July 2, 1926, the U.S. Army Air Service was re-designated the Army Air Corps. The change also include billets for two brigadier generals. 

Taking one of those slots, was former cavalry officer, Frank Lahm as he became the head of the  Air Corps Training Center in San Antonio. Trained by Wilbur Wright, Lahm was the Army’s first certified pilot. Seeing that the growing city would soon affect flight operations, he proposed a new training site northeast of the city.

On February 15, 1928, World War I Veteran, Capt. William Randolph had completed a flight in a Curtiss AT-4 from Kelly Field to Gorman Field north of San Antonio. On the 17th he took off for the return flight. Turning down wind his plane suddenly took a hard dive, crashing into the ground. He died on the way to the hospital. 
Two years later, Lahm’s new training field was officially opened and was named for Capt. Randolph.  

Capt. William Randolph is interred at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. He was 34. He is interred with his wife, Cornelia Randolph, and next to their two sons. They both died in plane crashes as well. William Reed died in 1941 in a civil aircraft at the age of 20. 1st Lt. Benjamin was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Chartres, France while piloting a light bomber. He was 22.

Picture of a an AT-5 aircaft, similar to the AT-4 Randolph was flying

WILLIAM M RANDOLPH

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