Tampa, FLORIDA - Mac Dill Field Bombers - Island Target Field - 1943:  In 1943, Tampa's MacDill Field served as a massive training hub for U.S. Army Air Forces medium and heavy bomber crews. Local islands and keys in Tampa Bay, such as Mullet Key (now Fort De Soto Park), were utilized as practice bombing and gunnery target fields for these transitioning flight crews.

MacDill Field in 1943

-  Focused heavily on training pilots and aircrews for the challenging Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber.

-  Earned the grim local moniker "One a Day in Tampa Bay" due to the high frequency of operational training crashes into the bay's waters.

-  Managed multiple combat bomb groups before their deployment to the European and Mediterranean theaters.

Island and Coastal Targets

-  Islands like Mullet Key and surrounding coastal areas became active dummy target zones for practice bombing runs.

-  Crews practiced low-altitude and medium-altitude bombing maneuvers over the open waters and isolated island keys of Tampa Bay.

-  Remnants of practice concrete munitions and wartime debris still surface in local waters and island shores today.

This Linen Era postcard from an Army Air Corp photograph.  The card was mailed in 1942, and is in good condition.  Genuine Curteich-Chicago "C.T. Art-Colortone" Chicago. Hillsboro News Co.  Tampa, Fla. No.  115.