. Limbaugh of the Cape Girardeau Airport Board said contact would be made today with the War Assets Administration office in St. Louis advising of the bond issue passage and asking for an interim permit to operate the port until such a near future time when the government can formally transfer title to the 58.7 acres of land the government owns to the city.

It is expected, board members said, a few weeks will be required to complete the formalities by which the government will deed the land and equipment to the city. In the meantime the board will push negotiations to acquire the 260 acres of land necessary to meet requirements of the Civil Aeronautics Administration for a Class 3 airport. Options for purchase have already been taken on a portion of the land which, it is estimated, will cost from $125 to $150 per acre. The city has the power to acquire the land, if necessary, by condemnation.

To seek federal aid

Following the formal title transfer, the city will make its application to the state and federal governments for the promised aid to pay a portion of the cost of construction of improvements, the latter to include extension of the diagonal paved runway to 4,000 feet and construction of a 400-foot sod runway.

The board also took another step towards getting the airfield set up for one of its several operations. A copy of the proposed lease between the U.S. Navy and the city, by which the 129th Naval Reserve Division will use one of the four big hangars as its headquarters and base of operations, was sent to the Ninth Naval District headquarters at Great Lakes (Illinois) and will be submitted to the Navy Department for formal approval.

Board officials reported they have a definite request from the 140th Infantry regiment of the National Guard, which now has its headquarters in the Arena Building, to occupy one of the hangars and two other structures on the field, the link trainer and administration buildings.

Operator to move

As soon as the board secures its interim permit to operate the field, Consolidated School of Aviation, Inc., can move to the port and occupy the remaining two hangars. The present operator, Cape Girardeau Flying Service, has been given notice by the board to vacate, the firm's tenure at the field expiring May 15. Officials of Consolidated (School of Aviation) reported it will take them until about that time to get everything in readiness to start operation at Harris. Consolidated has already signed a contract with the board to pay the city $4,800 annual rental.

In the meantime five airlines have applications pending before the Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington for permits to give air service to Cape Girardeau. Naturally, not all of these applications will be certified to give air service here, but it is possible that one or two of them may receive the permits. At least one of the applicants, Commonwealth Air Transport, Inc., has been particularly active in its effort to get a permit for a line between Nashville, Tennessee, and St. Louis, serving this city.

Harris Field, circa 1946. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Under city control

The operation at Harris Field has been a rather limited nature since the port was made war surplus property and the WAA a year ago gave the city a lease, amounting to an interim permit, to operate the field. The city then rented the facility to Cape Girardeau Flying Service on a month-to-month basis at $50 per month.

The matter of heading up the movement to acquire the field, make improvements and operate it was then vested by the city in its airport board, which was appointed and activated as of May 28, 1946. The members were named for varying terms. H.I. Himmelberger was named for six years, C.A. Juden and A.W. Zimmer Jr. each for four years, and Rush H. Limbaugh Jr. and Frank A. Lowry each for two years. The members serve without compensation.

Harris Field was constructed in 1942 and was federalized Dec. 31, 1942. More than 2,500 Army fliers were trained at the field, which continued active until March 17, 1944, when it became one of the bases for war surplus aircraft. More than 1,200 airplanes were stored here, most of them being sold to private buyers.

On Aug. 29, 1947, the government deeded the central tract at Harris Field to the City of Cape Girardeau.