Lowcountry Regional Airport (KRBW)

 airport, municipal

The Lowcountry Regional Airport (KRBW) in Walterboro, SC is the largest general aviation airport in South Carolina with three runways ranging in length from 5,500 feet to 6.002 feet and is located five miles east of Interstate 95.

Its primary runway (5/23) has recently been resurfaced and extended to 6,002 feet along with the construction of an adjoining parallel taxiway. Eighty (80) additional acres have been secured at the end of this runway for future runway extension.

LowCountry Aviation
537 Aviation Way, Walterboro, SC 29488
Phone: (843) 549-2549
Fax: (843) 549-1444

lowcountryairport.com/
www.globalair.com/airport/airport.aspx?aptcode=KRBW
www.lowcountryaviation.com

History.

In the late 1920's end 1930's a rough landing strip was made on the farm of C.C. Anderson just outside of Walterboro. Starting in 1941, as part of the World War II effort, the U.S. Government acquired the site of the strip and assembled a total of 3,815 acres for the Walterboro Army Airfield. Construction began in April, 1942, and just four months later, on August 4, 1942, the base was activated. The completed installation consisted of a large Airfield with extensive support facilities. Army Air Forces Fourth Service Command conducted combat Air Crew training. The Tuskegee Airmen were part of this effort. They were located near Tuskegee Circle, which is now the site of Walterboro High School. Many notable objectives were completed here. Trained pilots and crews went directly to combat in many parts of the world. Seven of the famous Doolittle Tokyo raiders were trained at Walterboro. There was a compound for German prisoners of war. The largest camouflage school in the country was located here.

Approximately 600 acres were used for bomb storage. Air Combat support was provided from Walterboro for many important defense facilities and cities, such as Santee Cooper Dams, the Parris Island Marine Base, the Navy Yard and Charleston. This was a very desirable airfield Iocation because it had good flying weather and was beyond the range of hostile Navy guns. Effective November 15, 1945 the total installation was classified as surplus and conveyed the property to the Colleton County/Walterboro Airport Commission.

Tuskegee Airmen Memorial In honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, their instructors and ground support personnel who participated in preparing for combat training at the Walterboro Army Airfield during the Second World War. Because of their heroic action in combat they were called Schwartze Vogelmenschen (Black Bird Men) by the Germans who both feared and respected them. White American bomber crews in reverence referred to them as the "Red Tail Angels" because the identifying red paint on their tail assemblies and because of their reputation for not losing any aircraft they protected (escorted) to enemy fighters as they provided fighter coverage for missions over strategic targets in Europe.