Georgia World War II Army Airfields

Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
	class=notpageimage\| Map of Major Georgia World War II Army Airfields First Air Force; Third Air Force; AAF Training Command; AAF Contract Flying Schools; Air Technical Service Command;
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 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.

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

Statesboro Army Airfield, 3.6 miles (5.8 km) northeast of Statesboro

Sub-base of: Morris Field. North Carolina, later William Northern Field, Tennessee

4157 Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1945 – 26 January 1946

Now: Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport (IATA: TBR, ICAO: KTBR, FAA LID: TBR)

Thomasville Army Airfield, 7.4 miles (11.9 km) northeast of Thomasville

339th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 6 February 1946

Now: Thomasville Regional Airport (IATA: TVI, ICAO: KTVI, FAA LID: TVI)

Hunter Field, 5.7 miles (9.2 km) south-southwest of Savannah

Air Base Squadron, 35th Air Base Group/36th Air Base Squadron/36th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 5 October 1940 – 1 May 1944

302nd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 15 December 1946

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Was: Hunter Air Force Base (1950–1967)

Now:

Hunter Army Airfield (United States Army) (IATA: SVN, ICAO: KSVN, FAA LID: SVN)

And:

Coast Guard Air Station Savannah

Waycross Army Airfield, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of Waycross

531st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 10 May 1943 – 1 May 1944

345th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 10 October 1945

Sub-base of: Hunter Field, later Drew Field, Florida

Now: Waycross-Ware County Airport (IATA: AYS, ICAO: KAYS, FAA LID: AYS)

AAF Training Command

Eastern Flying Training Command

Bainbridge Army Air Field, 6.0 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Bainbridge

AAF Basic Flying Training School/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 Jun 1942 – 1 May 1945

322nd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 July 1942 – 30 April 1944

2127th Army Air Force Base Unit (AAF Eastern Flying Training Command): 30 April 1944 – 1 May 1945

4164th Army Air Force Base Unit:(Air Technical Service Command): 1 May 1945 – 9 March 1946

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Donalsonville Auxiliary Field

Reynoldville Auxiliary Field

Faceville Auxiliary Field

Vada Auxiliary Field

Babcock Auxiliary Field

Commodore Decatur Auxiliary Field

Later: Bainbridge Air Base (1951–1961)

3306th Pilot Training Group (Contract Flying)

Now: Decatur County Industrial Air Park (IATA: BGE, ICAO: KBGE, FAA LID: BGE)

Cochran Army Airfield, 10.3 miles (16.6 km) south of Macon

Air Corps Basic Flying School/AAF Basic Flying Sch/AAF Pilot School (Basic): 15 May 1941 – 15 April 1945

Hq, 27th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 May 1945

61st Air Base Squadron/61st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 28 May 1941 – 30 April 1944

2128th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 15 April 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Gunn Auxiliary Field

Perry Auxiliary Field

Harris Auxiliary Field

Byron Auxiliary Field

Myrtle Auxiliary Field

Now: Middle Georgia Regional Airport (IATA: MCN, ICAO: KMCN, FAA LID: MCN)

Moody Field, 10.6 miles (17.1 km) north-northeast of Valdosta

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 26 June 1941 – 30 April 1945

Hq, 29th Flying Training Wing: 26 December 1942-1 April 1945

78th Air Base Squadron/78th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 November 1941 – 30 April 1944

2144th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 30 April 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Rock Ford Auxiliary Field

Lake Park Auxiliary Field

Bemiss Auxiliary Field

New River Auxiliary Field

Valdosta Auxiliary Field

Now:

Moody Air Force Base (IATA: VAD, ICAO: KVAD, FAA LID: VAD)

Spence Field, 5.8 miles (9.3 km) east-southeast of Moultrie

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine): 12 July 1941 – 1 August 1945

75th Air Base Squadron/75th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 26 December 1941 – 30 April 1944

2133rd Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 15 December 1945

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Berlin Auxiliary Field

Norman Park Auxiliary Field

Moultrie Municipal Airport

Tifton Municipal Airport

Later: Spence Air Base (1951–1961)

3302d Flying Training Squadron (Contract Flying)

Now: Spence Airport (IATA: MUL, ICAO: KMUL, FAA LID: MUL)

Turner Army Airfield, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east-southeast of Albany

Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine): 1 August 1941-15 August 1946

Hq, 74th Flying Training Wing: 25 Aug 43-Unknown

68th Air Base Squadron/68th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 25 June 1941 – 30 April 1944

2109th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 May 1944 – 15 August 1946

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Leesburg Auxiliary Field

West Smithville Auxiliary Field

West Leesburg Auxiliary Field

North Smithville Auxiliary Field

Cordele Municipal Airport

Vidalia-Lyons Auxiliary Field

Tifton Municipal Airport

Albany Army Airfield

Later: Turner Air Force Base (1947–1967)

Later: Naval Air Station Albany (1967–1976)

Now: Non-Aviation Use (Industrial Area); runway removed

AAF Contract Flying Schools

Albany Army Airfield, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) northwest of Albany

Contract Flying School: Darr Aero Tech

Also: Auxiliary to Turner Field

52nd Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment (Primary)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Hayley Auxiliary Field

Reynolds Auxiliary Field

River Auxiliary Field

Turner Auxiliary Field

Now: Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (IATA: ABY, ICAO: KABY, FAA LID: ABY)

Bush Field, 7.1 miles (11.4 km) south of Augusta

Contract Flying School: Georgia Aero Tech

72nd Army Air Force Flight training Detachment (Basic)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Dionne Auxiliary Field

Yawn Auxiliary Field

Now: Augusta Regional Airport (IATA: AGS, ICAO: KAGS, FAA LID: AGS)

Douglas Municipal Airport, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Douglas

South Georgia College Civil Pilot Training School (Primary)

63d Flight Training Detachment

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Tanner-Ewing Auxiliary Field

Knight Auxiliary Field

Dorminey Auxiliary Field

Paulk Auxiliary Field

Now: Douglas Municipal Airport (ICAO: KDQH, FAA LID: DQH)

Souther Field, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) south of Americus

Souther Civil Pilot Training School (Primary)

56th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)

Now: Jimmy Carter Regional Airport (ICAO: KACJ, FAA LID: ACJ)

Air Technical Service Command

Atlanta Army Air Field, 8.1 miles (13.0 km) south-southwest of Atlanta

Base Detachment/303rd Air Base Squadron/303rd Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 April 1944

4204th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 1944-26 May 1946

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use

Also used by: United States Navy

Now: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL)

Daniel Field, 4.4 miles (7.1 km) west of Augusta

21st Air Base Squadron/21st Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 8 August 1941 – 1 April 1944

4050th Army Air Force Base Unit: 1 April 1944 – 4 March 1946

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

Also used by Third Air Force (1941-1942)

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airfield

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Now: Daniel Field (IATA: DNL, ICAO: KDNL, FAA LID: DNL)

Macon Army Air Base, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) east of Macon

37th Air Depot Group

469th Army Air Force Base Unit

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

USAAF/Civil Airfield Joint Use

Now: Macon Downtown Airport (IATA: MAC, ICAO: KMAC, FAA LID: MAC)

Marietta Army Airfield, 13.7 miles (22.0 km) north-northwest of Atlanta

292d Army Air Force Base Unit: 25 March 194 – 13 April 1944

Bell Aircraft B-29 Superfortress Manufacturing/Delivery

Also used by: Second Air Force

Now:

Dobbins Joint Air Reserve Base (IATA: MGE, ICAO: KMGE, FAA LID: MGE)

Robins Field, 1.4 miles (2.3 km) north-northeast of Warner Robins

4117th Army Air Force Base Unit

Warner Robins Air Service Command (WRASC)

Warner Robins Air Depot

Now:

Robins Air Force Base (IATA: WRB, ICAO: KWRB)

And:

Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WRALC)

Minor airfields

Lawson Field, 8.6 miles (13.8 km) south of Columbus

Camp Benning Army Support

54th Army Air Force Base Unit (I Troop Carrier Command)

Was: Lawson Air Force Base (1947–1954)

Now:

Lawson Army Airfield (IATA: LSF, ICAO: KLSF, FAA LID: LSF)

Liberty Army Airfield, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Hinesville

Camp Stewart Army Support

WASP/Antiaircraft Training

Now:

MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield (IATA: LIY, ICAO: KLHW, FAA LID: LHW)

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
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