Oklahoma World War II Army Airfields

Oklahoma World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Altus AAF Chickasha AAF Enid AAF Frederick AAF Hatbox AAF Miami MAP Mustang AAF Ponca City MAP Tinker AAF Ardmore AAF Muskogee AAF Will Rogers MAP Woodward AAF Tulsa MAP Map Of Oklahoma 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 (AAF) established numerous airfields in Oklahoma for training pilots and aircrews of AAF fighters and bombers or as major maintenance and supply centers.

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 other AAF commands, including Second Air Force, Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) and Air Transport Command (ATC) commanded 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

Army Air Forces Training Command

• Altus Army Airfield, Altus

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2508th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Altus Air Force Base

• Chickasha Field, Chickasha

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2549th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Chickasha Municipal Airport (IATA: CHK, ICAO: KCHK)

• Cimarron Army Airfield, Cimmaron

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2508th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Clarence E. Page Municipal Airport (IATA: RCE, ICAO: KRCE)

• Enid Army Airfield, Enid

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2518th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Vance Air Force Base

• Frederick Army Airfield, Frederick

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2520th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Frederick Municipal Airport (IATA: FDR, ICAO: KFDR)

• Hatbox Army Airfield, Muskogee

AKA Muskogee Municipal Airport

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2557th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Later: Hatbox Field (Closed)

• Miami Municipal Airport, Miami

AAF Central Flying Training Command

2556th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Miami Municipal Airport (IATA: MIO, ICAO: KMIO)

• Mustang Field, El Reno

Central Flying Training Command

2554th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: El Reno Regional Airport (IATA: RQO, ICAO: KRQO)

• Ponca City Airport, Ponca City

Central Flying Training Command

323d Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment

Now: Ponca City Regional Airport (IATA: PNC, ICAO: KPNC)

Air Technical Service Command

• Tinker Field, Oklahoma City

4136th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Tinker Air Force Base

Second Air Force

• Ardmore Army Airfield, Ardmore

222d Army Air Forces Base Unit

Later: Ardmore Air Force Base (IATA: ADM, ICAO: KADM)

Now: Ardmore Municipal Airport

Third Air Force

• Muskogee Army Airfield, Muskogee

349th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Was: Davis Field (Now Closed)

• Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City

Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport

348th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now Will Rogers World Airport (IATA: OKC, ICAO: KOKC)

and Will Rogers Air National Guard Base

• Woodward AAF

Second Air Force until 1944

Sub-field of Will Rogers Field

354th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: West Woodward Airport (IATA: WWR, ICAO: KWWR)

Air Transport Command

• Tulsa Municipal Airport, Tulsa

582d Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Tulsa International Airport

and Tulsa Air National Guard Base (IATA: TUL, ICAO: KTUL)

Note: Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, originally Naval Air Station Clinton, was acquired by the U. S. Navy in 1942. It was on 15 September 1954, that the USAF leased the site from the City of Clinton to be used as an Air Force Base.

References

• Maurer, Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II [1], Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C., 1961 (reprint 1983) ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
• Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, [2] Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C. (1989) ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
• Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977, [3] Washington, D.C., Office of Air Force History (1984) ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Military Airfields in World War II - Oklahoma