Kentucky World War II Army Airfields

Kentucky World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Type	Army Airfields
Site history
Built	1940-1944
In use	1940-present

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Kentucky 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) (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.

Major airfields

First Air Force

• Godman AAF, Fort Knox

Support for Fort Knox

99th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Godman Air Force Base (1947-1954)

Now: active United States Army Airfield (IATA: FTK, ICAO: KFTK, FAA LID: FTK)

• Campbell AAF, Fort Campbell/Hopkinsville

Sub-base of Smyrna AAF, Tennessee

99th Army Air Force Base Unit (DET)

Was: Campbell Air Force Base (1947-1959)

Now: active United States Army Airfield (IATA: HOP, ICAO: KHOP, FAA LID: HOP)

Air Technical Service Command

• Louisville MAP, Louisville

Aircraft Modification Center

Now: Louisville International Airport and Louisville Air National Guard Base (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF, FAA LID: SDF)

Troop Carrier Command

• Bowman Field AAF, Louisville

AAF Convalescent Hospital

27th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Bowman Field Airport (IATA: LOU, ICAO: KLOU, FAA LID: LOU)

• Lexington/Bluegrass AAF, Lexington

Auxiliary to Bowman AAF

Now: Blue Grass Airport (IATA: LEX, ICAO: KLEX, FAA LID: LEX)

References

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1-57510-051-7
• Military Airfields in World War II - Kentucky