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 Commannd

• 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

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	Eastern Technical Training Command Central Technical Training Command Western Technical Training Command

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 I Bomber Command I Fighter Command I Ground Air Support Command Wings 25th Antisubmarine 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier Boston Fighter New York Fighter Norfolk Fighter Philadelphia Fighter 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
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