1102 - Lawton Ft. Sill Regional Airport

At first glance, the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport looks relatively ordinary. In reality, it is far from it! From a famed architect to a World War II flying ace, the airport is filled with rich history that is a little unexpected!

The story takes flight in the 1920s when Lawton was home to a modest airfield, consisting of grass-strip runways, used as horse race tracks in their previous life, and 12 individual aircraft hangars, the result of a group of air-minded Lawton citizens in 1929. In the early years, Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart, Charles Linbergh, and several other aviation pioneers landed at the Lawton airfield. While its beginnings were humble, it was here that many pilots were trained, including Lawton local, Robert S. Johnson. The grassy runways were home to him, where he learned how to fly and honed his skills. Bobby Johnson became a World War II flying ace. While serving with the Eighth Air Corps, he shot down 27 Nazi planes, breaking the record of the most decorated pilot of World War I.

In the early 1940s, change was on the horizon for the airport. In 1944, the City of Lawton issued a $595,000 bond for construction of the municipal airport. This amount was matched by the federal government and left more than a million dollars for construction which began two years later. The new airport was a far cry from its predecessor and was labeled as one of the most modern municipal airports of any city its size in the United States during that time. It was complete with a concrete runway, administration building, and two large hangars. On July 16, 1950 a Continental Airlines flight rumbled down the paved runway, the first to take off from the new airport. The Lawton-Fort Sill Airport officially opened on Labor Day of 1950. The world was at Lawton’s doorstep.

Lawton’s first air traffic control tower was dedicated in April of 1965. The architect was Ieoh Ming Pei, who would soon become famous for conceiving Paris’s Louvre Pyramid. The design of the Lawton tower would also become famous, as it was utilized at 16 additional airports, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport. On opening day, the Air Force Thunderbirds soared over the skies of Lawton in celebration, with the famed architect in attendance.

Colonel Robert S. Johnson passed away in 1998, leaving a legacy as America’s leading ace. His impact on aviation and the war efforts are unparalleled. The terminal at Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport bears his name in commemoration.

So, there you have it, the story of how a famous architect and World War II flying ace both left their mark on the airport in Lawton!