INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A new state historical marker set for dedication pays homage to the role the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and adjacent areas played in keeping the nation's pilots flying during World War I.
The marker commemorating the town of Speedway's wartime aviation repair depot will be dedicated Tuesday afternoon by the Indiana Historical Bureau southwest of the Indianapolis 500's home.
The U.S. Army opened the depot in early 1918 to capitalize on the area's strategic position near military airfields, railroads, and industry. The famed auto race was canceled during the war and its sprawling site provided hangars and a flight test field for pilots.
Ground crews worked at sites across Speedway to repair aircraft in what became an innovative aviation hub. Those crews repaired, modified and tested aircraft and their engines.
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