Illinois World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Illinois 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
Army Air Force Training Command


 * Chanute Field AAF, Rantoul
 * Eastern Technical Training Center (Metrological School; adv. Specialities)
 * 9th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Was: Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993)
 * Now: Rantoul National Aviation Center


 * Curtis-Parks AAF, East St. Louis
 * Contract Pilot School
 * Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport


 * George Field AAF, Lawrenceville
 * AAF Southeast Training Center
 * 327th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport
 * Atterbury AAF, Columbus, Indiana
 * Sub-base of George AAF
 * Now: Columbus Municipal Airport
 * Sturgis AAF, Sturgis, Kentucky
 * Sub-base of George AAF
 * Now: Sturgis Municipal Airport

Air Transport Command
 * Scott Field, AAF, Belleville
 * 8th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Scott Air Force Base

Air Technical Service Command


 * Chicago MAP, Chicago
 * 395th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
 * Now: Chicago Midway International Airport


 * Orchard Place APT/Douglas AAF, Chicago
 * Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
 * Now: O'Hare International Airport