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.
Video Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Major airfields
First Air Force, later Third Air Force
- Chatham Army Airfield, 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
AAF Training Command
Eastern Flying Training Command
AAF Contract Flying Schools
Air Technical Service Command
Maps Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Minor Airfields
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942-2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
- 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
Source of article : Wikipedia
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