Arkansas World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Arkansas 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). 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
Army Air Force Training Command Southeast Training Center
 * Blytheville AAF, 3 miles north of Blytheville
 * 326th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Became Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base (1951-1992)
 * Now: Arkansas International Airport (1992-Present)


 * Walnut Ridge AAF, 4 miles north of Walnut Ridge
 * 323th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Later: Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge
 * Now: Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG)


 * Newport AAF, 6 miles northeast of Newport
 * 337th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Later: Marine Corps Air Facility Newport
 * Now: Newport Municipal Airport (M19)


 * Stuttgart AAF, 5 miles north of Stuttgart
 * 426th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Stuttgart Municipal Airport (SGT)

Third Air Force
 * Adams Field, 4 miles east of Little Rock.
 * (Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport)
 * Now: Little Rock National Airport

Known Secondary Facilities

 * Carlisle (26 mi. NW Stuttgart)
 * Cooter (10 mi. NE Blytheville)
 * Hazen (19 mi. NNW Stuttgart)
 * Hope Army Air Field (3 mi. NE Hope)
 * Manila (13 mi. W Blytheville)
 * Praireville (8 mi. SE Stuttgart)
 * Steele (12 mi. N Blytheville)
 * Ridge Army Air Base (4 mi. NE Walnut Ridge)