Georgia World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Georgia for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of Third Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC) 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

First Air Force, later Third Air Force

• Chatham Army Air Field, west-northwest of Savannah

425th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 22 January 194310 April 1944

114th Army Air Force Base Unit (First AF): 10 April 194428 March 1945

323rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 19458 Jun 1947

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Transferred to: Third Air Force (1945)

Was: Chatham Air Force Base (1947–1950)

Now: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

And Savannah Air National Guard Base

And Georgia ANG Combat Readiness Training Center

• Harris Neck Army Airfield, south-southwest of Savannah

Sub-base of: Dale Mabry Field, Florida

346th Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 19441945

Transferred to: United States Navy (1945)

Now: Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Third Air Force

• Statesboro Army Airfield, northeast of Statesboro

Sub-base of: Morris Field. North Carolina, later William Northern Field, Tennessee

4157 Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194526 January 1946

Now: Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport

• Thomasville Army Airfield, northeast of Thomasville

339th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 19446 February 1946

Now: Thomasville Regional Airport

• Hunter Field, south-southwest of Savannah

Air Base Squadron, 35th Air Base Group/36th Air Base Squadron/36th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 5 October 19401 May 1944

302nd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194415 December 1946

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Was: Hunter Air Force Base (1950–1967)

Now: Hunter Army Airfield (United States Army)

And: Coast Guard Air Station Savannah

• Waycross Army Airfield, northwest of Waycross

531st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 10 May 19431 May 1944

345th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194410 October 1945

Sub-base of: Hunter Field, later Drew Field, Florida

Now: Waycross-Ware County Airport

AAF Training Command

Eastern Flying Training Command

• Bainbridge Army Air Field, northwest of Bainbridge

AAF Basic Flying Training School/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 Jun 19421 May 1945

322nd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 July 194230 April 1944

2127th Army Air Force Base Unit (AAF Eastern Flying Training Command): 30 April 19441 May 1945

4164th Army Air Force Base Unit:(Air Technical Service Command): 1 May 19459 March 1946

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Donalsonville Auxiliary Field

: Reynoldville Auxiliary Field

: Faceville Auxiliary Field

: Vada Auxiliary Field

: Babcock Auxiliary Field

: Commodore Decatur Auxiliary Field

Later: Bainbridge Air Base (1951–1961)

3306th Pilot Training Group (Contract Flying)

Now: Decatur County Industrial Air Park

• Cochran Army Airfield, south of Macon

Air Corps Basic Flying School/AAF Basic Flying Sch/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 May 194115 April 1945

Hq, 27th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 May 1945

61st Air Base Squadron/61st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 28 May 194130 April 1944

2128th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194415 April 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Gunn Auxiliary Field

: Perry Auxiliary Field

: Harris Auxiliary Field

: Byron Auxiliary Field

: Myrtle Auxiliary Field

Now: Middle Georgia Regional Airport

• Moody Field, north-northeast of Valdosta

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 26 June 194130 April 1945

Hq, 29th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 April 1945

78th Air Base Squadron/78th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 November 194130 April 1944

2144th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194430 April 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Rock Ford Auxiliary Field

: Lake Park Auxiliary Field

: Bemiss Auxiliary Field

: New River Auxiliary Field

: Valdosta Auxiliary Field

Now: Moody Air Force Base

• Spence Field, east-southeast of Moultrie

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine): 12 July 19411 August 1945

75th Air Base Squadron/75th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 26 December 194130 April 1944

2133rd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194415 December 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Berlin Auxiliary Field

: Norman Park Auxiliary Field

: Moultrie Municipal Airport

: Tifton Municipal Airport

Later: Spence Air Base (1951–1961)

3302d Flying Training Squadron (Contract Flying)

Now: Spence Airport

• Turner Army Airfield, east-southeast of Albany

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 1 August 1941-15 August 1946

Hq, 74th Flying Training Wing: 25 Aug 43-Unknown

68th Air Base Squadron/68th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 June 194130 April 1944

2109th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 194415 August 1946

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Leesburg Auxiliary Field

: West Smithville Auxiliary Field

: West Leesburg Auxiliary Field

: North Smithville Auxiliary Field

: Cordele Municipal Airport

: Vidalia-Lyons Auxiliary Field

: Tifton Municipal Airport

: Albany Army Airfield

Later: Turner Air Force Base (1947–1967)

Later: Naval Air Station Albany (1967–1976)

Now: Non-Aviation Use (Industrial Area); runway removed

AAF Contract Flying Schools

• Albany Army Airfield, northwest of Albany

Contract Flying School: Darr Aero Tech

Also: Auxiliary to Turner Field

52nd Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment (Primary)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Hayley Auxiliary Field

: Reynolds Auxiliary Field

: River Auxiliary Field

: Turner Auxiliary Field

Now: Southwest Georgia Regional Airport

• Bush Field, south of Augusta

Contract Flying School: Georgia Aero Tech

72nd Army Air Force Flight training Detachment (Basic)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Dionne Auxiliary Field

: Yawn Auxiliary Field

Now: Augusta Regional Airport

• Douglas Municipal Airport, south of Douglas

South Georgia College Civil Pilot Training School (Primary)

63d Flight Training Detachment

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Tanner-Ewing Auxiliary Field

: Knight Auxiliary Field

: Dorminey Auxiliary Field

: Paulk Auxiliary Field

Now: Douglas Municipal Airport

• Souther Field, south of Americus

Souther Civil Pilot Training School (Primary)

56th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)

Now: Jimmy Carter Regional Airport

Air Technical Service Command

• Atlanta Army Air Field, south-southwest of Atlanta

Base Detachment/303rd Air Base Squadron/303rd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 15 January 19411 April 1944

4204th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 1944-26 May 1946

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use

Also used by: United States Navy

Now: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

• Daniel Field, west of Augusta

21st Air Base Squadron/21st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 8 August 19411 April 1944

4050th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 19444 March 1946

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

Also used by Third Air Force (1941-1942)

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airfield

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Now: Daniel Field

• Macon Army Air Base, east of Macon

37th Air Depot Group

469th Army Air Force Base Unit

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use

Now: Macon Downtown Airport

• Marietta Army Airfield, north-northwest of Atlanta

292d Army Air Force Base Unit: 25 March 19413 April 1944

Bell Aircraft B-29 Superfortress Manufacturing/Delivery

Also used by: Second Air Force

Now: Dobbins Joint Air Reserve Base

• Robins Field, north-northeast of Warner Robins

4117th Army Air Force Base Unit

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

Warner Robins Air Depot

Now: Robins Air Force Base

And: Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WRALC)

Minor airfields

• Lawson Field, south of Columbus

Camp Benning Army Support

54th Army Air Force Base Unit (I Troop Carrier Command)

Was: Lawson Air Force Base (1947–1954)

Now: Lawson Army Airfield

• Liberty Army Airfield, east of Hinesville

Camp Stewart Army Support

WASP/Antiaircraft Training

Now: MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield

References

• Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
• 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 – Georgia