Dobbins Air Reserve Base, located in Marietta, Georgia, needed to modify its entry gate to comply with increased security measures.  As a result, the 60-year-old base chapel was slated to be demolished.

The chapel played an important role for more than 60 years as a spiritual home to airmen and their families. It was deployed to Europe during World War II. After the war, it was acquired by the Georgia Air National Guard through private donation. Placed on then active-duty Dobbins Air Force Base, it was dedicated to veterans who served their country in World War II by Army Brig. Gen. J.H. O’Neil, Third Army chaplain.

O’Neil is known for writing Army Gen. George Patton’s prayer for clear weather during the Battle of the Bulge.

According to the article, Dobbins doesn’t have an authorization for a chapel, which means government funds couldn’t be used to save it.  Instead, the Dobbins Chapel Foundation collected the funds to move the building across the runway — literally.

The Dobbins Chapel Foundation is a private, nonprofit group established in 2005. Appointed to lead the charge to preserve the chapel and its history of faith is retired Col. John Powers.

The Foundation has a year to bring the building up to code in its new location on Georgia National Guard Camp Clay.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Brad Fallin). Also at the Air Force Times.

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