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...

, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Washington 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

Second Air Force

• Bellingham/Tulip AAF, Bellingham
  Bellingham, Washington
  Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
  
  

Now: Bellingham International Airport

Bellingham International Airport

Bellingham International Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of Bellingham, in Whatcom County, Washington, USA. The airport has a single runway. Due to the close proximity to British Columbia, the Bellingham International Airport functions somewhat as a reliever airport to...

• Ephrata AAF, Ephrata
  Ephrata, Washington
  Ephrata is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,808 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-History:...
  
  

355th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Ephrata Municipal Airport

Ephrata Municipal Airport

Ephrata Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of Ephrata, a city in Grant County, Washington, USA. The airport covers and has two runways.-History:...

• Geiger/Sunset Field AAF, Spokane
  Spokane, Washington
  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
  
  

41st Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Spokane International Airport

Spokane International Airport

Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...

Seven Mile Gunnery Range, Spokane

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

Sub-base of Geiger AAF
(7 miles NW of Spokane; may have only been a target field.)

Felts Field, Spokane

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

Auxiliary of Geiger AAF

Joint civil and contract AAF pilot training

Now: Felts Field Airport

Felts Field Airport

Felts Field is a public use airport located four nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Spokane, in Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is owned by Spokane City-County....

 

• McChord Field AAF, Tacoma
  Tacoma, Washington
  Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
  
  

43d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: McChord Air Force Base

• Olympia AAF, Olympia
  Olympia, Washington
  Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
  
  

Now: Olympia Airport

Olympia Airport

Olympia Regional Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles south of the central business district of Olympia, a city in Thurston County and the capital of the U.S. state of Washington. Formerly known as Olympia Airport, it is owned by the Port of Olympia...

• Paine Field AAF, Everett/Paine
  Everett, Washington
  Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
  
  

33d Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Paine Air Force Base (1951-1968)
(Joint use USAF/Civil Airport)

Now: Paine Field

Paine Field

Paine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...

 

• Port Angeles AAF, Port Angeles, Washington
  Port Angeles, Washington
  Port Angeles is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,038 at the 2010 census. The area's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791, but by the mid-19th century the name had...
  
  

Now: William R. Fairchild International Airport

William R. Fairchild International Airport

William R. Fairchild International Airport is a public airport located within the city limits of Port Angeles, in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It lies three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Port Angeles, near the Strait of Juan de Fuca...

• Port Townsend AAF, Port Hadlock
  Port Hadlock-Irondale, Washington
  Port Hadlock-Irondale is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,476 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Port Hadlock-Irondale is located at...
  
  

Now: Jefferson County International Airport

Jefferson County International Airport

Jefferson County International Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Port Townsend, a town in Jefferson County, Washington, United States...

 

• Walla Walla AAF, Walla Walla
  Walla Walla, Washington
  Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
  
  

357th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Walla Walla Regional Airport

Walla Walla Regional Airport

Walla Walla Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Walla Walla, a city in Walla Walla County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is owned by the Port of Walla Walla.- History :...

 

Air Technical Service Command

• Boeing Field
  Boeing Field
  Boeing Field, officially King County International Airport , is a two-runway airport owned and run by King County, Washington, USA. In promotional literature, the airport is frequently referred to as KCIA, but this is not the airport identifier. The airport has some passenger service, but is mostly...
  
  , Seattle
  Seattle, Washington
  Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
  
  
  

Aircraft delivery facility, Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

• Ellensburg AAF, Ellensburg
  Ellensburg, Washington
  Ellensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...
  
  

Now: Bowers Airport

Bowers Airport

Bowers Airport is a public airport located approximately north-northeast of Ellensburg, Washington. It provides general aviation service.-History:...

• Moses Lake AAF, Moses Lake
  Moses Lake, Washington
  Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
  
  

465th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Moses Lake Air Force Base (1947)

Was: Larson Air Force Base (1948-1966)

Now: Grant County International Airport

Grant County International Airport

Grant County International Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Moses Lake....

• Spokane AAF, Spokane
  Spokane, Washington
  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
  
  

498th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Spokane Air Force Base (1947-1950)

Now: Fairchild Air Force Base

Fairchild Air Force Base

Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...

Army Air Force Training Command

• Yakima Air Base, Yakima
  Yakima, Washington
  Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
  
  

Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport

Contract Flying School

Now: Yakima Air Terminal

Yakima Air Terminal

-External links:* , official site* at WSDOT Aviation...

 

Air Transport Command

• Gray Field, AAF
  Gray Army Airfield
  Gray Army Airfield , also known as Gray AAF, is a military airport located at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington, USA. It is located within Fort Lewis.It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.-Overview:...
  
  , Fort Lewis

302d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Active Army Airfield which supports Fort Lewis

Fort Lewis

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....

.

External links