Arkansas World War II Army Airfields
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, the United States Army Air Force (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.
Southeast Training Center
Third Air Force
) 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
)
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
or the Army Air Forces Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
(AAFTC) (A predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
). 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
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.
Major Airfields
Army Air Force Training CommandSoutheast Training Center
- Blytheville AAF, 3 miles north of BlythevilleBlytheville, ArkansasBlytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
- 326th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Became Blytheville/Eaker Air Force BaseEaker Air Force BaseEaker Air Force Base was a front-line United States Air Force base for over 40 years. It was located 3 miles northwest of central Blytheville, Arkansas...
(1951-1992) - Now: Arkansas International AirportArkansas International AirportArkansas International Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Blytheville, a city in Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States...
(1992-Present)- Walnut Ridge AAF, 4 miles north of Walnut RidgeWalnut Ridge, ArkansasWalnut Ridge is a city in Lawrence County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,925 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Lawrence County. Walnut Ridge lies immediately north of Hoxie, Arkansas. The two towns form a contiguous urban area with approximately 8,000 residents...
- Walnut Ridge AAF, 4 miles north of Walnut Ridge
- 323th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG)
- Newport AAF, 6 miles northeast of NewportNewport, ArkansasNewport is a city in Jackson County, Arkansas, northeast of Little Rock, on the White River. In 1900, 2,866 people lived in Newport, Arkansas; in 1910, 3,557. The population was 7,811 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jackson County....
- Newport AAF, 6 miles northeast of Newport
- 337th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Newport Municipal Airport (M19)
- Stuttgart AAF, 5 miles north of StuttgartStuttgart, ArkansasStuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
- 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 RockLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
.
- (Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport)
- Now: Little Rock National AirportLittle Rock National AirportLittle Rock National Airport , officially Little Rock National Airport/Adams Field, is located 2 miles east of the central business district of Little Rock, a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas' largest commercial service airport, serving more than 2.1 million...
Known Secondary Facilities
Carlisle (26 mi. NW StuttgartStuttgart, Arkansas
Stuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
) Cooter (10 mi. NE Blytheville
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
) Hazen (19 mi. NNW Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Arkansas
Stuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
) Hope Army Air Field (3 mi. NE Hope
Hope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
) Manila (13 mi. W Blytheville
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
) Praireville (8 mi. SE Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Arkansas
Stuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
) Steele (12 mi. N Blytheville
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
) Ridge Army Air Base (4 mi. NE Walnut Ridge
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Walnut Ridge is a city in Lawrence County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,925 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Lawrence County. Walnut Ridge lies immediately north of Hoxie, Arkansas. The two towns form a contiguous urban area with approximately 8,000 residents...
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