During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Illinois for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of First 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
Army Air Force Training Command
Eastern Technical Training Center (Metrological School; adv. Specialities)
9th Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993)
Now: Rantoul National Aviation Center
Contract Pilot School
Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport
AAF Southeast Training Center
327th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport
* Atterbury Army Airfield, Columbus, Indiana
: Sub-base of George AAF
: Now: Columbus Municipal Airport
* Sturgis Army Airfield, Sturgis, Kentucky
: Sub-base of George AAF
: Now: Sturgis Municipal Airport
Air Transport Command
8th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Scott Air Force Base
Air Technical Service Command
395th Army Air Force Base Unit
Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
Now: the Scottsdale neighborhood in Chicago, and the southeast side of Burbank, Illinois (see Ashburn Flying Field)
Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
Later a joint use civil-military airport as O'Hare International Airport & O'Hare Air Reserve Station
Now: O'Hare International Airport
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.
External links