Louisiana World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Louisiana for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of Third 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). In addition, the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) 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
 * Moisant Army Airfield, Kenner
 * Sub-base of Naval Air Station New Orleans, Joint Use
 * Now: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport


 * Harding Army Airfield, Baton Rouge
 * 49th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport


 * New Orleans Army Airbase, New Orleans
 * 37th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: New Orleans Lakefront Airport

Third Air Force
 * Alexandria Army Airfield, Alexandria
 * 517th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Later: England Air Force Base (1950-1992)
 * Now: Alexandria International Airport


 * Esler Army Airfield, Pineville
 * 333d Air Base Group
 * Now: Esler Regional Airport


 * Lake Charles Army Airfield, Lake Charles
 * Gulf Coast Training Center, 1942
 * 82d Army Air Force Base
 * Later: Lake Charles/Chennault Air Force Base (1950-1963)
 * Now: Chennault International Airport


 * DeRidder Army Airbase, DeRidder
 * 317th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Beauregard Regional Airport

Army Air Forces Training CommandAAF Southeast Training Center
 * Barksdale Army Airfield, Shreveport
 * 5th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Flying Training, HQ AAF Training Command
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Barksdale Air Force Base


 * Selman Army Airfield, Monroe
 * 329th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Monroe Regional Airport