MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield: Difference between revisions
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* [[Georgia World War II Army Airfields]] |
* [[Georgia World War II Army Airfields]] |
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* [[Air Technical Service Command]] |
* [[Air Technical Service Command]] |
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==History== |
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In early 1942, construction began on an airfield at [[Camp Stewart]]. '''Camp Stewart Army Airfield''' was also known as Liberty Airfield for its Georgia county location. The facility was quite small with two 5,000-ft. runways, approximately a dozen and a half hardstands, and barracks for 50 officers and 300 men. |
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On 1 January 1943, the 4th Tow Target Detachment moved to the newly completed airfield from [[Atlanta Army Airfield]] with a mission of towing aerial targets for [[anti-aircraft artillery]] training. The Detachment's aircraft consisted of various models of the Douglas [[A-20 Havoc]], [[C-43 Staggerwing]] Beech, L-2 Taylorcraft, AT-7 Twin Beech, Douglas A-24 Dauntless, Curtiss A-25 Helldiver, and the B-34. In October, 15 Women Army Service Pilots (WASP) began a 90-day course in the operation of radio controlled targets while piloting A-24 and A-25 aircraft. |
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The peak utilization of Stewart AAF took place in the spring of 1944, during the build up for the invasion of Europe when over 55,000 men were present. In addition to anti-aircraft artillery training, Stewart AAF also trained cooks and bakers as well as postal units. The camp also had a POW compound for Germans and Italians captured in North Africa. The POWs were put to work on the camp's construction projects and local farms. By the spring of 1945, the camp was virtually empty except for the POW compound. On March 25, 1945, the airfield deactivated and the Detachment transferred to Chatham AAF. |
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Following the end of the war, the Army used Camp Stewart as a separation center for a short period of time before deactivating it on 30 September 1945. |
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In the postwar years, the Army utilized the camp during the summer for the training of National Guard units. Camp Stewart re-opened during the Korean War for training of the 3rd Army's anti-aircraft artillery units. In 1953, the training of armor units was added. In 1959, the Army made the post a permanent Army facility, designated it as an Armor and Artillery Training Center, renaming it Fort Stewart. Camp Stewart Army Airfield was renamed '''Wright Army Airfield''' and used as a military airport within the Fort Stewart facility. |
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During the Vietnam War, the airfield trained helicopter pilots. When the Air Force closed Hunter AFB in 1967, the Army took it over as a sub-base of Fort Stewart and established a Flight Training Center. With the end of the Vietnam War Fort Stewart became idle once again. That ended with the reactivation of the 24th Infantry Division at Stewart in 1974. In 1996, the 3rd Infantry Division activated and remains at Fort Stewart today, with Wright Army Airfield being an operational part of the facilty. |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 20:47, 18 May 2009
Wright Army Airfield (Fort Stewart) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | United States Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Fort Stewart (near Hinesville, Georgia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 45 ft / 14 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°53′21″N 081°33′44″W / 31.88917°N 81.56222°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wright Army Airfield (IATA: LIY, ICAO: KLHW, FAA LID: LHW) is a military airport located at Fort Stewart, near the city of Hinesville in Liberty County, Georgia, United States.[1]
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, Wright Army Airfield is assigned LHW by the FAA and LIY by the IATA (which assigned LHW to Lanzhou, Gansu, China). The airport's ICAO identifier is KLHW. [2] [3]
Facilities
Wright Army Airfield has four runways:
- Runway 6L/24R: 5,010 x 100 ft. (1,527 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 6R/24L: 2,605 x 100 ft. (794 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 15L/33R: 5,000 x 150 ft. (1,524 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 15R/33L: 2,518 x 100 ft. (767 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
See also
History
In early 1942, construction began on an airfield at Camp Stewart. Camp Stewart Army Airfield was also known as Liberty Airfield for its Georgia county location. The facility was quite small with two 5,000-ft. runways, approximately a dozen and a half hardstands, and barracks for 50 officers and 300 men.
On 1 January 1943, the 4th Tow Target Detachment moved to the newly completed airfield from Atlanta Army Airfield with a mission of towing aerial targets for anti-aircraft artillery training. The Detachment's aircraft consisted of various models of the Douglas A-20 Havoc, C-43 Staggerwing Beech, L-2 Taylorcraft, AT-7 Twin Beech, Douglas A-24 Dauntless, Curtiss A-25 Helldiver, and the B-34. In October, 15 Women Army Service Pilots (WASP) began a 90-day course in the operation of radio controlled targets while piloting A-24 and A-25 aircraft.
The peak utilization of Stewart AAF took place in the spring of 1944, during the build up for the invasion of Europe when over 55,000 men were present. In addition to anti-aircraft artillery training, Stewart AAF also trained cooks and bakers as well as postal units. The camp also had a POW compound for Germans and Italians captured in North Africa. The POWs were put to work on the camp's construction projects and local farms. By the spring of 1945, the camp was virtually empty except for the POW compound. On March 25, 1945, the airfield deactivated and the Detachment transferred to Chatham AAF.
Following the end of the war, the Army used Camp Stewart as a separation center for a short period of time before deactivating it on 30 September 1945.
In the postwar years, the Army utilized the camp during the summer for the training of National Guard units. Camp Stewart re-opened during the Korean War for training of the 3rd Army's anti-aircraft artillery units. In 1953, the training of armor units was added. In 1959, the Army made the post a permanent Army facility, designated it as an Armor and Artillery Training Center, renaming it Fort Stewart. Camp Stewart Army Airfield was renamed Wright Army Airfield and used as a military airport within the Fort Stewart facility.
During the Vietnam War, the airfield trained helicopter pilots. When the Air Force closed Hunter AFB in 1967, the Army took it over as a sub-base of Fort Stewart and established a Flight Training Center. With the end of the Vietnam War Fort Stewart became idle once again. That ended with the reactivation of the 24th Infantry Division at Stewart in 1974. In 1996, the 3rd Infantry Division activated and remains at Fort Stewart today, with Wright Army Airfield being an operational part of the facilty.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Shettle, M. L. (2005), Georgia's Army Airfields of World War II. ISBN: 0-9643388-3-1
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
- Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975
External links
- Resources for this U.S. military airport:
- FAA airport information for LHW
- AirNav airport information for KLHW
- ASN accident history for LIY
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KLHW
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