During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF) established numerous airfields in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. Most of these airfields were under the command of

Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reser ...

or the

Army Air Forces Training Command The United States Army Air Forces during World War II had major subordinate Commands below the Air Staff level. These Commands were organized along functional missions. One such Command was the Flying Training Command (FTC). It began as Air Corp ...

(AAFTC) (A predecessor of the current-day

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...

). 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

installations and were front-line bases during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.

Major airfields

Air Transport Command * Coolidge Army Air Field, southeast of Coolidge : Now: Coolidge Municipal Airport * Winslow Municipal Airport,

Winslow Winslow may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England, a market town and civil parish * Winslow Rural District, Buckinghamshire, a rural district from 1894 to 1974 United States and Canada * Rural Municipality of Winslo ...

: Now: Winslow–Lindbergh Regional Airport Fourth Air Force * Davis–Monthan Field,

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

: 32nd Air Base Squadron / 32nd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 20 April 1941–1 April 1944 : 233rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Very Heavy)(Second AF); 1 April 1944–16 November 1945 : Now: Roundel of the USAF

Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) assi ...

:* Sahuarita Flight Strip ( east of

Sahuarita Sahuarita is a town in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Sahuarita is located south of the Tohono O'odham Nation and abuts the north end of Green Valley, 15 miles (24 km) south of Tucson. The population was 34,134 at th2020 census His ...

) :: Aux to Davis–Monthan AAF :: Now: S. Sahuarita Park Rd. Air Technical Service Command * Tucson Army Air Field,

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

: Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport : Now:

Tucson International Airport Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport owned by the City of Tucson south of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second busiest airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airp ...

and

Tucson Air National Guard Base Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport owned by the City of Tucson south of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second busiest airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Air ...

, home to the 162d Fighter Wing,

Arizona Air National Guard The Arizona Air National Guard (AZ ANG) is the aerial militia of the state of Arizona, United States of America. It is, along with the Arizona Army National Guard, an element of the Arizona National Guard. As state militia units, the units in the ...

Civilian Pilot Training Program The Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) was a flight training program (1938–1944) sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military prepare ...

* Ernest A. Love Field, Prescott : Joint Use USAAF/USN/Civil Airport : Now: Prescott Municipal Airport Army Air Forces Training Command *

Douglas Army Air Field Bisbee Douglas International Airport is a county-owned airport northwest of Douglas and east of Bisbee, both in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, that was formerly known as Douglas Army Airfield (Douglas AAF). The FAA's National Plan ...

, north-northwest of

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...

: Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Two Engine) / Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine) (West Coast AAF Training Center); October 1942–23 October 1945 : 461st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 1 November 1942–30 April 1944 : 3014th Army Air Force Base Unit; 1 May 1944–1 November 1945 : Now:

Bisbee Douglas International Airport Bisbee Douglas International Airport is a county-owned airport northwest of Douglas and east of Bisbee, both in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, that was formerly known as Douglas Army Airfield (Douglas AAF). The FAA's National Plan o ...

Hereford Army Airfield Hereford Army Airfield is an abandoned military airfield located about west-southwest of Hereford, Arizona, United States. Military use The airfield was acquired by the War Department in August 1942 for use as an auxiliary air field for Doug ...

, west-southwest of

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

:: Auxiliary of Douglas Army Air Field :: Now: Airfield closed and abandoned * Falcon Field Army Air Field,

Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by ...

: Western Flight Training Center : Now:

Falcon Field Airport Falcon Field is in an airport located in Maricopa County, Arizona. It was originally built northeast of Mesa, which owns it. However, it is now within city limits. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it ...

Kingman Army Airfield Kingman may refer to one of the following: Places * Kingman Reef in the northern Pacific Ocean, United States In the United States: * Kingman, Arizona * Kingman, Indiana * Kingman, Kansas * Kingman, Maine * Kingman, Ohio * Kingman County, Kan ...

, northeast of Kingman : Army Air Forces Gunnery School/Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School; 4 August 1942–30 June 1945 : 460th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 26 December 1942–30 April 1944 : 3018th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–30 June 1945 : Now:

Kingman Airport and Industrial Park Kingman Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located northeast of the central business district of Kingman, a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The Kingman Municipal Airport, also known as the Kingman Army Airfield, wa ...

Yucca Army Airfield Yucca Army Airfield is a former military airfield located about west of Yucca, in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is on the east side of Interstate 40, south of Kingman. It is now used as a private facility owned by Fiat Chrysler ...

, west of

Yucca ''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flo ...

:: Sub-base of Kingman Army Airfield :: Now: Chrysler Arizona Proving Ground (Non flying facility) * Luke Field,

Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...

: Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine); 20 May 1941–4 July 1946 : 66th Air Base Squadron/66th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 15 June 1941–30 April 1944 : 3028th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–30 November 1946 : Now: Roundel of the USAF

Luke Air Force Base Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, and west of Phoenix. Luke AFB is a major training ...

:* Ajo Army Air Field, north of Ajo :: Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Fixed Gunnery; 29 August 1942–15 December 1945 :: 472nd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 29 August 1942–30 April 1944 :: 3011th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–15 December 1945 :: Now: Eric Marcus Municipal Airport :*

Gila Bend Army Air Field Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Goldw ...

, southeast of

Gila Bend Gila Bend (; O'odham: Hila Wi:n), founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River, which is near the community's current location. As of the 2020 cen ...

:: Sub–base of Luke Army Airfield :: 492nd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 25 January 1943–30 April 1944 :: 3029th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–15 January 1945 :: Now: Roundel of the USAF

Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Gold ...

Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command *

Marana Army Air Field Pinal Airpark , also known as Pinal County Airpark, is a non-towered, county-owned, public-use airport located northwest of the central business district of Marana, in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. Silverbell Army Heliport is co-lo ...

, northwest of

Marana Marana may refer to: * Maraña, a village in León, Spain * Maraṇa, the Pali/Sanskrit term for death * Marana, Arizona, a town in Pima County, Arizona, United States * Marana, Estonia, a village in Estonia * Marana, Syria, a village in Syria ...

: Army Air Forces Basic Flying School / Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic); 8 July 1942–15 September 1945 : 389th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 8 August 1942–30 April 1944 : 3024th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–1 November 1945 : Now:

Pinal Airpark Pinal Airpark , also known as Pinal County Airpark, is a non-towered, county-owned, public-use airport located northwest of the central business district of Marana, in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. Silverbell Army Heliport is co-loca ...

:; Auxiliaries of Marana Army Air Field :*

Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 1 Picacho Army National Guard Heliport , also known as Picacho Stagefield Heliport, formally Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 1 (Picacho Field), is an Arizona Army National Guard Air traffic control, towered training field southeast of Picacho, ...

, aka ''

Picacho Field Picacho Army National Guard Heliport , also known as Picacho Stagefield Heliport, formally Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 1 (Picacho Field), is an Arizona Army National Guard towered training field southeast of Picacho, Arizona. The airpor ...

'' in Picacho :: Now: Roundel of the USAF

Picacho Stagefield ARNG Heliport Picacho Army National Guard Heliport , also known as Picacho Stagefield Heliport, formally Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 1 (Picacho Field), is an Arizona Army National Guard towered training field southeast of Picacho, Arizona. The airpor ...

:* Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 2, aka '' Rillito Field'' in

:: Now:

Marana Regional Airport Marana Regional Airport , also known as Marana Northwest Regional Airport or Avra Valley Airport, is a non-towered, general aviation airport about 15 miles (13 nmi; 24 km) northwest of Tucson, Arizona in Marana a town in Pima County ...

:* Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 5, aka '' Sahuaro Field'' in

Pima County Pima County ( ) is a county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,043,433, making it Arizona's second-most populous county. The county seat is Tucson, where most of the populati ...

:: Now: El Tiro Gliderport *

Ryan Field Ryan Field may refer to: * Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, also known as Ryan Field, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States * Ryan Field (airport), also known as Ryan Airfield, in Tucson, Arizona, United States * Ryan Field (sportscaster) (born ...

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

: Contract Primary Flying Training; 25 June 1942–September 1944 : 11th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment (Primary); 10 July 1942–30 April 1944 : 3049th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–September 1944 : Today: Ryan Field Airport * Thunderbird Field No. 1,

: Contract Primary Flying Training; 12 July 1941–1 May 1945 : Air Corps Training Detachment/6th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment (Primary); 12 July 1941–30 April 1944 : 3040th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–27 June 1945 : Now:

Arizona Christian University Arizona Christian University is a private Christian university in Glendale, Arizona. History Founded in 1960 as Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College, Arizona Christian University's original campus was located at 2625 E. Cactus Ro ...

(Non flying facility) * Thunderbird Field No 2, Scottsdale : Contract Primary Flying Training; 24 June 1942–16 October 1944 : 12th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment (Primary); 10 July 1942–30 April 1944 : 3048th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–16 October 1944 : Now:

Scottsdale Airport Scottsdale Airport is north of downtown Scottsdale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Scottsdale Airport is SDL to the FAA and SCF to the IA ...

Williams Field Williams Field or Willy Field is a United States Antarctic Program airfield in Antarctica. Williams Field consists of two snow runways located on approximately 8 meters (25 ft) of compacted snow, lying on top of 8–10 ft of ice, flo ...

: Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine); 26 June 1941–1 June 1948 : 89th Air Base Squadron/89th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 4 December 1941–30 April 1944 : 3010th Army Air Forces Base Unit/3010th Air Force Base Unit; 1 May 1944–28 August 1948 : Was: Roundel of the USAF

Williams Air Force Base Williams Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base, located in Maricopa County, Arizona, east of Chandler, and about southeast of Phoenix. It is a designated Superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminan ...

(1947–1993) : Now:

Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport , formerly Williams Gateway Airport (1994–2008) and Williams Air Force Base (1948–1993), is an international airport in the southeastern area of Mesa, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County. effect ...

:;Auxiliaries of Williams Air Force Base :* Williams Field Auxiliary No. 2 aka ''Rittenhouse Field'' in Queen Creek :: Now: Roundel of the USAF

Rittenhouse Army Heliport Rittenhouse Army Heliport formally Williams Field Auxiliary No. 2 is an Arizona Army National Guard training airstrip east of the central business district of Queen Creek, a city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States and southeast of Pho ...

:* Williams Field Auxiliary No. 3 aka ''Casa Grande Field'' in

Casa Grande , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Casa Grande-Casa Grande Union High School-1920-2.jpg , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = Historic Casa Grande Union High School which now serves as the ...

. :: Today:

Casa Grande Municipal Airport Casa Grande Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport north of Casa Grande in Pinal County, Arizona. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013 categorizes it as a general aviation facility. The airport ...

:* Williams Auxiliary Airfield No. 5 aka ''Goodyear Auxiliary Airfield'' in

Gila River Indian Reservation Gila River Indian Reservation was a reservation established in 1859 by the United States government in New Mexico Territory, to set aside the lands of the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and the Piipaash (Maricopa) people along the Gila River, in what i ...

:: Now:

Gila River Memorial Airport Gila River Memorial Airport was a private-use airport owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community, located southwest of the central business district of Chandler, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It was used for cropdust ...

* Yuma Army Air Field, south of Yuma : AAF Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/AAF Pilot School (Advanced Single Engine)/AAF Flexible Gunnery School/AAF Radar Observer School; September 1942–1 November 1945 : 403rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; September 1942–30 April 1944 : 3036th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944–1 November 1945 : Was: Vincent Air Force Base (1951–1959) : Now: USMC logo

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station. It is the home of multiple squadrons of F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1), Mari ...

:; Sub-bases of Yuma Army Air Field :* Dateland Army Air Field, east of Yuma :: Now: Airfield closed and abandoned :*

Laguna Army Airfield Laguna Army Airfield is a military airport located at Yuma Proving Ground, northeast of the central business district of Yuma, a city in Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The airport has an active air traffic control tower within class D ...

, northeast of Yuma :: Now: Roundel of the USAF

:* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 1 :: Now: Redeveloped as part of

Fortuna Foothills Fortuna Foothills is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The population was 26,265 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Area. Development of the area began in the 1960s, when lo ...

:* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 2 :: Now:

Auxiliary Airfield on the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range :* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 3 :: Now: Redeveloped as agricultural fields :*

Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 4 Rolle Airfield , also known as Rolle Field, formally Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 4, is a public use Non-towered airport, non-towered airport owned by United States Department of the Interior, and managed by the Yuma County Airport Authority ...

aka '' Rolle Field'', south of Yuma :: Now: Rolle Airfield :* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 5 in Wellton :: Now: Airfield closed and abandoned :* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 6, aka Colfred, east of Yuma, later used as a drone and hawk missile testing site. :: Now: Airfield closed and abandoned :* Yuma Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 7 in Stoval :: Now: training field on the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). ''Air Force Combat Units Of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * Thole, Lou (1999). ''Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now'', Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub .
Military Airfields in World War II – Arizona

Marana Arizona Airport History

History of Ernest A. Love Field

External links

Archived from th

on March 28, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Arizona World War Ii Army Airfields 01

Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the United States by state United States World War II army airfields

Major airfields

See also

References

External links