The story of Millville Army Air Field could never be told without efforts of the members the Millville Flying Club. They planned and lobbied for an airport in Millville and played in essential part it the final decision to build the airport in Millville.
Chartered November 9, 1939, the Millville Flying Club set its goals: “To promote progress in aviation in Millville, to provide facilities for its members for proper flying and ground instruction, to acquire one or more airplanes and other equipment, and to develop and maintain an adequate airport in Millville.” The first elected officers were Nathaniel Rogovoy, President, Paul Christy, Vice-president, and Jack Ludlam, Secretary.
The club struggled for an adequate flying field from the very beginning. Several potential sites were examined, but nothing materialized. Kroelinger Field, just north of Vineland, was used until completion of a Millville Airport (Moore’s Field). By January 1940, they had fifteen members, three airplanes and three members had gotten solo licenses. By the summer of 1940, the flying club had grown to 19 members, 17 of which had gotten solo flying licenses.
The club sponsored air circus was held at Kroelinger Field on August 19th. Hundreds of people from all over Southern New Jersey came to watch the show. It started with Al Bennett of Highstown thrilling the crowd with a series of snap rolls, inverted flying, stalls, and loops. Many local flyers took their turn in the air. Later nearly 100 people got free airplane rides. There was a bomb-dropping contest and the show was concluded with a parachute jump.
The group urged the Millville Schools to teach aviation, helped look for a missing man in the Delaware Bay, monitored and photographed the rising water on the Labor Day Floods of 1940, (which caused substantial damage to structures near the Maurice River) and took every opportunity to publicly promote aviation.
A meeting of The Millville Flying Club members, local officials, business leaders, and other enthusiasts was held on October 28th. For the first time, Millville officials went on record as favoring an airport in Millville. They also announced the support of Gill Robb Wilson, New Jersey Director of Aviation, but better known as the founder of the Civil Air Patrol. They discussed several possible locations and funding. WPA representatives explained that a WPA project could be secured for the project, leaving the city with 25 percent of the cost.
In November, City officials acquired property on Cedarville Road for an airport. It was offered to the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders on November 14th as a county airport. Following arguments from Vineland and Bridgeton officials about a centrally located airport, the board appointed a committee to investigate. About the same time, word reached Millville that the US Government was planning to build an airport somewhere in Southern New Jersey. The National Defense Act of 1940 had authorized funds for the improvement of existing airports and construction of 900 new airports throughout the country.
