Georgia’s Fallen Heroes: The Renaming of Marietta Air Force Base in 1950

Name: Georgia’s Fallen Heroes: The Renaming of Marietta Air Force Base in 1950
Start: 2026-05-26T19:00:00-04:00
Location: First Presbyterian

Schedule

Tue, 26 May, 2026 at 07:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

First Presbyterian | Marietta, GA

Description:
In the early 1950s, the newly independent U.S. Air Force formalized how bases, buildings, airfields, and other facilities could be named in honor of fallen Airmen. Marietta Air Force Base was one of the first to be renamed, after local hero Charles Dobbins. But what about other local men who were nominated? Please join us for a lesson on the renaming of Marietta AFB while also learning about genealogical resources for researching your military family members.
Speaker:
Hannah Maloney Johnston is a Marietta native whose love of history runs deep in her family. Her roots trace back to Cobb County starting in 1842 and predate the Atlanta area during the 1820s. She graduated from the University of North Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education, with a concentration in social studies and language arts. Hannah has taught middle school Georgia History & ELA and high school AP Literature.
After several years of teaching, Hannah changed gears and became a state employee. She worked at the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for 5 years certifying educators. She is married to CPT Paul Johnston, of the Georgia National Guard. She has two children. Not long after her daughter was born, Hannah was bitten by the genealogy bug and was given the opportunity to manage the Old Marietta (O.M.) Facebook page. In her spare time, she likes to volunteer with the Kennesaw Mountain chapter of the NSDAR and Cobb Thanks You for Your Service.
Hannah is a member of the board for Cobb County Genealogical Society, serving as a director. She also enjoys cleaning headstones for family members and veterans. When time allows, she also likes to go to the Georgia Room and read old issues of the Marietta Daily Journal on microfilm to research stories mentioned to her by others. She is committed to preserving Marietta’s stories and helping others discover their own family history.