Located in Mesa, Arizona about 30 miles southeast of Phoenix, Williams opened in December1941 and was initially named the Mesa Military Airport. In February 1942, the growing military airfield's name changed to Williams Field in honor of Arizona native 1st Lt Charles Linton Williams (1898-1927). Lieutenant Williams died on July 6, 1927 when his Boeing PW-9A pursuit aircraft crashed near Fort DeRussy, Hawaii.