Iowa World War II Army Airfields

Iowa World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Des Moines AAF Sioux City AAB Spencer AAF Map Of Iowa World War II Army Airfields
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 Iowa 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

USAAF Name Current Name	Mission	Host Unit	Location	Coordinates	Notes
Des Moines International Airport Des Moines Air National Guard Base	Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport Air Technical Services Command 1st Concentration Command	842d Army Air Forces Specialized Depot	Des Moines	41°32′18″N 093°39′34″W / 41.53833°N 93.65944°W / 41.53833; -93.65944 (Des Moines Airport)	Used by ATSC as an Aircraft/Crew processing center for heavy bomber crews. Remained in use by Iowa Air National Guard after war ended and now a joint civil-military airport.
Sioux City Army Air Base Sioux Gateway Airport Sioux City Air National Guard Base	II Bomber Command B-17/B-24 Bomber Training	354th Army Air Force Base Unit	Sioux City	42°23′54″N 096°22′19″W / 42.39833°N 96.37194°W / 42.39833; -96.37194 (Sioux City AAB)	Closed 1945. Used by Air Defense Command as an Interceptor base, 1946-1968; Ground Control Radar station, 1959-1970. Now joint-use civilian airport and Iowa ANG base for KC-135 air refueling aircraft.
Spencer Field Spencer Municipal Airport	Army Air Forces Training Command Contract Flying Instruction	Hunter Flying Service School, Primary Flight Instruction	Spencer	43°09′56″N 095°12′10″W / 43.16556°N 95.20278°W / 43.16556; -95.20278 (Spencer Field)	The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field. Inanctivated 1944

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 - Iowa

External links

Army Air Forces Training Command

Flying Training

Flying Schools	Eastern Flying Training Command Central Flying Training Command Western Flying Training Command

Specialized Schools	Bombardier Contract Flying Glider Training Gunnery Navigator

Technical Training

USAAF First Air Force in World War II

Airfields

First Air Force Group Training Stations
First Air Force Replacement Training Stations
First Air Force Tactical Airfields
Freeman Army Airfield
Godman Army Airfield
Selfridge Field

Units

Commands

Wings

Groups

Bombardment	2d Bombardment 13th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 34th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 45th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302d Bombardment 400th Bombardment 402d Bombardment 455th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 471st Bombardment

Combat Cargo	1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo

Fighter	8th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 56th Fighter 57th Fighter 58th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 83d Fighter 87th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 326th Fighter 327th Fighter 332d Fighter 348th Fighter 352d Fighter 353d Fighter 355th Fighter 356th Fighter 358th Fighter 359th Fighter 361st Fighter 362d Fighter 365th Fighter 366th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 402d Fighter 413th Fighter 476th Fighter

Reconnaissance	26th Reconnaissance 73d Reconnaissance

Troop Carrier	10th Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 63d Troop Carrier 89th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 403d Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier

Other	1st Search Attack 477th Composite

Incidents	Freeman Field Mutiny

United States Army Air Forces

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