 The 1930s and 1940s brought much change to the Island City . During World War II , the Galveston Municipal Airport , predecessor to <unk> International Airport , was re @-@ designated a U.S. Army Air Corps base and named " Galveston Army Air Field " . In January 1943 , Galveston Army Air Field was officially activated with the 46th <unk> Group serving an anti @-@ submarine role in the Gulf of Mexico . In 1942 , William Lewis Moody , Jr . , along with his wife <unk> <unk> Rice Moody , established the Moody Foundation , to benefit " present and future generations of <unk> . " The foundation , one of the largest in the United States , would play a prominent role in Galveston during later decades , helping to fund numerous civic and health @-@ oriented programs . 
