During World War II

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 Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

 for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of First Air Force

First Air Force

The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....

 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

USAAF Name Current Name	Mission	Host Unit	Location	Coordinates	Notes
Des Moines International Airport Des Moines International Airport Des Moines International Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Des Moines, a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The airport serves the Des Moines metropolitan area with 19 connections to major airline hubs... Des Moines Air National Guard Base Des Moines Air National Guard Base Des Moines Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Iowa Air National Guard 132d Fighter Wing.-Overview:The 132d Fighter Wing, located at the Des Moines Air National Guard Base, can trace its roots back to February, 1941 with the establishment of the 124th Observation Squadron. The unit at...	Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport Air Technical Services Command 1st Concentration Command	842d Army Air Forces Specialized Depot	Des Moines Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...	41°32′18"N 093°39′34"W	Used by ATSC as a Aircraft/Crew processing center for heavy bomber crews. Remained in use by Iowa Air National Guard after war ended.
Sioux City Army Air Base Sioux Gateway Airport Sioux Gateway Airport -History:The construction of Sioux City Army Air Base began in March 1942, about three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Opened on 5 July 1942, it became a major training center during World War II for crew members of B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses... Sioux City Air National Guard Base Sioux City Air National Guard Base Sioux City Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Sioux Gateway Airport It is located south-southeast of Sioux City, Iowa...	II Bomber Command II Bomber Command The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943.... B-17/B-24 Bomber Training	354th Army Air Force Base Unit	Sioux City Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....	42°23′54"N 096°22′19"W	Closed 1945. Used by Air Defense Command as a Interceptor base, 1946-1968; Ground Control Radar station, 1959-1970. Now joint-use Airport and Iowa ANG Air Refueling base.
Spencer Field Spencer Municipal Airport Spencer Municipal Airport Spencer Municipal Airport , also known as Northwest Iowa Regional Airport, is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Spencer, a city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. It is owned by the City of Spencer.The airport is not served by any commercial...	Army Air Forces Training Command Army Air Forces Training Command Army Air Forces Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was redesignated Air Training Command on 1 July 1946 as part of the reorganization of the Army Air Forces after World War II.... Contract Flying Instruction	Hunter Flying Service School, Primary Flight Instruction	Spencer Spencer, Iowa Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa , and the county seat of Clay County . It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. The population was 11,233 in the 2010 census, a decline from 11,317 in the 2000 census. Spencer is famous as the home of the Clay County Fair,...	43°09′56"N 095°12′10"W	The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field. Inanctivated 1944

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