South Dakota World War II Army Airfields
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in South Dakota
for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Second 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.
Second Air Force
Personnel Distribution Command
Army Air Force Training Command
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 South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
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
Air Technical Service Command- Mitchell AAF/MAP, MitchelMitchell, South Dakota-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
- 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
- Now: Mitchell Municipal AirportMitchell Municipal AirportMitchell Municipal Airport is a public airport located within city limits approximately north of central Mitchell, South Dakota.-History:Opened in November 1937, during World War II, the facility was rebuilt in 1943 by the United States Army Air Force as a Second Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress...
- Pierre AAF, PierrePierre, South DakotaPierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
- Pierre AAF, Pierre
- 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
- Now: Pierre Regional AirportPierre Regional AirportPierre Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles east of the central business district of Pierre, a city in Hughes County, South Dakota, USA. The airport covers and has two runways. It is served by two commercial airlines....
Second Air Force
- Rapid City AAB, Rapid CityRapid City, South DakotaRapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
- 353d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Was: Rapid City Air Field (1947)
- Was: Weaver Air Force Base (1948)
- Was: Rapid City Air Force Base (1948-1953)
- Now:
Ellsworth Air Force BaseEllsworth Air Force BaseEllsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota....
(1953-Pres)
- Sioux Falls AAF, Sioux FallsSioux Falls, South DakotaSioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
- 335th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Joe Foss Field Air National Guard StationJoe Foss Field Air National Guard StationJoe Foss Field Air National Guard Station is the home base of the South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing.-Overview:South Dakota's 114th Fighter Wing, nicknamed the Lobos, is stationed at Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls, South Dakota....
(Joe Foss Field)
Personnel Distribution Command
- Watertown AAF, WatertownWatertown, South DakotaWatertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 21,482 at the 2010 census. It is also the principal city of the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Codington and Hamlin counties...
- 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
- Now: Watertown Regional AirportWatertown Regional Airport- History :During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force. Used as a Second Air Force cold weather bomber training base as an auxiliary to Sioux Falls Army Air Field, and by Air Proving Ground Command.-References:...
Army Air Force Training Command
- Aberdeen AAF, AberdeenAberdeen, South DakotaAberdeen is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States, about 125 mi northeast of Pierre. Settled in 1880, it was incorporated in 1882. The city population was 26,091 at the 2010 census. The American News is the local newspaper...
- Contract Flying School
- Now: Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles east of the central business district of Aberdeen, a city in Brown County, South Dakota, United States...