Illinois World War II Army Airfields

Illinois World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Type	Army Airfields
Site history
Built	1940-1944
In use	1940-present

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

Most of these airfields were under the command of First 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

• Chanute Field AAF, Rantoul

Eastern Technical Training Center (Metrological School; adv. Specialities)

9th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993)

Now: Rantoul National Aviation Center (ICAO: KTIP, FAA LID: TIP)

• Curtis-Parks AAF, East St. Louis

Contract Pilot School

Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport

• George Field AAF, Lawrenceville

AAF Southeast Training Center

327th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport (IATA: LWV, ICAO: KLWV, FAA LID: LWV)

• Atterbury AAF, Columbus, Indiana

Sub-base of George AAF

Now: Columbus Municipal Airport (IATA: CLU, ICAO: KBAK, FAA LID: BAK)

• Sturgis AAF, Sturgis, Kentucky

Sub-base of George AAF

Now: Sturgis Municipal Airport (ICAO: KTWT, FAA LID: TWT)

Air Transport Command

• Scott Field, AAF, Belleville

8th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Scott Air Force Base (IATA: BLV, ICAO: KBLV, FAA LID: BLV)

Air Technical Service Command

• Chicago MAP, Chicago

395th Army Air Force Base Unit

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

Now: the Scottsdale neighborhood in Chicago, and the southeast side of Burbank, Illinois (see Ashburn Flying Field)

• Orchard Place APT/Douglas AAF, Chicago

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

Later a joint use USAF/Civil Airport as O'Hare International Airport & O'Hare Air Reserve Station

Now: O'Hare International Airport (IATA: ORD, ICAO: KORD, FAA LID: ORD)

References

• 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 - Illinois