In the early 1940s, Casper, Wyoming, became a place where thousands of service members prepared for the realities of World War II. At the center was the rapid construction of the Casper Army Air Base, a facility that would quickly become one of the nation’s key training grounds for heavy bomber crews. Established in 1942, the facility was built in response to the urgent need to expand the country’s air power and included hundreds of buildings, multiple runways, and the capacity to support tens of thousands of personnel.

In 1942, TKDA was commissioned as the architect-engineer for the facility. The firm moved quickly, sending employees to Casper in mid-April as construction planning and design began. At its peak, TKDA had approximately 300 employees supporting the work on site. The scale and urgency of the project extended beyond TKDA. The University of Wyoming’s civil engineering program closed early so faculty and students could contribute to the effort, and university surveying equipment was deployed to support fieldwork and site development.

On September 1, 1942, the first service members arrived at the base, marking the start of its operational role. Over its short but intense period of operation, an estimated 16,000 to 18,000 personnel passed through the base. Like many wartime facilities, the Casper Army Air Base was deactivated as World War II ended in 1945, but its legacy continued. In 1949, the site was converted into the Casper/Natrona County International Airport, continuing its role as a hub for connectivity and economic growth in the region.