During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Illinois 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). 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
Army Air Force Training Command Chanute Field, Rantoul Eastern Technical Training Center (Metrological School; adv. Specialities) 9th Army Air Force Base Unit Was: Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993) Now: Rantoul National Aviation Center Curtis-Parks AAF, East St. Louis Contract Pilot School Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport George Army Airfield, Lawrenceville AAF Southeast Training Center 327th Army Air Force Base Unit Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport Atterbury Army Airfield, Columbus, Indiana Sub-base of George AAF Now: Columbus Municipal Airport Sturgis Army Airfield, Sturgis, Kentucky Sub-base of George AAF Now: Sturgis Municipal Airport
Air Transport Command Scott Field, AAF, Belleville 8th Army Air Force Base Unit Now: Scott Air Force Base
Air Technical Service Command Chicago MAP, Chicago 395th Army Air Force Base Unit Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport Now: the Scottsdale neighborhood in Chicago, and the southeast side of Burbank, Illinois (see Ashburn Flying Field) Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Army Airfield, Chicago Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport Later a joint use civil-military airport as O'Hare International Airport & O'Hare Air Reserve Station Now: O'Hare International Airport
References Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub.
External links Military Airfields in World War II - Illinois