During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Alabama for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of AAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Third Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC) (a predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command). However, the other USAAF support commands (Air Technical Service Command (ATSC); Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command) commanded a significant number of airfields in a support roles.
It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields. Many were converted into municipal airports, some were returned to agriculture and several were retained as United States Air Force installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.
Major Airfields
Third Air Force
Detachment, 39th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
Auxiliary of Key Field, Mississippi
Now: Demopolis Municipal Airport
Support of The Chemical Warfare Service, Camp Sibert
Now: Northeast Alabama Regional Airport
AAF Training Command
AAF Eastern Flying Training Command
Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Special, 4-Engine), 14 December 1942-30 June 1945
446th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron 19 December 1942-30 April 1944
2115th Army Air Force Base Unit 1 May 1944-1 November 1945
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Danville Auxiliary Field
: Trinity Auxiliary Field
: Bay Auxiliary Field
: Leighton Auxiliary Field
: Muscle Shoals Auxiliary Field
Now: Courtland Airport
Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine) 16 December 1940-15 December 1945
57th Air Base Squadron/57th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron 16 December 1940-30 April 1944
2138th Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced, Single Engine) 1 May 1944-15 December 1945
Free French Air Force pilot training
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Anniston Army Air Field
: Selma Auxiliary Field (Selfield)
: Furniss Auxiliary Field
: Henderson Auxiliary Field
: Mollette Auxiliary Field
: Autaugaville Auxiliary Field
Later: Craig Air Force Base (1947-1977)
Now: Craig Field Airport
Air Corps Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/ Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic), 8 August 1940-10 September 1945
58th Air Base Squadron/58th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 3 October 1940-30 April 1944
2131st Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Basic) 1 May 1944-13 December 1945
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: McLemore Auxiliary Field
: Elmore Auxiliary Field
: Mount Meigs Auxiliary Field
: Taylor Field
: Dannelly Auxiliary Field
:: Now: Montgomery Air National Guard Base and Montgomery Regional Airport
: Deatsville Auxiliary Field
Now: Gunter Annex (Non-flying USAF facility)
Air Corps Tactical School, 15 July 1931-13 May 1942
Hq, Southeast Air Corps Training Center/Hq, Southeast Army Air Forces Training Center/Hq, Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 1 September 1940-1 June 1946
Air Corps Replacement Center (Pilot)/Air Corps Replacement Training Center (Aircrew)/Army Air Forces Pre-flight School (Pilot), 21 February 1941-1 December 1944
14th Air Base Squadron/14th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 1 September 1940-30 April 1944
2132nd Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 May 1944-15 December 1945
Headquarters, Air University
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Passmore Auxiliary Field
: Troy Auxiliary Field
: Autaugaville Auxiliary Field
Now: Maxwell Air Force Base
Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine), 30 November 1941-19 October 1945
73d Air Base Squadron/73rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 30 November 1941-30 April 1944
2116th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced, Single Engine), 1 May 1944-January 1946
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Ozark Army Air Field
::: Now: Cairns Army Airfield
: Wiksburg Auxiliary Field
: Dothan Auxiliary Field
: Headland Auxiliary Field
: Goldberg Auxiliary Field
: Hyman Auxiliary Field
Now: Dothan Regional Airport
Army Air Forces Flying School (Basic-Advanced)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic-Advanced), July 1942-14 April 1946
Base Detachment/318th Air Base Squadron/318 Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 10 November 1941-30 April 1944
2143rd Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Basic-Advanced), 1 May 1944-14 April 1946
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Griel Auxiliary Field
: Shorter Auxiliary Field
Note: See Moton Field for Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Now: Sharpe Field
Contract Flying Schools
Contract Pilot School, Glider, 6 July 1942-15 February 1943
533rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 25 May 1943-1 April 1944
4120th Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 April 1944-2 April 1945
Under Contract to: Waterman Airlines
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: St Elmo Auxiliary Field
Later: Sub-Base of Brookley Field (ATC)
Now: Mobile Regional Airport and
Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile
Operated by 65th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
Under Contract to: Southern Airways
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Harris Station Auxiliary Field
: Anderson Auxiliary Field
: Beaver Dam Auxiliary Field
: Poole Auxiliary Field
: Tanner Auxiliary Field
Now: Pryor Field Regional Airport
Contract Glider Training
Later: Auxiliary of Birmingham Army Air Field (ATC)
Now: Industrial site
Operated by 51st AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
Under Contract to: Alabama Institute of Aeronautics
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
: Albright Auxiliary Field
: Foster Auxiliary Field
: Knauer Auxiliary Field
: Moody Auxiliary Field
: Rice Auxiliary Field
Now: Tuscaloosa Regional Airport
Operated by 66th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
Under contract to Tuskegee Institute
Known sub-bases and Auxiliaries
: Calabee Flight Strip
: Hardaway Auxiliary Field
: Kennedy Auxiliary Field
Now: Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Now: Moton Field Municipal Airport
Air Technical Service Command
310th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 27 May 1942-17 April 1944
4139th Army Air Force Base Unit, 1 May 1945-unknown date
Joint USAAF/Civil Use
Also used by Third Air Force and Air Transport Command
Now: Birmingham Air National Guard Base
Mobile Air Depot Control Area/Mobile Air Service Command/Mobile Air Technical Service Command/Mobile Air Materiel Area, 1 February 1943-30 June 1968
480th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 1 January 1943-1 April 1944
4119th Army Air Force Base Unit/4119th Air Force Base Unit, 1 April 1944-28 August 1948
Also used by Air Transport Command
Was: Brookley Air Force Base (1948-1969)
Now: Mobile Downtown Airport
Minor Airfields
US Army Support
Now: Abandoned
US Army Support
Now: Redstone Army Airfield
Undetermined USAAF Use
Now: Chilton County Airport
Undetermined USAAF Use
Undetermined USAAF Use
References
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
- Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub .
- Military Airfields in World War II - Alabama
External links