A third airfield, Alamo Field, was established in 1942 by aviator George Crockett south of Las Vegas, at the present location of McCarran Airport. The Army sought to open a base at the site of McCarran Field, so Clark County purchased Alamo Field to make it its airline airport. Alamo Field became the new McCarran Field on December 19, 1948. Meanwhile, the Army reopened its base at the original McCarran Field in 1949 and named it Nellis Air Force Base in 1950.