Airshow just one piece of Rosecrans history
By Leah Rainwater
The Sound of Speed Airshow has been a St. Joseph tradition since the 1980s, regularly taking place at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
“It’s been on and off since the 80s. We try and do it every other year, but of course things come up and there’s delays or years that are just canceled,” said Julius Rice, the airport general manager.
But the airshow isn’t the only notable item in the airport’s history.
Relocations throughout St. Joseph
Rice said the airport has been moved a few times throughout its existence.
“The first one was Rosecrans field, which is over by Lake Contrary. This was back in the 20s before there were runways and stuff, so it was really just a field, literally Rosecrans field,” Rice said.
The airport moved to its second location in 1925 and stayed until 1935.
“That moved a few years later to … over by the bluffs, near where Remington Nature Center is and the casino is,” Rice said. “That airport was closed because airports/airplanes next to bluffs with weather, way back in the day before there were instrument landing systems and nav-aides and all that stuff … it was deemed a hazard.”
Rice said the airport opened in its third location a few years later.
“The airport in its current location, Rosecrans Memorial Airport, opened for operations in 1939 and then was officially dedicated in 1940,” said Rice.
Earning its namesake
The airport was dedicated and named after Sgt. Guy Wallace Rosecrans, the only airman from St. Joseph who died in World War I in 1918.
“He was helping a mechanic try to start a plane, because something had gotten clogged,” said Sarah Elder, the manager of Remington Nature Center. “And of course at that time, you had to start the plane by pushing on the propeller to get it going and doing things with the engine itself … The propeller hit him in the head and killed him instantly.”
“Guy Wallace Rosecrans was the only son of St. Joseph, the only St. Joseph local that was killed in World War I,” Rice said. “Because of that, he got the airport named after him.”
Elder said after Rosecrans’ remains were returned to his family in 1920, he was then buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
Airport’s role in the military
The airport has also served as a training location during important times in U.S. history.
“The airport was used by the United States Army as a training facility during World War II,” Elder said. “After World War II, it was taken over by the newly formed Air Force out of the Army. Then the Air Force transferred 142 acres back to the city and now that 142 plus acres is now the home of course, of the 139th Airlift Wing of the International Guard.”
Withstanding the Missouri River
Since moving to its final location, the airport has braved a few floods.
The Missouri River flood in 1952 changed the course of the Missouri River, cutting off St. Joseph from the airport.
“During that flood of ‘52, it cut a new channel,” said Elder. “And how the airport was connected by the land in St. Joseph, it just cut it off, and so now we have the river as it looks today, but the state line doesn’t change.”
The Great Flood of 1993 also caused significant damage to aircraft and airport buildings as well.
The future of the airport
The airport is continuing to find ways to improve and make history.
The recent completion of a new runway will be showcased at the Sound of Speed Airshow on Sept. 14 and 15.
The construction of the new terminal building, which will house the B&B Runway Cafe and airport offices, is still underway.
