 The meaning of "Field of Gold" remains obscure; some 19th century authors refer to a "rich cropland"; others, to a malaria-infested marshland.A grass flying field existed there before World War II but apparently offered no transportation services, as the first regular flights to Marseille began with the institution of a seaplane service in 1935 from Ajaccio Harbor.In 1940, a Vichy Air Corps unit was kept inactive at Campo dell’Oro.