St. Petersburg’s Wartime Transformation

During World War II, St. Petersburg played a vital role in America’s military training efforts. The city’s two airports, Albert Whitted Airport and the former Pinellas County Airport, now St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, became busy training grounds for Army Air Corps fighter pilots. Across the bay at MacDill Field in Tampa, bomber crews prepared for combat missions overseas. For nearly two years, the skies above Tampa Bay echoed with the constant sound of military aircraft.

Military activity extended beyond the airfields. At Bayboro Harbor (pictured), the U.S. Coast Guard expanded its presence and established a Marine Officers Cadet School. In 1942, the Coast Guard came under Navy control as part of the wartime mobilization effort. The United States Maritime Service soon assumed responsibility for training merchant mariners, while the Coast Guard focused on coastal defense and anti-submarine operations. As enrollment grew, new training facilities stretched into the harbor.

The war also transformed the Don CeSar Hotel. In October 1943, the federal government leased the landmark and converted it into a convalescent hospital for wounded servicemen. Together, these efforts made St. Petersburg an important contributor to the nation’s wartime success.