Alabama World War II Army Airfields

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.

Alabama World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Map of major Alabama World War II Army Airfields   Third Air Force     AAF Training Command   AAF Contract Flying Schools  Air Technical Service Command
Type	Army Airfields
Site history
Built	1940–1944
In use	1940–present

Official US Army Air Force Training Command photograph of 20 Tuskegee Airmen posing in front of a P-40 at Tuskegee Army Air Field

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

• Demopolis Army Air Field, 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of Demopolis

Detachment, 39th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Auxiliary of Key Field, Mississippi

Now: Demopolis Municipal Airport (ICAO: KDYA, FAA LID: DYA, formerly 7A2)

• Camp Sibert Army Air Field, 5 miles (8.0 km) west-southwest of Gadsden

Support of The Chemical Warfare Service, Camp Sibert

Now: Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (IATA: GAD, ICAO: KGAD, FAA LID: GAD)

AAF Training Command

AAF Eastern Flying Training Command

Courtland Army Air Field, 1-mile (1.6 km) southwest of Courtland 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 (FAA LID: 9A4) Craig Field, 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Selma 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 (IATA: SEM, ICAO: KSEM, FAA LID: SEM) Gunter Field, 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Montgomery 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)

Maxwell Field, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Montgomery 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 (IATA: MXF, ICAO: KMXF, FAA LID: MXF) Napier Field, 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Dothan 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 (IATA: DHN, ICAO: KDHN, FAA LID: DHN) Tuskegee Army Air Field, 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Tuskegee 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 (IATA: TGE, FAA LID: AL73)

Contract Flying Schools

Bates Field, 10 miles (16 km) west of Mobile 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 Contact to: Waterman Airlines Known sub-bases and auxiliaries St Elmo Auxiliary Field Later: Sub-Base of Brookley Field (ATC) Now: Mobile Regional Airport (IATA: MOB, ICAO: KMOB, FAA LID: MOB) and Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile Decatur Field, 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Decatur Operated by 65th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary) Under Contact 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 (IATA: DCU, ICAO: KDCU, FAA LID: DCU)

Roberts Field Airport, 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Birmingham Contract Glider Training Later: Auxiliary of Birmingham Army Air Field (ATC) Now: Industrial site 33°31′05″N 086°52′23″W Hargrove Van de Graaft Airport, 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Tuscaloosa 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 (IATA: TCL, ICAO: KTCL, FAA LID: TCL) Moton Field, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Tuskegee 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 (FAA LID: 06A)

Air Technical Service Command

Birmingham Army Air Field, 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of Birmingham 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 (IATA: BHM, ICAO: KBHM, FAA LID: BHM)

Brookley Field, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Mobile. 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 (IATA: BFM, ICAO: KBFM, FAA LID: BFM)

Minor Airfields

Fort McClellan Army Air Field, 6 miles (9.7 km) north-northeast of Anniston US Army Support Now: Abandoned Huntsville Arsenal Army Air Field, 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Huntsville US Army Support Now: Redstone Army Airfield (IATA: HUA, ICAO: KHUA, FAA LID: HUA)

Chilton CAA Intermediate Field, 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Clanton Undetermined USAAF Use Now: Chilton County Airport (FAA LID: 02A) Thomas C. Russell Field, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-southwest of Alexander Undetermined USAAF Use Weedon Field, 4 miles (6.4 km) north-northeast of Eufaula Undetermined USAAF Use

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1-57510-051-7
• Military Airfields in World War II - Alabama

External links