Washington World War II Army Airfields

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

Most of these airfields were under the command of Second 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

Army Air Force Training Command

• Yakima Air Base, Yakima

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

Contract Flying School

Now: Yakima Air Terminal

Air Transport Command

• Gray Field, AAF, Fort Lewis

302d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Gray Army Airfield, active Army Airfield which supports Fort Lewis.

Air Technical Service Command

• Boeing Field, Seattle<br />

Aircraft delivery facility, Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

• Moses Lake AAF, Moses Lake

465th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Moses Lake Air Force Base (1947)

Was: Larson Air Force Base (1948-1966)

Now: Grant County International Airport<br />

• Ellensburg AAF, Ellensburg

Now: Bowers Airport<br />

• Spokane AAF, Spokane

498th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Spokane Air Force Base (1947-1950)

Now: Fairchild Air Force Base

Second Air Force

• Bellingham/Tulip AAF, Bellingham

Now: Bellingham International Airport<br />

• Ephrata AAF, Ephrata

355th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Ephrata Municipal Airport<br />

• Geiger/Sunset Field AAF, Spokane

41st Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Spokane International Airport<br />

: Seven Mile Gunnery Range, Spokane

: Sub-base of Geiger AAF<br />(7 miles NW of Spokane; may have only been a target field.)

: Felts Field, Spokane

: Auxiliary of Geiger AAF

: Joint civil and contract AAF pilot training

: Now: Felts Field Airport

• McChord Field AAF, Tacoma

43d Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: McChord Air Force Base (1947-2010)

Now: Joint Base Lewis-McChord

• Olympia AAF, Olympia

Now: Olympia Airport<br />

• Paine Field AAF, Everett/Paine

33d Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Paine Air Force Base (1951-1968)<br />(Joint use USAF/Civil Airport)

Now: Paine Field/Snohomish County Airport

• Port Angeles AAF, Port Angeles, Washington

Now: William R. Fairchild International Airport<br />

• Port Townsend AAF, Port Hadlock

Now: Jefferson County International Airport

• Walla Walla AAF, Walla Walla

357th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Walla Walla Regional 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 .
• Military Airfields in World War II - Washington airfieldsdatabase.com