Missouri World War II Army Airfields

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

Missouri World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Malden AAF Sedalia AAF Vichy AAF Grandview AAF Forney AAF Lambert FLD Rosecrans AAF Kansas City MAP Chester AAF Harris AAF Harvey Parks AAF class=notpageimage| Map Of Missouri World War II Army Airfields
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

Army Air Force Training Command

• Chester Army Airfield, Perryville

Contract flying training

Now: Perryville Municipal Airport (IATA: K02)

• Harris Army Airfield, Cape Girardeau

Contract flying training

Now: Cape Girardeau Regional Airport
(IATA: CGI, ICAO: KCGI)

• Harvey Parks Airport, Sikeston

Contract flying training

Now: Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport
(IATA: SIK, ICAO: KSIK)

Troop Carrier Command

• Malden Army Airfield, Malden

445th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Malden Air Base (1951–1960)

USAF Contract Flight Training

Now: Malden Regional Airport (IATA: MAW, ICAO: KMAW)

• Sedalia Army Airfield, Knob Noster

I Troop Carrier Command

405th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Sedalia Air Force Auxiliary Field (1948–1951)

Was: Sedalia Air Force Base (1951–1955)

Now: Whiteman Air Force Base (1955–Pres)

• Vichy Army Airfield, Vichy

Sub-base of Sedalia AAF

Now: Rolla National Airport (IATA: VIH, ICAO: KVIH)

• Grandview Airport, Belton (1944–1945)

Was: Grandview Air Force Base (1952–1957)

Was: Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base {Active USAF control} (1957–1976)

Was: Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base then Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station {AFRES/AFRC control} and
Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport (1976–1999)
(IATA: GVW, ICAO: KGVW)

Closed 1999. Now non-aviation use as Kansas City SmartPort.

• Forney Army Airfield, Fort Leonard Wood

Support airfield for Ft. Leonard Wood

Now: Waynesville Regional Airport at Forney Field
(IATA: TBN, ICAO: KTBN)

Air Technical Service Command

• Lambert Field, St. Louis

Joint use USAAF/US Navy/Civil Airport

Now: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
(IATA: STL, ICAO: KSTL)

Air Transport Command

• Rosencrans Field Army Airfield, St. Joseph

406th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Rosecrans Air National Guard Base
(IATA: STJ, ICAO: KSTJ)

• Kansas City Apt, Kansas City

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

Now: Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport
(IATA: MKC, ICAO: KMKC)

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 - Missouri