06/06/2026
Scotland County History 🏴
Today marks the 82nd Anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
Did you know that Scotland County played a key role in the invasion?
Local citizens in the Laurinburg and Maxton area of North Carolina learned in December of 1941 that the Federal Government wanted to locate an Air Training School in the vicinity of Maxton. The local governments petitioned the War Department and Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) to have some type of airfield built in their area in early 1942 to help in the war effort. The plan was to build the airfield with local funds and money supplied by the CAA and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The War Department would have control of the facility and use of it for the duration of the war, and afterwards the airfield would become a public airport.
Construction was authorized on April 20th of 1942, and almost immediately, work on the airfield began. Much of the labor was provided through the WPA. Engineers were surveying out the site, water wells were dug and preparations were underway to build a railroad spur to the facility. The base was planned to be a large, expansive facility designed to house 10,000 men. The cost was over ten million dollars and netted 20 miles of paved roads within the compound.
Three long 6,500-ft runways were constructed in a triangle configuration, oriented N/S, NE/SW and SW/NE. The station was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed. There were libraries, social clubs for officers, and enlisted men, and stores to buy living necessities.
The new Army Air Force base was opened in late October 1942 and was named "Laurinburg–Maxton Army Air Base.” It was placed under the jurisdiction of I Troop Carrier Command with a mission to train and equip glider airborne units for coordinated training with Army paratroop, infantry, artillery, engineers and medical units.
In early 1944, the mission of Laurinburg–Maxton AAB was to train student officers in advanced glider techniques and ground fighting. Also the training of C-47 pilots in towing the CG-4A Waco Gliders, which were developed for the planned Normandy invasion in June. The first glider pilot training class began on June 2nd of 1944, just four days prior to the Normandy Invasion.
Visits by high-ranking Army and Air Force officers were common at the base, which meant parades and troops passing in review drills were frequent. Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Marshall visited Laurinburg–Maxton on several occasions during the war, to observe units performing parachute and glider training.
The Laurinburg-Maxton airbase was the largest glider training facility in the nation during WWII and saw thousands of America's young men. It’s so important that we never forget this part of Scotland County history! 🇺🇸
Story by: Adam Peele
