The airfield was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established in 1917 after the United States entry into World War I.

[2][3] In 1917 the Army announced its intention of establishing a series of camps to train prospective pilots after the United States entry into World War I.

Primary training took eight weeks and consisted of pilots learning basic flight skills under dual and solo instruction with a student capacity of 300.

Many local officials speculated that the U.S. government would keep the field open because of the outstanding combat record established by Dorr-trained pilots in Europe.

[4] However, Dorr Field was ordered to phase down all activities at the base in accordance with sharply reduced military budgets.

In the late 1930s, it was noted that "nothing remains but crumbling concrete roads, runways, and massive foundations, all but concealed by rank palmetto growth.

Inactivated 16 October 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program and was declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Today only some large concrete pads that were the floors of the World War II hangars remain, although a few small wartime buildings are still in use by the prison.