In the early days of World War II, the government acquired 111,000 acres of land east of Avon Park for construction of a General Bombing and Gunnery Range. Once built, the base provided pilot training, bivouac training, survival training, aerial gunnery training, live bombing training, along with training in ditching procedures from aircraft  downed in water, celestial navigation, chemical warfare and aircraft engine maintenance.

The base is still used for training and is now known as the Avon Park Air Force Range.