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What we know as Donaldson Center today originated from a military air base. The following provides some insight into its history:
In the early 1940’s, the US War Department selected Greenville, SC as the site for a new air base to support the US build-up for WWII. The base was completed in May 1942, and in June, Greenville Army Air Base was officially activated as a training base for replacement aircrews. The first units to arrive that summer were the 90th Bomb Group (Heavy), with their B-24s, and the 334th Bombardment Group, with their B-25s. The 90th stay was short-lived as they were sent to the Pacific Theater immediately, but the 334th stayed on through the course of the war to train replacement B-25 aircrews. In the summer of 1945, with WWII coming to an end, a number of training bases were slated for closure. This included Greenville Army Air Base, which was placed on standby status in November of that year. During the next four years, the base transitioned from aircrew training to a military airlift mission, and was also renamed Greenville Air Force Base. With the onset of the Korean War, the base became home to the 375th & 433rd Troop Carrier Wings, flying the C-119 “Boxcar”. In 1951, the base was renamed Donaldson Air Force Base, in honor of Captain John O. Donaldson, a Greenville native and World War I flying ace. The base became one of the busiest for the Air Force, with the 63rd Troop Carrier Wing aircrews flying the large C-124 "Globemaster" transport all over the globe including Antarctica! Large hangars and expansive ramps were constructed to support these large aircraft, and the base was known as the "Troop Carrier Capitol of the World". In December 1962, the Air Force announced plans to close the base permanently. Donaldson was declared surplus in 1963 and steps were taken to deed the property back to the City and County of Greenville. Under the terms of an earlier reversionary clause, the entire 2600 acres were offered "as is". The City and County accepted the offer, and took title of the facilities on January 25, 1964. A management committee initially operated the facility, which was named Donaldson Center Industrial Air Park. The Donaldson Development Commission replaced the management committee in 1975. Formed by a joint resolution of the City and County, the Commission has more formal authority than the original management committee and acts as agent in the realm of property development and management. Today there are over four thousand workers employed on Donaldson Center, working for over 80 companies and organizations. |
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