In November 1916, Maj. Benjamin Foulois of the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army's Signal Corps chose a tract of land approximately three-fourths of a mile southeast of this site as a flying field for the Army Aviation Corps. In 1917, the site was named Camp Kelly and later Kelly Field in honor of Lt. George E.M. Kelly, who in 1911 became the first American aviator to lose his life while piloting a military aircraft. Activities at the camp included flight training and aircraft maintenance. In September 1917, Kelly Field's training activities moved north to this area, called "Kelly No. 2" to distinguish it from the original field. The new flight line, extending 125 yards east and 2400 yards west of this site, included numerous hangars, warehouses, barracks, repair shops, classrooms, and maintenance buildings. "Kelly No. 2" retained its training function from 1917 through 1942, and its Air Corps Advanced Flying School produced many prominent American aviators, including Charles Lindbergh and Claire Chennault. In 1955, the advent of new and larger aircraft prompted the extension of the existing runway, requiring the demolition of the old "Kelly No. 2" flight line.