Bruning Army Airfield
Encyclopedia
Bruning Army Airfield was a flight training installation of the United States Army Air Forces
used during World War II
and located in northeast Thayer County
, Nebraska
, at coordinates 40°20'25" North, 97°25'42" West, approximately six miles east of Bruning
.
of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The airfield was constructed in 1942. The 1720 acres (7 km²) site is bordered on the west by low hills and a small creek bed. Level farm ground is on the north, east and south boundaries. On 12 September 1942, twelve land owners received notice from the federal government that they had ten days to move off their farms, including livestock, farm equipment, feed and all possessions, leaving crops in the fields. They were compensated approximately $50 an acre. Some of the vacated farm buildings and houses were moved, while others were demolished. Immediately thereafter, construction began on the Bruning Army Airfield, with approximately 1,000 construction workers were used to build the field on 1,720 acres (7 km²) of land, with an additional 2,122 acres (9 km²) south of the base leased for a gunnery range. At its peak of activity, Bruning had 3,077 military and 500 civilian personnel assigned.
The base consisted of three runways of 6,800 feet (2,070 m) in length, formed in a triangle, with the main parking apron
(600 by 2,135 ft) located on the north-south (17/35) runway
. Three hangars and 231 support buildings were constructed. The base was activated on March 18, 1943, and dedicated on August 28, 1943. The first unit arrived for training on August 2, 1943.
Bruning AAF was under the command of Second Air Force
Headquarters, Colorado Springs, Colorado
, and provided final training for Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy Bombers and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter-Bombers. Twelve bombardment squadrons and nine fighter squadrons completed proficiency training at the field before receiving orders for overseas combat assignments. Complete engine and airframe repairs were available for the B-24 bombers and P-47 fighters attached to Bruning AAF.
The host unit at the airfield was the 510th Headquarters and Air Base Squadron (Later 510th Army Air Force Base Unit). The 510th was assigned to the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing
(July - December 1943), then was transferred to the 72nd Fighter Wing
in December 1943. The following units trained at Bruning AAF:
Local historians record that 23 airmen died in training accidents at the base, and an additional 28 were killed on August 4, 1944, when a C-47 Skytrain
carrying a graduating class of fighter pilots ran into a thunder storm and crashed near Naper, Nebraska
, killing all 28 men.
Bruning AAF was placed on reserve status effective 7 February 1945 and assigned to Air Technical Service Command. The 4167th Army Air Force Base Unit was assigned to the airfield with a mission to maintain the airfield in reserve status until such time as it may be needed as an active station.
The base was declared surplus by the USAAF on November 21, 1945 and turned over to the State of Nebraska. In 1947, 174 buildings were dismantled at Bruning. On January 15, 1948, Nebraska Department of Aeronautics acquired a quitclaim deed for Bruning Army Airfield from the U. S. War Assets Administration. The Nebraska Department of Aeronautics eventually took over a total of six former Army airfields after the war, and continued to operate nearly all of them for many years as state operated civilian airports. The Bruning field was operated as a State airfield until August 1969, although gradually all but a small portion of one runway were closed. The property is now closed to traffic and is leased to local farmers and a cattle feedlot company
Bruning Army Airfield is now abandoned with only a few buildings and the large Sub-Depot hangar is still standing, as well as remnants of foundations and floors found at the site. The integrity of Hangar 52 is fairly intact, but Hangar 53 is in very poor condition, near ruins. The North-South and SW-NE runways are used as the home of Mid-America Feed Yard, a large commercial cattle feed lot, and the NW-SE runway is still visible.
On July 19, 1998 the Thayer County Historical Society dedicated a Nebraska State Historical Monument on Highway 4 about 6 miles (10 km) east of Bruning, near the site of Bruning AAF.
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
used during World War II
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...
and located in northeast Thayer County
Thayer County, Nebraska
-History:Thayer County was formed in 1872. It was named after the General and Governor John Milton Thayer.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,055 people, 2,541 households, and 1,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, at coordinates 40°20'25" North, 97°25'42" West, approximately six miles east of Bruning
Bruning, Nebraska
Bruning is a village in Thayer County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 300 at the 2000 census. During World War II the U.S. Army Air Forces operated Bruning Army Airfield nearby...
.
History
Bruning AAF was one of eleven Nebraska training airfieldsNebraska World War II Army Airfields
Nebraska World War II army airfields were major United States Army Air Force training centers for pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers during World War II. Nebraska was a favored because it has excellent, year-round flying conditions...
of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The airfield was constructed in 1942. The 1720 acres (7 km²) site is bordered on the west by low hills and a small creek bed. Level farm ground is on the north, east and south boundaries. On 12 September 1942, twelve land owners received notice from the federal government that they had ten days to move off their farms, including livestock, farm equipment, feed and all possessions, leaving crops in the fields. They were compensated approximately $50 an acre. Some of the vacated farm buildings and houses were moved, while others were demolished. Immediately thereafter, construction began on the Bruning Army Airfield, with approximately 1,000 construction workers were used to build the field on 1,720 acres (7 km²) of land, with an additional 2,122 acres (9 km²) south of the base leased for a gunnery range. At its peak of activity, Bruning had 3,077 military and 500 civilian personnel assigned.
The base consisted of three runways of 6,800 feet (2,070 m) in length, formed in a triangle, with the main parking apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
(600 by 2,135 ft) located on the north-south (17/35) runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
. Three hangars and 231 support buildings were constructed. The base was activated on March 18, 1943, and dedicated on August 28, 1943. The first unit arrived for training on August 2, 1943.
Bruning AAF was 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....
Headquarters, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and provided final training for Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy Bombers and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter-Bombers. Twelve bombardment squadrons and nine fighter squadrons completed proficiency training at the field before receiving orders for overseas combat assignments. Complete engine and airframe repairs were available for the B-24 bombers and P-47 fighters attached to Bruning AAF.
The host unit at the airfield was the 510th Headquarters and Air Base Squadron (Later 510th Army Air Force Base Unit). The 510th was assigned to the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing
16th Bombardment Training Wing (World War II)
The 16th Bombardment Training Wingis an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force, based at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado...
(July - December 1943), then was transferred to the 72nd Fighter Wing
72nd Fighter Wing (World War II)
The 72d Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force, based at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado...
in December 1943. The following units trained at Bruning AAF:
- 456th Bombardment Group - August 2-October 8, 1943
- 744th, 745th, 746th and 747th Bombardment Squadrons
- Deployed to Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
in ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, (B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
)
- 449th Bombardment Group - September 12- December 3, 1943
- 716th, 717th, 718th and 719th Bombardment Squadrons
- Deployed to Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
in ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, (B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
)
- 487th Bombardment Group487th Air Expeditionary WingThe 487th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
- September 20-December 15, 1943
- 836th, 837th, 838th and 839th Bombardment Squadrons
- Deployed to Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, (B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
)
- 507th Fighter Group- October 20-December 12, 1944
- 463rd, 464th, and 465th Fighter Squadrons
- Deployed to Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
in Okinawa, (P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
)
- 508th Fighter Group - November 15-December 18, 1944
- 466th, 467th, and 468th Fighter Squadrons
- Deployed to HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as replacement training group, (P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
)
- 23d Fighter Squadron - November 1943 - March 1944
- Component of 36th Fighter Group at Scribner Army Air Field, Nebraska
- Deployed to Ninth Air ForceNinth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
)
- 516th Fighter Squadron516th Strategic Fighter SquadronThe 516th Strategic Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing stationed at Great Falls AFB, Montana...
- 3 March - 1 April 1944
- Component of 407th Fighter-Bomber Group407th Air Expeditionary GroupThe 407th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces Central 321st Air Expeditionary Wing. It is stationed at Ali Air Base, Iraq...
- Replacement Training Unit (A-24 Dauntless, A-36 Apache)
- 517th Fighter Squadron517th Strategic Fighter SquadronThe 517th Strategic Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing stationed at Great Falls AFB, Montana...
- 3 March - 1 April 1944
- Component of 407th Fighter-Bomber Group407th Air Expeditionary GroupThe 407th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces Central 321st Air Expeditionary Wing. It is stationed at Ali Air Base, Iraq...
- Replacement Training Unit (A-24 Dauntless, A-36 Apache)
Local historians record that 23 airmen died in training accidents at the base, and an additional 28 were killed on August 4, 1944, when a C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
carrying a graduating class of fighter pilots ran into a thunder storm and crashed near Naper, Nebraska
Naper, Nebraska
Naper is a village in Boyd County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 105 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Naper is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
, killing all 28 men.
Bruning AAF was placed on reserve status effective 7 February 1945 and assigned to Air Technical Service Command. The 4167th Army Air Force Base Unit was assigned to the airfield with a mission to maintain the airfield in reserve status until such time as it may be needed as an active station.
The base was declared surplus by the USAAF on November 21, 1945 and turned over to the State of Nebraska. In 1947, 174 buildings were dismantled at Bruning. On January 15, 1948, Nebraska Department of Aeronautics acquired a quitclaim deed for Bruning Army Airfield from the U. S. War Assets Administration. The Nebraska Department of Aeronautics eventually took over a total of six former Army airfields after the war, and continued to operate nearly all of them for many years as state operated civilian airports. The Bruning field was operated as a State airfield until August 1969, although gradually all but a small portion of one runway were closed. The property is now closed to traffic and is leased to local farmers and a cattle feedlot company
Bruning Army Airfield is now abandoned with only a few buildings and the large Sub-Depot hangar is still standing, as well as remnants of foundations and floors found at the site. The integrity of Hangar 52 is fairly intact, but Hangar 53 is in very poor condition, near ruins. The North-South and SW-NE runways are used as the home of Mid-America Feed Yard, a large commercial cattle feed lot, and the NW-SE runway is still visible.
On July 19, 1998 the Thayer County Historical Society dedicated a Nebraska State Historical Monument on Highway 4 about 6 miles (10 km) east of Bruning, near the site of Bruning AAF.
See also
- Nebraska World War II Army AirfieldsNebraska World War II Army AirfieldsNebraska World War II army airfields were major United States Army Air Force training centers for pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers during World War II. Nebraska was a favored because it has excellent, year-round flying conditions...
External links
- Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Western Nebraska
- Nebraska Historical Marker - Bruning Army Airfield
- Mid-America Feedyard