Louisiana World War II Army Airfields

Louisiana World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Alexandria AAF Esler AAF Lake Charles AAF DeRidder AAB Barksdale AAF Selman AAF Moisant AAF Harding AAF New Orleans AAF Map Of Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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) (A predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command). In addition, the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) 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

Air Technical Service Command

Moisant Army Airfield, Kenner

Sub-base of Naval Air Station New Orleans, Joint Use

Now: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Harding Field, Baton Rouge

49th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Now: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport

New Orleans Army Air Base, New Orleans

37th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Now: New Orleans Lakefront Airport

Third Air Force

Alexandria Army Air Field, Alexandria

517th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Later: England Air Force Base (1950-1992)

Now: Alexandria International Airport

Esler Army Air Field, Pineville

333d Air Base Group

Now: Esler Regional Airport

Lake Charles Army Air Field, Lake Charles

Gulf Coast Training Center, 1942

82d Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Later: Lake Charles/Chennault Air Force Base (1950-1963)

Now: Chennault International Airport

DeRidder Army Air Base, DeRidder

317th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Now: Beauregard Regional Airport

Army Air Forces Training Command
AAF Southeast Training Center

Barksdale Army Air Field, Shreveport

5th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Flying Training, HQ AAF Training Command

Now:

Barksdale Air Force Base

Selman Field, Monroe

329th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Now: Monroe Regional Airport

References

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 - Louisiana

External links

Army Air Forces Training Command

Flying Training

Flying Schools	Eastern Flying Training Command Central Flying Training Command Western Flying Training Command

Specialized Schools	Bombardier Contract Flying Glider Training Gunnery Navigator

Technical Training

USAAF Third Air Force in World War II

Airfields

Group Training Stations
Replacement Training Stations
Tactical Airfields

Units

Commands

Divisions

III Tactical Air Division

Wings

Groups

Air Commando	2nd Air Commando 3rd Air Commando

Bombardment	3rd Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 21st Bombardment 29th Bombardment 30th Bombardment Group 38th Bombardment 44th Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 90th Bombardment 91st Bombardment 92nd Bombardment 93rd Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 309th Bombardment 310th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th Bombardment 321st Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment 335th Bombardment 336th Bombardment 340th Bombardment 344th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 411th Bombardment 416th Bombardment 417th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 454th Bombardment 463rd Bombardment 483rd Bombardment 488th Bombardment

Fighter	20th Fighter 31st Fighter 49th Fighter 50th Fighter 53rd Fighter 54th Fighter 56th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 81st Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 311th Fighter 332nd Fighter 337th Fighter 338th Fighter 339th Fighter 361st Fighter 369th Fighter 372nd Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 408th Fighter 414th Fighter 506th Fighter

Fighter-Bomber	27th Fighter-Bomber 48th Fighter-Bomber 86th Fighter-Bomber 406th Fighter-Bomber 407th Fighter-Bomber

Reconnaissance	2d Reconnaissance 9th Reconnaissance 10th Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 65th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance 70th Reconnaissance 75th Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance 423d Reconnaissance 424th Reconnaissance 426th Reconnaissance

United States Army Air Forces

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