George Field | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 George Field, Illinois, 1956 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Lawrenceville, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Built | 1942 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| In use | 1942-1945 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 38°45′51″N87°36′20″W / 38.76417°N 87.60556°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||||||||||
  George Field George Field, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
George Field is a former World War II military airfield, located 5 miles east-northeast of Lawrenceville, Illinois. It operated as an advanced pilot training school for the United States Army Air Forces from 1942 until 1945.
George Field was authorized by the United States Army Air Corps in April 1942 as part of the expansion of pilot training bases by the Air Corps Flying Training Command as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. It was one of many air fields created in the country's interior during the war. Construction of the facility began in June. [1] The airfield consisted of four main 5,200 ft concrete and asphalt runways, aligned 01/19; 05/23; 09/27 and 13/31. [2] In addition to the main airfield, four axillary fields were constructed to support the training mission. Those were located as follows
Additional airfields used by George Field for training were Atterbury Army Air Field, Indiana, and Sturgis Army Air Field, Kentucky, beginning in 1944 for combat troop carrier training. [2]
Initially named “Lawrence Army Flying School”, the name was changed to honor General Harold H. George, who was killed in a ground accident at Batchelor Field, southeast of Darwin, Australia on 29 April 1942. [1] He was killed when a Curtiss P-40 of the 49th Fighter Group lost directional control on takeoff and struck the parked Lockheed C-40 in which the General had just arrived at the base after escaping from the Philippines. [3] General George had joined the Air Service, United States Army in 1917, and flew with the 139th Aero Squadron on the Western Front in France. In combat, he was credited with five aerial victories. [4]
The school was opened on 10 August 1942 under the USAAF Eastern Flying Training Command, its mission to provide advanced (3d phase) pilot training in twin-engined aircraft. [5] Training was conducted by the 30th Two Engine Flying Training Group [6] using the Beechcraft AT-10 Wichita. Planes from George Field were fuselage-coded "GE". [7]
Until the summer of 1944, George Field received cadets that had graduated from advanced flying training schools, primarily in the southeast and provided them upgrade training to twin engine aircraft. These pilots would go on to fly primarily medium bombers and transport planes after completing their training. [5]
In late May 1943, severe flooding occurred in the Lawrence County area as a result of two weeks of almost ceaseless rain. George Field began to flood, causing the students and staff of the field to halt training and begin sandbagging the station area. It was impossible to get to either Lawrenceville or Vincennes, Indiana from the airfield except by boat when the levee broke on the Wabash River. Victory over the flood was celebrated at the Field with a holiday on 12 June. [8]
By the summer of 1944, the need for C-47 Skytrain transport pilots was critical and Training Command transferred George Field to I Troop Carrier Command. [5] The last Training Command class graduated on 4 August, and training activities were terminated on 15 August and jurisdiction was transferred. [9] A change of mission was made and George Field was placed under the 805th Army Air Force Base Unit. [10] Its training squadrons began training pilots for paratrooper drops and towing gliders. It also trained crews in combat re-supply and casualty evacuation procedures from rough forward airfields in the combat areas to hospitals in rear areas. [11] In February 1945, training was changed from the C-47 to C-46 Commando transports.
With the end of World War II, training ended at George Field on 1 September 1945. [12] and the field was placed on standby status. It was turned over to Air Technical Service Command (ATSC). ATSC's mission was to remove all usable military equipment from the property and dispose of items which no longer had a useful need. Like many other surplus airfields around the country, public sales were held to offer the material to the public. It was declared excess by the Army in 1946. George Field was conveyed though the War Assets Administration (WAA) to the City of Lawrenceville, Illinois on 16 November 1948 to establish a municipal airport. [8]
Today, the former training field is a general aviation airport, serving the local area. Three of the World War II runways remain in use as a main and as a crosswind runways. The massive parking apron remains, mostly unused, and sections of unused taxiways and runways remain, some partially removed for hardcore. The large station area is obliterated, with some of the wartime streets remaining as an airport access road and other agricultural roads; the buildings were long ago torn down or moved with a few concrete foundations remaining in the large grassy area. The military hangars on the flightline are gone, their concrete floors visible and exposed to the elements.
Pryor Field Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles (5 km) northeast of the central business district of Decatur and south of Athens, in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. It is owned by Decatur/Athens Airport Authority.
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Shafter Airport, also known as Minter Field and formerly known as Air Corps Basic Flying School, is a public use airport located four nautical miles east of the central business district of Shafter and 14 miles northwest of Bakersfield, a city in Kern County, California, United States. Originally a World War II primary training facility for pilots, it is currently a public airport owned by the Minter Field Airport District. This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.
Sharpe Field is a closed private use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Tuskegee, a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. This airport is privately owned by the Bradbury Family Partnership.
Dodge City Army Airfield, also known as Ford County Airport and Dodge City Municipal Airport, is an abandoned airfield located in Ford County, Kansas, 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Dodge City.
Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge is a former United States Army and United States Marine Corps airfield in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. After it was closed, it was turned into Walnut Ridge Regional Airport.
Hillsborough Army Airfield is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield which was located about 7 miles north of downtown Tampa, Florida, near Temple Terrace, Florida. After World War II it served as a civilian airport called Henderson Hillsborough International Airport for several years until it closed.
Graham Air Base was a United States Air Force base located in Marianna, Florida. After it was closed in 1960, it was reused as Marianna Municipal Airport.
Dalhart Army Air Base is a former World War II military airfield complex near the city of Dalhart, Texas. It operated three training sites for the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 until 1945.
Garden City Army Airfield was a World War II training base of the United States Army Air Forces Central Flying Training Command (CFTC). It is currently the city-owned Garden City Regional Airport.
Strother Army Airfield was a World War II training base of the United States Army Air Forces Central Flying Training Command (CFTC), and later II Fighter Command. It is currently the city-owned Strother Field.
Spence Air Base was a United States Air Force base that operated from 1941 to 1961. It was later reopened as Spence Airport.
Greenwood–Leflore Airport is a public airport located seven miles east of Greenwood, the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States. It is owned by the City of Greenwood and Leflore County, but is geographically located in Carroll County.
Stuttgart Army Airfield is a former World War II military airfield, located 7 miles north of Stuttgart, Arkansas. It operated as an advanced pilot training school for the United States Army Air Forces from 1942 until 1945.
Hendricks Army Airfield was a World War II United States Army Air Forces base located 6.6 miles east-southeast of Sebring, Florida.
Eagle Pass Army Airfield is a former World War II military airfield complex. It is located 10.6 miles (17.1 km) north of Eagle Pass, Texas. It operated as a training base for the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 until 1945.
Chico Army Airfield auxiliary fields were a number of airfields used during World War II to support the Chico Army Airfield. On September 11, 1941, the US Army rented from the City of Chico a small 1930's airport that sat on 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land. The Airfield was five miles (8.0 km) north of the city center. The Army built up the small airport into the Chico Army Airfield. From the Chico Army Airfield operated the: United States Army Air Corps's Army Air Forces Basic Flying School, the Army Air Force Pilot School, the 10th Base Headquarters an Air Base Squadron and the 433rd Army Air Force Base Unit or Combat Crew Training Station of Fighter. To support the training of the many pilots, Chico Army Airfield operated a number of auxiliary airfields. Some auxiliary fields were no more than a landing strip runway, others were other operation airfield that supported the training at the Chico Army Airfield.
Victorville Army Airfield auxiliary fields were four airfields used during World War II to support the Victorville Army Airfield pilot training near Victorville, California, and Adelanto, California. After the war the Victorville Army Airfield was renamed George Air Force Base on January 13, 1948. The airfields were built in 1941 by the United States Army Air Corps just before the war. Victorville Army Airfield covered 2,200-acre in the Mojave Desert. The US Army held a groundbreaking ceremony on 12 July 1941. The base, called Victorville Army Flying School, was ready to use before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Army built four runways in a triangle configuration, with one runway down the middle of the triangle. Seven hangars were built to support operation. On April 23, 1943, the base was renamed Victorville Army Airfield.
Merced Army Air Field auxiliary fields were built to support pilot training at the Merced Army Air Field. In 1940 the US Army wanted to build near Merced, California a 30,000 per year basic pilot training base. The former city of Cuba, Merced County, California near the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway rail line was chosen at 37°22′50″N120°34′05″W at an elevation of 181 feet (55 m) for the main base, in Atwater, California. United States Army Air Corps leased the land from the City of Merced on 16 June 1941. Building the airbase school started on 8 July 1941 and opened on 20 September 1941 as a sub base of Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command at Moffett Field. First called Air Corps Basic Flying School, Merced. The US Army moved part of the: 98th Bombardment Group, 539th School Squadrons, 540th School Squadrons, 541st School Squadrons, the 90th Air Base Squadron, and the 340th Material Squadron at Moffett Field to the new base in November 1941. The Air Corps Basic Flying School was renamed the Merced Army Flying School on 7 April 1942. To support the training auxiliary fields near the Merced Army Flying School were to be built for the flight training program. Merced Army Flying School was renamed the Merced Army Air Field in May 1943 and became part of the Western Flying Training Command.
Mount Carmel Municipal Airport is a civil, public use airport located 12 miles north of Mount Carmel, Illinois, United States. The airport is publicly owned by the City of Mt Carmel.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
| Flying training |
|  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical training | ||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
