Georgia World War II Army Airfields

Georgia World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Map of Major Georgia World War II Army Airfields   First Air Force   Third Air Force   AAF Training Command   AAF Contract Flying Schools   Air Technical Service Command
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 Georgia 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) 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

First Air Force, later Third Air Force

• Chatham Army Airfield, 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-northwest of Savannah

425th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron: 22 January 1943 – 10 April 1944

114th Army Air Force Base Unit (First AF): 10 April 1944 – 28 March 1945

323rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 1945 – 8 Jun 1947

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942–1943)

Transferred to: Third Air Force (1945)

Was: Chatham Air Force Base (1947–1950)

Now: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (IATA: SAV, ICAO: KSAV, FAA LID: SAV)

And

Savannah Air National Guard Base

And

Georgia ANG Combat Readiness Training Center

• Harris Neck Army Airfield, 32.7 miles (52.6 km) south-southwest of Savannah

Sub-base of: Dale Mabry Field, Florida

346th Army Air Force Base Unit (Third AF): 1 May 1944 – 1945

Transferred to: United States Navy (1945)

Now: Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Third Air Force

AAF Training Command

Eastern Flying Training Command

AAF Contract Flying Schools

Air Technical Service Command

Minor airfields

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
• 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 – Georgia

This page was last edited on 21 May 2024, at 23:17