Massachusetts World War II Army Airfields

Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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

Air Technical Service Command

• Bedford Army Air Field, Bedford

432nd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron (Reduced), 20 January 1943–10 April 1944

144th Army Air Force Base Unit, 10 April 1944–14 October 1944

4147th Army Air Force Base Unit, 15 October 1944–25 February 1946

Was: Hanscom Airport (1947)

Was: Bedford Airfield (1948)

Now: Hanscom Air Force Base (1948–present)

• Logan Airport, Boston

Joint use USAAF/Navy/Civil Airport

Now: Logan International Airport (IATA: BOS, ICAO: KBOS, FAA LID: BOS)

First Air Force

• Westover Field, Chicopee

Unnumbered Air Base Squadron, 26th Air Base Group / 25th Air Base Squadron / 25th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 18 December 1940–10 April 1944

112th Army Air Force Base Unit, 10 April 1944–15 January 1946

Was Westover Air Force Base (1947-1974)

Now: Westover Joint Air Reserve Base (1974–present)

• Fort Devens Army Air Field, Fort Devens

307th Air Base Squadron / 307th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron (June 1942), 10 February 1942–1 April 1944

Used by United States Navy briefly around 1944

Was: Camp Devens Airfield (1926–1934)

Was: Fort Devens Airfield (1934–1977)

Was: Moore Army Airfield (1945–1995)

Now: Soon to be turned into an industrial park

• Otis Army Air Field, Falmouth

308th Air Base Squadron (Feb 1942)/308th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron (June 1942), 10 February 1942–10 April 1944

143rd Army Air Force Base Unit, 10 April 1944–1946

Transferred to United States Navy, May 1944–1946

Was: Otis Air Force Base (1952–1973)

Now: Otis Air National Guard Base (1973–present)

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 - Massachusetts