SAN ANTONIO -- A newly-designed mural depicting the history of the military in San Antonio adorns upstairs hallway in the 502nd Air Base Wing headquarters on Joint base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.
“We wanted to embrace the history of all the locations since Joint Base San Antonio is one big base now,” said Peter Law, 502nd Air Base Wing historian.
The wing historian worked with the Fort Sam Houston Museum, Air Force resources and the Army Medical Department Museum to help compile the photographs for the mural.
The JBSA-Randolph Multimedia Center designed and built the four 4-by-8-foot panels that comprise the mural.
The time line begins in the early 1800s when the U.S. Army first arrived in San Antonio and chronicles military achievements throughout the decades to today.
“The history of San Antonio’s military heritage began with the U.S. Army’s arrival at the Alamo in 1845 and if you look at [San Antonio’s] history as a whole you will see that it’s constantly evolving to the needs of the military,” Law said.
The mural highlights the birth of aviation with the first military flight on Fort Sam Houston to the need for Kelly Field and Brooks Air Force Base followed by creation of Randolph and Lackland Air Force Bases.
“Joint Base San Antonio is one installation now and this panel covers all its rich history,” Law said.