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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 ...
,
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
was a major
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) location for personnel, aircraft, and airfields to support
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aid for the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. In addition, it was in Alaska that the
Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent fo ...
bombed and seized United States soil and as a result the USAAF was actively engaged in combat operations against them.


Airfields


Combat airfields

*
Adak Army Airfield Adak may refer to: Places *Adak Island, one of the Aleutian Islands **Adak, Alaska, a town on the above island **Adak Airport, airport serving the town *** Adak Army Airfield, original name of the airport (1942–c.1943) ***Davis Army Airfield, a ...
, :
Adak Island Adak Island ( ale, Adaax, russian: Адак) or Father Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, Alaska, Adak, is located on the island. The isl ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1942-1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command; Became
Davis Air Force Base Naval Air Facility Adak , was a United States Navy airport located west of Adak, Alaska, Adak, on Adak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 11 February 2010. After its closure in 1997, it was reopened a ...
(1947); Transferred to Department of the Navy, 1950 as
Naval Air Station Adak Naval Air Facility Adak , was a United States Navy airport located west of Adak, on Adak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 11 February 2010. After its closure in 1997, it was reopened as Adak Airpor ...
* Amchitka Army Airfield, :
Amchitka Island Amchitka (; ale, Amchixtax̂; russian: Амчитка) is a volcanic, tectonically unstable and uninhabited island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. It is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Re ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1943-1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command; Became
Amchitka Air Force Base Amchitka Air Force Base is an abandoned Air Force Base located on Amchitka, in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. History Aleutians campaign The Aleutian Islands Campaign was not considered a priority by the Join ...
; Closed 1948, now abandoned *
Alexai Point Army Airfield Alexai Point Army Airfield is an abandoned World War II airfield with two runways laid across Alexai Point on Attu Island, Alaska. The remains of the Seabee built airbase are located about 4 miles east of the closed Casco Cove Coast Guard Statio ...
, :
Attu Island Attu ( ale, Atan, russian: Атту, link=no) is an island in the Near Islands (part of the Aleutian Islands chain). It is the westernmost point of the U.S. state of Alaska. The island became uninhabited in 2010, making it the largest uninhabite ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1943-1945, Closed 1945, now abandoned. * Casco Cove Army Airfield, :
Attu Island Attu ( ale, Atan, russian: Атту, link=no) is an island in the Near Islands (part of the Aleutian Islands chain). It is the westernmost point of the U.S. state of Alaska. The island became uninhabited in 2010, making it the largest uninhabite ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1943-1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command, Inactivated 1945; Transferred to United States Coast Guard, 1949 as Casco Cove Coast Guard Station Also known as LORAN Station Attu, the facility was closed on August 27, 2010, but the airfield remains available for emergency use. *
Elmendorf Field Elmendorf may refer to: People with the surname *Dave Elmendorf, former NFL player * Douglas Elmendorf, 2009-2015 director of the Congressional Budget Office * Lucas Conrad Elmendorf, a United States Representative from New York * Steven Elmendorf, ...
, :
Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
, 1940-1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command, Became
Elmendorf Air Force Base Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally known as Elmendorf Field, it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II. It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command (AL ...
.The adjacent facilities were officially combined by the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission and subsequently became known as Joint Base Elmendorf - Richardson (JBER). Its mission is to support and defend U.S. interests in the Asia Pacific region and around the world by providing units who are ready for worldwide air power projection and a base that is capable of meeting PACOM's theater staging and throughput requirements. It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Command (ALCOM), Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR), Joint Task Force-Alaska (JTF-AK), Eleventh Air Force (11 AF), the 673d Air Base Wing, the 3rd Wing, the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing; 176th Wing (AK ANG) moved from the former Kulis Air National Guard Base to JBER in 2011. 0Its new facilities, an area north of the flightline, were unofficially but widely nicknamed 'Camp Kulis'. The area includes a headquarters building, Pararescue facility, the Rescue Coordination Center, and several other installations used by the 176th Wing; and other Tenant Units. *
Fort Glenn Army Airfield Cape Air Force Base also known as Fort Glenn Army Air Base, is a site significant for its role in World War II fighting, operating alongside Naval Air Facility Otter Point. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared ...
, :
Umnak Island Umnak ( ale, Unmax, Umnax; russian: Умнак) is one of the Fox Islands of the Aleutian Islands. With of land area, it is the third largest island in the Aleutian archipelago and the 19th largest island in the United States. The island is home ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1942-1947, Closed 1947, now abandoned. *
Fort Morrow Army Airfield Fort Morrow Army Airfield is a former United States Army airfield and radar station located six  nautical miles (7  mi, 11  km) northeast of the central business district of Port Heiden, in the Lake and Peninsula Borough of the U.S ...
, :
Port Heiden Port Heiden (Alutiiq: ) is a city in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 100, slightly down from 102 in 2010. Geography and climate Port Heiden is located at (56.948949, -158. ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
, 1941-1945, Closed 1945, now
Port Heiden Airport Port Heiden Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located six  nautical miles (7  mi, 11  km) northeast of the central business district of Port Heiden, in the Lake and Peninsula Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Sched ...
*
Fort Randall Army Airfield Thornbrough Air Force Base is a former facility of the United States Air Force in Cold Bay, Alaska. Following its closure, it was redeveloped into Cold Bay Airport. History The airport was constructed during World War II as Fort Randall Army Airf ...
, :
Cold Bay Cold Bay ( ale, Udaamagax,; Sugpiaq: ''Pualu'') is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 108, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 50. Cold Bay is one of the main commercial ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
, Opened March 1942 : Hosted
Project Hula Project Hula was a program during World War II in which the United States transferred naval vessels to the Soviet Union in anticipation of the Soviets eventually joining the Pacific War, war against Japan, specifically in preparation for planne ...
, a secret program to transfer 149
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
warships to the Soviet Navy and train 12,000 Soviet personnel to operate them, during the spring and summer of 1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command, 1945. Became Thornbrough Air Force Base in 1948, Closed September 1, 1953 *
Shemya Army Airfield Eareckson Air Station , formerly Shemya Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force military airport located on the island of Shemya, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. The airport was closed as an active Air Force Station on 1 July 1994. Howev ...
, :
Shemya Island Shemya or Simiya ( ale, Samiyax̂) is a small island in the Semichi Islands group of the Near Islands chain in the Aleutian Islands archipelago southwest of Alaska, at . It has a land area of , and is about southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. It is ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, 1943-1945 : Transferred to Alaskan Air Command - became
Shemya Air Force Base Eareckson Air Station , formerly Shemya Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force military airport located on the island of Shemya, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. The airport was closed as an active Air Force Station on 1 July 1994. Howev ...
; later, on 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station. The renaming ceremony was held 19 May 1993. The Eleventh Air Force Association initiated renaming the base to honor their wartime commander, Colonel William O. Eareckson (1900–1966). From 1941 to 1943, Eareckson personally led all of the difficult missions against the Japanese which were located on two other Aleutian Islands, Kiska and Attu. Eareckson also helped plan the successful retaking of Attu.


Support/Transferred airfields

* Annette Island Army Airfield, : Annette Island,
Alexander Archipelago The Alexander Archipelago (russian: Архипелаг Александра) is a long archipelago (group of islands) in North America lying off the southeastern coast of Alaska. It contains about 1,100 islands, the tops of submerged coastal m ...
: Built 1941, opened 1 March 1942. AAF/Civil joint-use airport used as refueling/servicing of transport aircraft between Washington State and Elmendorf. The
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
, through its
RCAF Western Air Command Western Air Command was the part of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Home War Establishment responsible for air operations on the Pacific coast of Canada during the Second World War. History Patrol operations When Canada declared war against Germa ...
, operated fighter and bomber aircraft from here, backing up US units closer to the Japanese occupied islands. RCAF 115 Squadron flew Bristol Bolingbroke aircraft; RCAF 118 and 135 Squadrons flew
P-40 The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
s. 149 Squadron operated Lockheed Ventura torpedo bombers.http://www.canadianwings.com/Archives/archivesDetail.php?The-RCAF-in-Alaska-18 "Canadian Wings: the RCAF in Alaska," taken from The Aeroplane, 5 January 1945 Closed 1945 and turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1947 and now
Annette Island Airport Annette Island Airport is located on Annette Island in the Prince of Wales – Hyder Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is privately owned by the Metlakatla Indian Community. It is located south of Metlakatla, Alaska. The a ...
. *
Bethel Air Base Bethel Air Base is a former United States Army airfield located three nautical miles (6 kilometre, km) southwest of the central business district of Bethel, Alaska, Bethel, a city in the Bethel Census Area, Alaska, Bethel Census Area of ...
, :
Bethel Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Construction began 21 September 1941, activated 4 July 1942; Used by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
as auxiliary airfield for
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft being flown to
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
; Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945; became joint-use
Bethel Airport Bethel Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located three  nautical miles (6  km) southwest of the central business district of Bethel, a city in the Bethel Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. As per Federal Aviation Adm ...
, used for construction of AC&W Bethel Air Force Station in the mid-1950s. Full jurisdiction turned over to Alaska Government 1958, now a civil airport. * Big Delta Army Airfield, : Fairbanks,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Built 1942 for
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
; Host unit was 1465th AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Was used on
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
ferrying Lend-Lease aircraft; Also used by Eleventh Air Force for staging and emergency use. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945; transferred to
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
1948, now
Fort Greely Fort Greely is a United States Army launch site for anti-ballistic missiles located about southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. It is also the home of the Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC), as Fort Greely is one of the coldest areas in Alaska, and can ...
* Cordova Airport, : Cordova,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Construction began 22 June 1941, activated 1 April 1941. Became AAF/Civil joint-use airport used as refueling/servicing of transport aircraft between Washington State and Elmendorf. Closed 1945 and turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1949 and now Cordova Municipal Airport. * Gakona Landing Strip, : Gakona,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Emergency 3,000' rolled gravel landing strip bulldozed in 1943, located adjacent to Gakona, Alaska, aligned 03/21. Abandoned after the war, now the right-of-way is a part of Alaska Highway 1. *
Galena Airport Galena, also called lead glance, is the natural mineral form of lead(II) sulfide (PbS). It is the most important ore of lead and an important source of silver. Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It cryst ...
, :
Galena Galena, also called lead glance, is the natural mineral form of lead(II) sulfide (PbS). It is the most important ore of lead and an important source of silver. Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It cryst ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1942 by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
, Host unit was 1468th AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Was used as refueling/servicing airfield for transfer of
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft to Siberia; Also used by Eleventh Air Force for staging and emergency use. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 * Gambell Army Airfield, : Gambell,
St. Lawrence Island St. Lawrence Island ( ess, Sivuqaq, russian: Остров Святого Лаврентия, Ostrov Svyatogo Lavrentiya) is located west of mainland Alaska in the Bering Sea, just south of the Bering Strait. The village of Gambell, located on t ...
: Constructed 1943 by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
, used as refueling/servicing airfield for transfer of
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft to Siberia; Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 and closed, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1950 and now
Gambell Airport Gambell Airport is a public airport located in Gambell, a city in the Nome Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is owned by the state. Facilities Gambell Airport covers an area of which contains one asphalt and concrete paved r ...
. * Juneau Airport, :
Juneau The City and Borough of Juneau, more commonly known simply as Juneau ( ; tli, Dzánti K'ihéeni ), is the capital city of the state of Alaska. Located in the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle, it is a unified municipality and the s ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Opened on 1 July 1941 as a civil airport. Used as a military refueling/servicing stop for transport aircraft between Washington State and Elmendorf. * Kiska Army Airfield, :
Kiska Island Kiska ( ale, Qisxa, russian: Кыска) is one of the Rat Islands, a group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. It is about long and varies in width from . It is part of Aleutian Islands Wilderness and as such, special permission is require ...
,
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
: Captured Japanese airfield under construction at time of liberation, 1943. Completed by AAF Engineers and used as auxiliary transport airfield in Aleutians. Closed 1945 and abandoned. *
Ladd Army Airfield Ladd Army Airfield is the military airfield located at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was originally called Fairbanks Air Base, but was renamed Ladd Field on 1 December 1939, in honor of Major Arthur K. Ladd, a pilot in the U.S. A ...
, : Fairbanks,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1939, prewar mission was cold weather testing of aircraft and equipment; became
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
airfield in 1942, Host unit was 1466th AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Was main transfer point for
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft from United States ATC pilots to Soviet
Red Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
pilots; aircraft then flown to
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
after transfer. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945. In 1961 it was transferred to the Army and re-designated Fort Wainwright in honor of World War II general Jonathan Wainwright. From 1963 to 1972 it was home to the 171st Infantry Brigade, mechanized until 1969, then light. During that time, the 172nd Infantry Brigade was at Fort Richardson, in Anchorage. From 1986 to 1998 Fort Wainwright was the home of the 6th Infantry Division (Light), and served as the division's headquarters from 1990 to 1994. From 1998 to 2006, it was home to the 172nd Infantry Brigade, which was reorganized in 2003 as the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), part of the U.S. Army's transition program to include six SBCTs. In 2006, the 172nd was re-flagged as the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division. Fort Wainwright is also the home of Task Force 49, an aviation brigade that provides logistical air support for U.S. Army Alaska, Bassett Army Community Hospital and the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service. * McGrath Army Airbase, : Constructed 1941 by CAA a civil airport. Used as a sub-base of Ladd Army Airbase . Used by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
as auxiliary airfield for
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft being flown to
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
; Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945; Full jurisdiction turned over to Alaska Government 1947, now a civil airport. Used as a staging facility for construction of AC&W Tatalina Air Force Station in the mid-1950s. * Marks Army Airfield, : Nome,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1942, opened 1 July. Used by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
as refueling/servicing airfield for
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft being flown to
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
by Soviet
Red Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
pilots. Host unit was 1469th AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Renamed Marks Army Airfield, 1942. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 * Mile 26 Field, : Moose Creek,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1943 by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
; activated on 20 September as Station #4, Alaskan Wing, was auxiliary to Ladd Army Airfield for
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945. * Moses Point Airstrip, : Elim,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
. : Constructed 1943 as auxiliary landing strip for Marks AAF; Used as servicing airfield for
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft being flown to
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
by Soviet
Red Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
pilots. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 and closed, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1947 and now civil airport. * Naknek Army Airfield, :
King Salmon The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon in North America, as well as the largest in the genus '' Oncorhynchus''. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other v ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Activated 1 July 1942 by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
. Was transport and maintenance airfield for ATC aircraft servicing Alaska airfields; also provided maintenance for transient aircraft in Alaska. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command in 1945. Became King Salmon Air Force Base. * Northway Army Airfield, : Northway,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
. : Constructed 1943 by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
; Host unit was 1463d AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Mission was servicing
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft from United States. Also used by Eleventh Air Force for staging and emergency use. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 and closed, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1947 and now
Northway Airport Northway Airport is a state-owned public-use airport serving Northway, Alaska, Northway, a community located in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is included in the Nation ...
. * Ogliuga Island Army Airfield, : Was forward airfield constructed on Ogliuga Island. Operational between 1943 and 1945, used during Aleutian Campaign between Kiska and Adak. The site included an emergency landing field, parking area, and living quarters. Additional facilities were established at this site, including aircraft warning, airway radio communication, and a weather reporting station. No permanent units assigned, abandoned. Reported hazardous munitions still remaining on island. * Tanacross Air Base, :
Tanacross Tanacross (also Transitional Tanana) is an endangered Athabaskan language spoken by fewer than 60 people in eastern Interior Alaska. Overview The word Tanacross (from " Tanana Crossing") has been used to refer both to a village in eastern ...
,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1943, activated 20 September by
Air Transport Command Air Transport Command (ATC) was a United States Air Force unit that was created during World War II as the strategic airlift component of the United States Army Air Forces. It had two main missions, the first being the delivery of supplies and ...
as Station #16, Alaskan Wing, later 1464th AAFBU. Alaskan Division, ATC. Was auxiliary to Ladd Army Airfield for
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft. Designated Tanacross Air Base, July 1944. Mission was servicing
Northwest Staging Route The Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airport and radio ranging stations built in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II. It extended into the Soviet Union as the ALSIB (ALaska-SIBerian air road). Or ...
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...
aircraft from United States. Transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command, 1945 and closed, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1947 and now Tanacross Airport. * Walseth Army Airfield, : Seward,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed as part of Fort Raymond; closed 1948, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition. Jurisdiction transferred to Territory of Alaska and now
Seward Airport Seward Airport is a state-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (2.3 miles; 3.7 km) northeast of the central business district of Seward, Alaska, Seward, a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Kenai Peninsula Borough of th ...
. *
Yakutat Army Airfield Yakutat Army Airfield is a former United States Army airfield located three nautical miles (6  km) southeast of the central business district of Yakutat, a city and borough in the U.S. state of Alaska which has no road access to the ou ...
, : Yakutat City and Borough,
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...
: Constructed 1941 as landing field for transport aircraft between Washington State and Elmendorf; activated on 1 March 1942; closed 1945, turned over to
War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
for disposition, 1946. Jurisdiction transferred to private ownership in 1949 and now
Yakutat Airport Yakutat Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located three  nautical miles (6  km) southeast of the central business district of Yakutat, a city and borough in the U.S. state of Alaska which has no road access to the outside ...
. In addition many minor airstrips were built for emergency landings. The mission of these bases primarily was the wartime defense of Alaska and the
Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
and to support the Aleutian Islands Campaign against Japan.


See also

* Eleventh Air Force *
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 ...


References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
Military Airfields in World War II - Alaska


2009-10-25)


External links

{{USAAF 11th Air Force World War II 01 World War II Army Airfields
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 ...
World War II Army Airfields United States World War II army airfields Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the United States by state Military history of Alaska