Barron Field
Everman, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One of three World War I fight training centers in the Ft. Worth area, Taliaferro Field No. 2 was built on this site in Nov. 1917. First used by Canadian cadets, it was occupied in April 1918 by American military units. In May, the facility was renamed Barron Field for Cadet Robert J. Barron, who was killed at another flying school. Covering over 600 acres, the camp housed as many as 150 officers and 900 enlisted men. Barron Field sent six Air Squadrons to France before the war ended, Nov. 11, 1918. The training facility closed in 1921, and today only the munitions building remains. (1976)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in November 1917 as Taliaferro Field No. 2, this was one of three World War I flight-training fields around Fort Worth, first used by Canadian cadets before American units arrived in 1918. Renamed Barron Field for a cadet killed in a flying accident, the 600-acre camp trained hundreds of airmen and sent six air squadrons to France before the Armistice. It closed in 1921, leaving only its munitions building.
Why it matters
It marks the birth of American military aviation, when the U.S. and its allies raced to train pilots for the first air war.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the airplane was barely more than a decade old, and the nation had very few trained military pilots. The war in Europe had shown that aircraft would matter for scouting, fighting and bombing, and the Allies urgently needed far more airmen than they had.
Texas offered something precious for flight training: wide open, flat land and a mild climate where flying could continue through the winter. The marker records that this was one of three World War I flight-training centers around Fort Worth, and the whole area became a busy hub of aviation almost overnight.
The first trainees here were Canadian cadets. Canada, as part of the British Empire, had been at war since 1914, and its harsh winters made year-round flight training at home difficult. Cooperation with the United States allowed Canadian cadets to train in the warmer Texas weather, while Americans learned from their more experienced allies.
People & events
The field was built in November 1917 and first known as Taliaferro Field No. 2. Canadian cadets were the first to use it, learning to fly the light, fragile training biplanes of the era. Flying was dangerous; engines failed, aircraft were unforgiving, and accidents were a constant risk for students and instructors alike.
In April 1918 American military units took over the field. The next month, it was renamed Barron Field in honor of Cadet Robert J. Barron, who had been killed at another flying school. Naming the field for a young cadet, rather than a general, was a reminder of the risks every trainee faced simply by learning to fly.
At its height the camp spread over more than 600 acres and housed as many as 150 officers and 900 enlisted men. Mechanics, riggers, instructors and support staff worked alongside the cadets. Before the war ended with the Armistice on November 11, 1918, Barron Field had sent six air squadrons to France. The field closed in 1921, and today only its munitions building remains.
Its place in the American story
Barron Field belongs to the story of how the United States built an air force almost from scratch. In 1917 the country had only a small aviation section; within about a year and a half it had trained thousands of airmen at fields like this one. Those wartime lessons in organizing pilot training shaped American military aviation in the decades that followed.
The site also tells a story of international partnership. Canadian and American cadets shared Texas skies and training grounds at a time when the two nations were learning to work together as allies. That cooperation is an early chapter in a close military relationship that continued through the century.
Finally, Barron Field shows how World War I reshaped the American landscape. Temporary camps appeared quickly, filled with young men from across the country, and then vanished after the war. The surviving munitions building is a rare physical trace of a short, intense moment when North Texas helped prepare the first generation of American combat aviators.
If you visit
Bring your imagination. The hangars, barracks and grass flying field are long gone, and the marker notes that only the munitions building survives. Standing here, try to picture more than 600 acres alive with biplanes, mechanics and a thousand men in uniform.
The flat, open land that drew the Army here is still part of the feel of the area. Looking out across it helps explain why Texas became such an important training ground in the early days of flight.
Everman sits just south of Fort Worth, so this marker fits easily into a day exploring the city. Aviation fans can make a theme of it by seeking out other markers and sites tied to the area's World War I flying fields and to North Texas's long aviation history.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
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Related people
- · Robert J. Barron
Related events
- · World War I
Themes & tags
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