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Arizona World War II Army Airfields Us army air corps shield
Arizona World War II Army Airfields is located in Arizona
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Douglas AAF
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Hereford AAF
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Falcon AAF
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Kingman AAF
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Yucca AAF
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Luke AAF
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Ajo AAF
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Gila Bend AFAF
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Marana AAF
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Ryan AAF
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Thunderbird #1
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Thunderbird #2
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Yuma AAF
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Dateland AAF
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Coolidge AAF
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Williams AAF
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Winslow MAP
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Tucson MAP
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Davis–Monthan AAF
Map Of Arizona World War II Army Airfields
Type Army Airfields
Site history
Built 1940-1944
In use 1940-Present

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Arizona for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. Most of these airfields were under the command of Fourth 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[]

Air Transport Command

  • Coolidge Army Airfield, 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Coolidge
Now: Coolidge Municipal Airport (IATA: P08)
  • Winslow Municipal Airport, Winslow
Now: Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport (IATA: INW, ICAO: KINW)

Fourth Air Force

  • Davis-Monthan Field Army Airfield, Tucson
32d Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Roundel of the USAF Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Air Technical Service Command

  • Tucson Army Airfield, Tucson
Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport
Now: Tucson International Airport (IATA: TUS, ICAO: KTUS)and Roundel of the USAF Tucson Air National Guard Base, home to the 162d Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard

Army Air Forces Training Command

Western Flight Training Center
461st Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Douglas Municipal Airport
(IATA: DGL, ICAO: KDGL, FAA Location identifier: DGL)
Hereford Army Airfield, two miles west-southwest of Hereford
Auxiliary of Douglas Army Airfield
Now: Airfield closed and abandoned
  • Falcon Field Army Airfield, Mesa
Western Flight Training Center
Now: Falcon Field Airport (IATA: FFZ, ICAO: KFFZ)
Western Flight Training Center
460th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Kingman Airport and Industrial Park (IATA: IGM, ICAO: KIGM)
Yucca Army Airfield, one mile west of Yucca
Sub-base of Kingman Army Airfield
Now: Ford Motor Co-AZ Proving Grd Airport (P17)
  • Luke Army Airfield, Glendale
West Coast Training Center, 1941
Western Flight Training Center
66th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Roundel of the USAF Luke Air Force Base
Ajo Army Airfield, five miles north of Ajo
Sub-base of Luke Army Airfield
472d Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Eric Marcus Municipal Airport (P01)
Gila Bend Army Airfield, three miles southeast of Gila Bend
Sub-base of Luke Army Airfield
492d Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Roundel of the USAF Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field

Army Air Forces Training Command

Western Flight Training Center
Now: Pinal Airpark (IATA: MZJ, ICAO: KMZJ)
  • Ryan Field, Tucson
Contract Flight Training
Today: Ryan Field Airport (IATA: RYN, ICAO: KRYN)
  • Thunderbird Field No 1, Glendale
Contract Flight Training
Now: Thunderbird School of Global Management (Non flying facility)
  • Thunderbird Field No 2, Scottsdale
Contract Flight Training
Now: Scottsdale Airport (IATA: SCF, ICAO: KSDL)
West Coast Training Center, 1942
Western Flight Training Center
389th Army Air Force Base Unit
Was Williams Air Force Base (1947-1993)
Now: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IATA: AZA, ICAO: KIWA)
  • Yuma Army Airfield, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Yuma
Western Flight Training Center
403d Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Vincent Air Force Base (1951-1959)
Now: USMC logo Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.
Dateland Army Airfield, 40 miles East of Yuma
Sub-base of Yuma Army Airfield
Now: Airfield closed and abandoned.

Known Secondary Facilities[]

(8 mi (13 km) north-northeast of Prescott); USAAF Limited Usage
(6 mi (9.7 km) northeast of the Laguna Diversion Dam); USAAF Limited Usage

See also[]

References[]

  • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  • Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1-57510-051-7
  • Military Airfields in World War II - Arizona

External links[]


All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Arizona World War II Army Airfields and the edit history here.
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