Iowa World War II Army Airfields

Iowa World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Des Moines AAF
Sioux City AAB
Spencer AAF
Map Of Iowa 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 Iowa for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of First 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

USAAF Name
Current Name
Mission Host Unit Location Coordinates Notes
Des Moines International Airport
Des Moines Air National Guard Base
Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport
Air Technical Services Command
1st Concentration Command
842d Army Air Forces Specialized Depot Des Moines 41°32′18″N 093°39′34″W / 41.53833°N 93.65944°W / 41.53833; -93.65944 (Des Moines Airport) Used by ATSC as an Aircraft/Crew processing center for heavy bomber crews. Remained in use by Iowa Air National Guard after war ended and now a joint civil-military airport.
Sioux City Army Air Base
Sioux Gateway Airport
Sioux City Air National Guard Base
II Bomber Command
B-17/B-24 Bomber Training
354th Army Air Force Base Unit Sioux City 42°23′54″N 096°22′19″W / 42.39833°N 96.37194°W / 42.39833; -96.37194 (Sioux City AAB) Closed 1945. Used by Air Defense Command as an Interceptor base, 1946-1968; Ground Control Radar station, 1959-1970. Now joint-use civilian airport and Iowa ANG base for KC-135 air refueling aircraft.
Spencer Field
Spencer Municipal Airport
Army Air Forces Training Command
Contract Flying Instruction
Hunter Flying Service School, Primary Flight Instruction Spencer 43°09′56″N 095°12′10″W / 43.16556°N 95.20278°W / 43.16556; -95.20278 (Spencer Field) 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

References

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