Georgia World War II Army Airfields

Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Site information
Type	Army Airfields
Location
class=notpageimage| Map of Major Georgia World War II Army Airfields   First Air Force   Third Air Force   AAF Training Command   AAF Contract Flying Schools   Air Technical Service Command
Site history
Built	1940–1944
In use	1940--present

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

Most of these airfields were under the command of Third 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

First Air Force, later Third Air Force

• Chatham Army Air Field, 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-northwest of Savannah

425th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 22 January 1943 –10 April 1944

114th Army Air Force Base Unit (First AF): 10 April 1944 –28 March 1945

323rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 1945 –8 Jun 1947

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Transferred to: Third Air Force (1945)

Was: Chatham Air Force Base (1947–1950)

Now: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport ( IATA : SAV, ICAO : KSAV, FAA LID : SAV)

And Savannah Air National Guard Base

And Georgia ANG Combat Readiness Training Center

• Harris Neck Army Airfield, 32.7 miles (52.6 km) south-southwest of Savannah

Sub-base of: Dale Mabry Field, Florida

346th Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 1944 –1945

Transferred to: United States Navy (1945)

Now: Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Third Air Force

Statesboro Army Airfield, 3.6 miles (5.8 km) northeast of Statesboro Sub-base of: Morris Field. North Carolina, later William Northern Field, Tennessee 4157 Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1945 –26 January 1946 Now: Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport (IATA: TBR, ICAO: KTBR, FAA LID: TBR) Thomasville Army Airfield, 7.4 miles (11.9 km) northeast of Thomasville 339th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –6 February 1946 Now: Thomasville Regional Airport (IATA: TVI, ICAO: KTVI, FAA LID: TVI)

Hunter Field, 5.7 miles (9.2 km) south-southwest of Savannah Air Base Squadron, 35th Air Base Group/36th Air Base Squadron/36th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 5 October 1940 –1 May 1944 302nd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –15 December 1946 Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943) Was: Hunter Air Force Base (1950–1967) Now: Hunter Army Airfield (United States Army) (IATA: SVN, ICAO: KSVN, FAA LID: SVN) And: Coast Guard Air Station Savannah Waycross Army Airfield, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of Waycross 531st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 10 May 1943 –1 May 1944 345th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –10 October 1945 Sub-base of: Hunter Field, later Drew Field, Florida Now: Waycross-Ware County Airport (IATA: AYS, ICAO: KAYS, FAA LID: AYS)

AAF Training Command

Eastern Flying Training Command

Bainbridge Army Air Field, 6.0 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Bainbridge AAF Basic Flying Training School/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 Jun 1942 –1 May 1945 322nd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 July 1942 –30 April 1944 2127th Army Air Force Base Unit (AAF Eastern Flying Training Command): 30 April 1944 –1 May 1945 4164th Army Air Force Base Unit:(Air Technical Service Command): 1 May 1945 –9 March 1946 Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Donalsonville Auxiliary Field Reynoldville Auxiliary Field Faceville Auxiliary Field Vada Auxiliary Field Babcock Auxiliary Field Commodore Decatur Auxiliary Field Later: Bainbridge Air Base (1951–1961) 3306th Pilot Training Group (Contract Flying) Now: Decatur County Industrial Air Park (IATA: BGE, ICAO: KBGE, FAA LID: BGE) Cochran Army Airfield, 10.3 miles (16.6 km) south of Macon Air Corps Basic Flying School/AAF Basic Flying Sch/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 May 1941 –15 April 1945 Hq, 27th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 May 1945 61st Air Base Squadron/61st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 28 May 1941 –30 April 1944 2128th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –15 April 1945 Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Gunn Auxiliary Field Perry Auxiliary Field Harris Auxiliary Field Byron Auxiliary Field Myrtle Auxiliary Field Now: Middle Georgia Regional Airport (IATA: MCN, ICAO: KMCN, FAA LID: MCN) Moody Field, 10.6 miles (17.1 km) north-northeast of Valdosta Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 26 June 1941 –30 April 1945 Hq, 29th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 April 1945 78th Air Base Squadron/78th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 November 1941 –30 April 1944 2144th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –30 April 1945 Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Rock Ford Auxiliary Field Lake Park Auxiliary Field Bemiss Auxiliary Field New River Auxiliary Field Valdosta Auxiliary Field Now: Moody Air Force Base (IATA: VAD, ICAO: KVAD, FAA LID: VAD)

Spence Field, 5.8 miles (9.3 km) east-southeast of Moultrie Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine): 12 July 1941 –1 August 1945 75th Air Base Squadron/75th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 26 December 1941 –30 April 1944 2133rd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –15 December 1945 Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Berlin Auxiliary Field Norman Park Auxiliary Field Moultrie Municipal Airport Tifton Municipal Airport Later: Spence Air Base (1951–1961) 3302d Flying Training Squadron (Contract Flying) Now: Spence Airport (IATA: MUL, ICAO: KMUL, FAA LID: MUL) Turner Army Airfield, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east-southeast of Albany Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 1 August 1941-15 August 1946 Hq, 74th Flying Training Wing: 25 Aug 43-Unknown 68th Air Base Squadron/68th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 June 1941 –30 April 1944 2109th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 –15 August 1946 Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Leesburg Auxiliary Field West Smithville Auxiliary Field West Leesburg Auxiliary Field North Smithville Auxiliary Field Cordele Municipal Airport Vidalia-Lyons Auxiliary Field Tifton Municipal Airport Albany Army Airfield Later: Turner Air Force Base (1947–1967) Later: Naval Air Station Albany (1967–1976) Now: Non-Aviation Use (Industrial Area); runway removed

AAF Contract Flying Schools

Albany Army Airfield, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) northwest of Albany Contract Flying School: Darr Aero Tech Also: Auxiliary to Turner Field 52nd Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment (Primary) Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Hayley Auxiliary Field Reynolds Auxiliary Field River Auxiliary Field Turner Auxiliary Field Now: Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (IATA: ABY, ICAO: KABY, FAA LID: ABY) Bush Field, 7.1 miles (11.4 km) south of Augusta Contract Flying School: Georgia Aero Tech 72nd Army Air Force Flight training Detachment (Basic) Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Dionne Auxiliary Field Yawn Auxiliary Field Now: Augusta Regional Airport (IATA: AGS, ICAO: KAGS, FAA LID: AGS)

Douglas Municipal Airport, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Douglas South Georgia College Civil Pilot Training School (Primary) 63d Flight Training Detachment Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Tanner-Ewing Auxiliary Field Knight Auxiliary Field Dorminey Auxiliary Field Paulk Auxiliary Field Now: Douglas Municipal Airport (ICAO: KDQH, FAA LID: DQH) Souther Field, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) south of Americus Souther Civil Pilot Training School (Primary) 56th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary) Now: Jimmy Carter Regional Airport (ICAO: KACJ, FAA LID: ACJ)

Air Technical Service Command

Atlanta Army Air Field, 8.1 miles (13.0 km) south-southwest of Atlanta Base Detachment/303rd Air Base Squadron/303rd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 15 January 1941 –1 April 1944 4204th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 1944-26 May 1946 Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC) USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use Also used by: United States Navy Now: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL) Daniel Field, 4.4 miles (7.1 km) west of Augusta 21st Air Base Squadron/21st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 8 August 1941 –1 April 1944 4050th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 1944 –4 March 1946 Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC) Also used by Third Air Force (1941-1942) Joint use USAAF/Civil Airfield Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943) Now: Daniel Field (IATA: DNL, ICAO: KDNL, FAA LID: DNL) Macon Army Air Base, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) east of Macon 37th Air Depot Group 469th Army Air Force Base Unit Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC) USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use Now: Macon Downtown Airport (IATA: MAC, ICAO: KMAC, FAA LID: MAC)

Marietta Army Airfield, 13.7 miles (22.0 km) north-northwest of Atlanta 292d Army Air Force Base Unit: 25 March 194 –13 April 1944 Bell Aircraft B-29 Superfortress Manufacturing/Delivery Also used by: Second Air Force Now: Dobbins Joint Air Reserve Base (IATA: MGE, ICAO: KMGE, FAA LID: MGE) Robins Field, 1.4 miles (2.3 km) north-northeast of Warner Robins 4117th Army Air Force Base Unit Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC) Warner Robins Air Depot Now: Robins Air Force Base (IATA: WRB, ICAO: KWRB) And: Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WRALC)

Minor airfields

• Lawson Field, 8.6 miles (13.8 km) south of Columbus

Camp Benning Army Support

54th Army Air Force Base Unit (I Troop Carrier Command)

Was: Lawson Air Force Base (1947–1954)

Now: Lawson Army Airfield (IATA: LSF, ICAO: KLSF, FAA LID: LSF)

• Liberty Army Airfield, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Hinesville

Camp Stewart Army Support

WASP/Antiaircraft Training

Now: MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield (IATA: LIY, ICAO: KLHW, FAA LID: LHW)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC   71006954 , 29991467
• 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 – Georgia