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.
Illinois World War II Army Airfields | |
|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |
| Type | Army Airfields |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940-1944 |
| In use | 1940-present |
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
editArmy 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)
- Contract Pilot School
- Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport
- AAF Southeast Training Center
- 327th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport (IATA: LWV, ICAO: KLWV, FAA LID: LWV)
- Sub-base of George AAF
- Now: Columbus Municipal Airport (IATA: CLU, ICAO: KBAK, FAA LID: BAK)
- 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
edit- 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