DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker at Love Field has to say — and friend, this one's got some altitude to it. Now, Dallas has always believed its future rode on whatever was moving fastest. Back when that meant rails, Dallas chased rails.
And when something newer and louder started rattling the sky, Dallas looked up and said — we want in on that. It starts with a man named Frank McCarroll, an Oak Cliff resident who made his first flight in 1903. That alone ought to give you pause.
Nineteen-oh-three. And by 1910, McCarroll and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce had organized a State Fair air show that drew thousands of viewers. Thousands of people standing in a Texas field, craning their necks at a machine that had no business being up there.
And every single one of them knew — something had changed. Then came 1917 and World War I, and Dallas moved fast. The city secured an agreement with the War Department to provide a military flying school for the army to lease.
The Army Signal Corps named the field Love Field — in honor of Lieutenant Moss Lee Love, born 1879, died 1913, an Army aviation fatality. A name given in honor, and in grief. The war ended.
A festival at Love Field marked that moment in 1918. The Army decommissioned the flying school in 1920. And you might think that's where the story slows down.
But Dallas wasn't finished with this patch of ground. The City of Dallas leased space to pilots. In 1922, the Curtiss Flying School and Curtiss Aeroplane Company opened right there at the field.
The very next year, 1923, the Army came back — this time to provide weather and radio service to pilots. Then in the mid-1920s, Love Field attracted U.S. air mail route service. Now here's the thing about those air mail carriers — they were the first national air service companies, and many of them developed into the major air carriers of the late twentieth century.
The whole modern age of commercial flight has roots tangled up in mail bags and open cockpits. And the names that passed through? Charles Lindbergh.
Amelia Earhart. Notable pilots making stops here, as if Love Field was a place you simply had to touch down. World War II brought another wave.
The 5th Ferrying Group based operations at Love Field. A contingent of the Women Air Force Service Pilots — the WASP — flew out of here. And a large Lockheed modification center operated on the grounds.
This field had seen two world wars and was still standing. Over the decades, aircraft technology advanced, services expanded, major carriers established offices at its facilities. Love Field grew with every era it survived.
Until 1973, when a larger airport opened and most of the area's air traffic moved there. Love Field almost closed. Almost.
Almost is a powerful word in Texas. Because today, Love Field has grown into one of the busiest commercial and general aviation airports in the United States. It serves scheduled passengers, corporate clients, and maintenance business.
It is, the marker says, an important reminder of the city's early aviation efforts. From Frank McCarroll lifting off in 1903 to one of the busiest airports in the country — Dallas looked up at the sky, and the sky blinked first.
What the marker says
Love Field Believing the city's success was linked to its transportation system, Dallas leaders made early efforts to secure a future within the burgeoning field of aviation. Oak Cliff resident Frank McCarroll made his first flight in 1903. In 1910, he and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce organized a State Fair air show and attracted thousands of viewers. In 1917, during World War I, the city secured an agreement with the War Department to provide a military flying school for the army to lease. The Army Signal Corps named the field "Love Field" in honor of Lt. Moss Lee Love (1879-1913), an Army aviation fatality. A festival at Love Field marked the war's end in 1918, and the Army decommissioned the flying school in 1920. The City of Dallas leased space to pilots and, in 1922, the Curtiss Flying School and Curtiss Aeroplane Co. opened at the field. In 1923, the Army returned to provide weather and radio service to pilots. The airport attracted U.S. air mail route service in the mid-1920s; air mail carriers were the first national air service companies, and many developed into the major air carriers of the late 20th century. Over the years, notable pilots made stops here, including Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. During World War II, the 5th Ferrying Group based operations here, along with a contingent of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) and a large Lockheed modification center. As Love Field developed, so did aircraft technology and services, and major carriers established offices at its facilities. In 1973, a larger airport opened with most area air traffic moving there; Love Field almost closed. Today, though, Love Field has grown into a significant facility and one of the busiest commercial and general aviation airports in the United States. It remains a valuable Dallas asset, serving scheduled passengers, corporate clients and maintenance business. It is an important reminder of the city's early aviation efforts. (2003)