Mason City Municipal Airport resolution to create a new airport and purchased 312 acres several miles west of the city. The new Mason City Municipal Airport saw its first official landing a few years later on March 29, 1945. The airport consisted of two paved runways, associated taxiways, and a small ramp area. A remodeled farmhouse was used as the first commercial terminal during the airport dedication on June 22, 1946. Musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with pilot Roger Peterson, died in a plane crash after taking off from the Mason City Municipal Airport in the early
The Buddy Holly Story (album) Story" as a 12" 33⅓ rpm LP record, they also released the four songs "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", "Heartbeat", "Raining In My Heart", and "Early in the Morning" – which were included on the LP version – as a 7" 45 rpm EP record which was also titled as "The Buddy Holly Story" (catalog number EC-81182). The EP peaked at #9 on "Billboard" magazine's Best Selling Pop EPs chart. In April 1960, Coral Records released a sequel to "The Buddy Holly Story" titled "The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2". The album was also used as the title of the soundtrack