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Missouri World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Missouri 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 other USAAF commands (Air Technical Service Command (ATSC); Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command) also had a significant number of airfields.

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

Contract flying training
Now: Perryville Municipal Airport
Contract flying training
Now: Cape Girardeau Regional Airport<br />
Contract flying training
Now: Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport<br />

Troop Carrier Command

445th Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Malden Air Base (1951–1960)
USAF Contract Flight Training
Now: Malden Regional Airport
I Troop Carrier Command
405th Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Sedalia Air Force Auxiliary Field (1948–1951)
Was: Sedalia Air Force Base (1951–1955)
Now: Whiteman Air Force Base (1955–Pres)
Sub-base of Sedalia AAF
Now: Rolla National Airport
  • Grandview Airport, Belton (1944–1945)
Was: Grandview Air Force Base (1952–1957)
Was: Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base {Active USAF control} (1957–1976)
Was: Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base then Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station {AFRES/AFRC control} and <br/>Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport (1976–1999)<br/>
Closed 1999. Now non-aviation use as Kansas City SmartPort.
Support airfield for Ft. Leonard Wood
Now: Waynesville Regional Airport at Forney Field<br />

Air Technical Service Command

Joint use USAAF/US Navy/Civil Airport
Now: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport<br />

Air Transport Command

406th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Rosecrans Air National Guard Base<br />
Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
Now: Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport<br />

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