Utah World War II Army Airfields
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Utah
for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Second 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.
Air Technical Service Command
Army Air Forces Training Command
Second Air Force
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...
, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were 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....
or the Army Air Forces Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
(AAFTC) (A predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
). 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
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.
Major Airfields
Proving Ground Command- Dugway AAF, TooeleTooele, UtahTooele is a city in Tooele County in the U.S. state of Utah. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,502 at the 2000 census, and 30,708 as of the 2009 estimates. It is the county seat of Tooele County...
- Now: Michael Army AirfieldMichael Army AirfieldMichael Army Airfield is a military airport located at the Dugway Proving Ground and owned by the United States Army. It is nine miles west of the the probing grounds baracks at Dugway, Tooele County, Utah, United States.-Overview:...
- Part of:
Dugway Proving GroundDugway Proving GroundDugway Proving Ground is a US Army facility located approximately 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah in southern Tooele County and just north of Juab County...
(United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
)
- Part of:
Air Technical Service Command
- Hill AAF, ClearfieldClearfield, UtahClearfield is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. The population was 25,974 at the 2000 census. The city grew drastically during the 1940s, with the formation of Hill Air Force Base, and in the 1950s with the nation-wide increase in suburb and "bedroom" community populations and has been...
- 482d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now:
Hill Air Force BaseHill Air Force BaseHill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force Base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and near the towns of Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, Sunset, and Layton. It is about north of Salt Lake City. The base was named in honor of Major Ployer Peter Hill of the U.S. Army Air...
- Hinckley Field, OgdenOgden, UtahOgden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
- Sub-base of Hill AAF
- Now: Ogden-Hinckley AirportOgden-Hinckley AirportOgden-Hinckley Airport is a public airport located three miles southwest of the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, U.S. It is billed as "Utah's Busiest Municipal Airport" and was a filming location for the 1997 film Con Air.- History :During World War II the airfield was used by the United...
- Salt Lake City AAB/APT, Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
- Salt Lake City AAB/APT, Salt Lake City
- Hinckley Field, Ogden
- 6th/20th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Joint Use USAAF/Civil Airport as freight terminal
- Now: Salt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
Army Air Forces Training Command
- Kearns Army Air Base
- 363d Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
- Western Technical Training Command
- (Basic Training Center, Technical Training)
Second Air Force
- Kearns Army Airfield
- Assigned to Second Air Force, 1 October 1943
- Operational airfield of Kearns Army Air Base (AAFTC)
- Now: South Valley Regional AirportSalt Lake City Municipal 2 AirportSouth Valley Regional Airport is a public airport located in West Jordan, seven miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the primary general aviation airport in the area, to offload many flights from Salt Lake City International Airport, the larger, international airport nearby which is...
- Wendover AAF, WendoverWendover, UtahWendover is a city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,537 at the 2000 census, with a 2006 estimated population of 1,632....
- 315th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Was: Wendover Air Force BaseWendover Air Force BaseWendover Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Utah now known as Wendover Airport. During World War II it was a training base for B-17 and B-24 bomber crews. It was the training site of the 509th Composite Group, the B-29 unit which dropped the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs...
(1947-1965) - Now: Wendover AirportWendover AirportWendover Airport is a public airport located one mile southeast of the central business district of Wendover, a city in Tooele County, Utah, USA.-Civilian:...
- Auxiliary fields: (Delle AF Aux 40°45′45"N 112°47′14"W, Knolls CAA 40°44′07"N 113°13′50"W, Low Flight StripLow Flight StripLow Flight Strip is an abandoned military airfield located approximately west of Low, Utah.-History:This was one of the many Flight Strips which were built by the USAAF during World War II for the emergency use of military aircraft...
)- Note: Delle was reported to have had an "asterisk" type layout, runways under 2000' in length. Aux to Wendover AAF and to Salt Lake City AAB. Later taken over by a private person and some remains can been seen. Two of the runways were paved by the new owner and can be scene still. It has been reported that occasionally aircraft have been seen there, assume private and uncharted and unlisted. No other data on this field exists. Status assumed closed.
- Note: Knolls was a 3000x3000' all way field; clay. used by Wendover as an Aux for light aircraft (eg.L4). Some indications that a few P-47 ops took place as well
- Auxiliary fields: (Delle AF Aux 40°45′45"N 112°47′14"W, Knolls CAA 40°44′07"N 113°13′50"W, Low Flight Strip