RegDep.
Yes Sir !!
Palm Beach International Airport (PBIA) began operations as Morrison Field in 1936. Morrison Field was named in honor of Miss Grace K. Morrison who was a key participant in the planning and organization of the airfield. The first flight departing the field was a New York bound Eastern Air Lines DC-2 in 1936. The airport was officially dedicated on December 19, 1936.
The field was used by the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, commencing in 1941. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor Morrison field was used as a base for the allied invasion of France; many planes took off from Morrison, en route to the United Kingdom, to take part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
In 1947, the Army Air Corps moved to Mobile, Alabama and commercial services by Eastern and National Airlines resumed from Morrison Field.
On August 11, 1948, the name of the airport was changed to Palm Beach International Airport. The airport was once again used by the military in 1951. Renamed Morrison Air Force Base, the facility was used to train nearly 23,000 airmen during the Korean War.
In March 1953, the county opened the airport's second passenger terminal on the south side of the field. Following the Korean War, the federal government attempted to make Morrison AFB a permanent military installation; however the County fought the move and took over airport operations in 1959. Delta Air Lines began scheduled service in 1959 and was followed by Capital Airlines in 1960. Jet-powered flights were introduced by Eastern Airlines in 1959 with the turboprop Lockheed L-188 Electra.
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