| Florida World War II Army Airfields | |
| Ensign: | Us army air corps shield.svg |
| Ensign Size: | 50px |
| Partof: | World War II |
| Type: | Army Airfields |
| Built: | 1940-1944 |
| Used: | 1940-present |
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Florida for antisubmarine defense in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters, attack planes, and light and medium bombers.After early 1944, heavy bomber crews also trained in the State. However two major operations in Florida were the School of Applied Tactics and the air Proving Grounds which tested and developed new capabilities.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Third Air Force, the AAF Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC), or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC), the latter being the predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force's Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The 26th Antisubmarine Wing was headquartered in Miami. It controlled about forty percent of the AAFAC squadrons.
However the other USAAF support commands, Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) and Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command, also commanded a significant number of airfields in a support roles.
It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields as most were converted into municipal airports, while others transitioned to the newly established United States Air Force in 1947.
Two remained as active USAF installations until 1960 and a third until 1962, at which time they, too, were converted into purely civilian airports, the latter as a commercial airport.
A fourth became a joint civil-military commercial airport hosting a Florida Air National Guard fighter-interceptor group until 1968 when the airport was permanently closed and replaced by a newly constructed international airport and concurrently constructed Air National Guard base also hosting the same Air National Guard fighter-interceptor group which today is a full fighter wing.
A fifth airfield remained as an active Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber, tanker and reconnaissance base with a tenant Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) air command and control squadron. The base later incorporating a commercial jetport and became a joint civil-military airport in 1962 until the closure of the USAF installation in 1975 and its conversion to a civilian commercial international airport in 1976.
A sixth airfield remained as an active Tactical Air Command (TAC), then Air Combat Command (ACC), fighter base until 1995, hosting an active ACC fighter wing, a collocated Air Force Reserve (AFRES) fighter wing, a collocated AFRES rescue squadron, and a TAC-gained Florida Air National Guard (FLANG) fighter alert detachment/operating location. Having been substantially damaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, it was converted to air reserve base status as a fighter base for the extant Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) fighter wing and a fighter alert detachment site for the FLANG.
The remaining airfields that transitioned from USAAF to USAF continue to function as modern day active U.S. Air Force installations under the operational control of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC). In addition, a former World War II-era naval air station was transferred to USAF in the 1950s and remains under the control of the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) with a tenant ACC-gained AFRC rescue wing assigned as its sole military flying unit. An Air Education and Training Command (AETC) flying training group is also a tenant command on another active naval air station.
At the former USAAF and USAAF-cum-USAF airfields, hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used also survive today, with some still used for aeronautical activities and others being used for a variety of other purposes.
I Bomber Command (1941)
Transferred to: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Transferred to: III Bomber Command
Became sub-base of: MacDill Field (1943)
Became sub-base of: Chatham Army Airfield, Georgia (1943-1944)
Transferred to: Air Service Command (1944-1945)
Later: Imeson Field Airport (1947-1968)
Concurrent Use: 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Florida Air National Guard, (1947-1968)
Now: Imeson Industrial Park (airfield closed; flight operations relocated to Jacksonville International Airport)
HQ Third Air Force; III Fighter Command
Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
337th Fighter Group (Single Engine)
22d Bombardment Training Wing (Heavy)
Drew Field Replacement Training Unit (Heavy Bombardment)
Army Air Force Aircraft Warning Unit Training Center (315th AAFBU)
89th Combat Crew Training Wing
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Brooksville Army Airfield
27th Air Base Group
55th Bombardment Training Wing (Heavy)
326th Army Air Force Base Unit
Also used by: Air Transport Command
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Bonita Springs Auxiliary Field
Brooksville Army Airfield
Initially Sub-Base of MacDill Field
88th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Avon Park Replacement Training Unit (Heavy Bombardment)
Later: Avon Park Air Force Base (1949-1956)
Initially Sub-Base of MacDill Field (Drane Field)
60th Flying Training Detachment (Medium Bombardment)
Transferred to: III Fighter Command (1943)
Commando Squadron Fighter Training School
Now: Lakeland Linder International Airport (1960-Present)
Initially Sub Base of Sarasota Army Airfield
Pinellas Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine)
Concurrent Use: Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Army Reserve Army Aviation Support Facility
338th Fighter Group (Single Engine)
Dale Mabry Replacement Depot
335th Army Air Force Base Unit (Replacement, Fighter)
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Thomasville Army Airfield (Georgia)
Harris Neck Army Airfield (Georgia)
Carrabelle Flight Strip#2
Later: Dale Mabry Field (commercial airport) (1946-1961)
Now: Campus of Tallahassee Community College (airfield closed)
54th Fighter Group (Single Engine)
Bartow Replacement Unit (Fighter, Single-Engine)
Later: Bartow Air Base (1950-1961)
Later: III Fighter Command
337th Fighter Group (Single Engine)
Sarasota Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine)
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Also used by 27th Service Group (Air Service Command)
53d Fighter Group (Single Engine)
Venice Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine)
422d Army Air Force Base Unit
Eastern Flying Training Command
17th Single Engine Flying Training Group (Advanced-Single Engine)
325th Army Air Force Base Unit
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Later: Graham Air Base (1951-1960)
Specialized Pilot Training School (Four Engine)
76th Army Air Force Base Unit
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School
38th Flexible Gunnery Training Group
328th Army Air Force Base Unit
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School
38th Flexible Gunnery Training Group
69th Army Air Force Base Unit
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Eastern Technical Training Command'
3501st Army Air Force Base Unit (Technical School, Radar)
Station became: Florida Atlantic University
Lodwick Aviation Military Academy
61st Army Air Force Fight Training Detachment (Contract Flying)
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Avon Park Auxiliary Field#1
Avon Park Auxiliary Field#2
Avon Park Auxiliary Field#3
Avon Park Auxiliary Field#4
Lodwick Aviation Military Academy
60th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School)
Also: Royal Air Force training
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Coronet Auxiliary Field
Haldeman-Elder Auxiliary Field
Hampton Auxiliary Field
Lodwick Auxiliary Field
Northeast Auxiliary Field#1
Northwest Auxiliary Field#3
Now: Closed 1957, currently recreation area
Riddle-McKay Aero College
75th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School)
Also: Royal Air Force training
Greenville Aviation School
Also operated: AAFSAT Ocala Bombing Range
Now: Closed 1962, currently industrial park
Riddle Aeronautical Institute
53d Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School)
2148th Army Air Force Base Unit (Contract Pilot School)
Also: Royal Air Force training
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Southwest Auxiliary Field
Sparkman Auxiliary Field
Wells Auxiliary Field
Now: Closed 1945, currently Desoto County Juvenile Correctional Complex
Riddle Aeronautical Institute
54th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School)
2148th Army Air Force Base Unit (Contract Pilot School)
Also: Royal Air Force training
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Dorr Auxiliary Field#1
Dorr Auxiliary Field#2
Dorr Auxiliary Field#3
Dorr Auxiliary Field#4
Now: Closed 1945, currently Desoto County Correctional Institution
Civil, AAF, Navy training usage
Riddle Aeronautical Institute
Now: Closed 1947, partly Chapman Field Subtropical Horticulture Research Station
Initially used by: I Bomber Command (1941-1942)
Initially used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command
13th Bombardment Group (1942-1943)
HQ Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (1942)
9th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
50th Fighter Group (Special)
HQ Army Air Force Interceptor Command School (1943)
481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Brooksville Army Airfield
Cross City Army Airfield (1942-1946); Cross City Air Force Station (1958-1970)
Zephyrhills Army Airfield
Airfield became: Orlando Municipal Airport (1946)
Ground Station became: Orlando Air Force Base (1947-1968)
Ground Station transferred to: United States Navy as
Naval Training Center Orlando (1968-1999)
Now: Baldwin Park neighborhood of Orlando
sub-base of Orlando Army Airbase (1942-1945)
AAFSAT Technical Center
Transferred to: Air Proving Ground Command (1945)
Later: Pinecastle Air Force Base (1951-1958);
McCoy Air Force Base (1958-1975)
sub-base of Orlando Army Airbase (1942-1943)
AAFSAT Medium Bombardment training unit
415th Bombardment Group (Medium)
Transferred to: III Fighter Command (1943)
Commando Squadron Fighter Training School
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
sub-base of Orlando Army Airbase (1942-1944)
AAFSAT Night Fighter Department (Dark)
Transferred to: III Fighter Command (1944)
Commando Troop Carrier Training School
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Canal Auxiliary Field
Station 8, Caribbean Wing, ATC
563d Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Dade County Airport (1945-1955)
Was: Homestead Air Force Base (1955-1994)
Now: Homestead Air Reserve Base (1994-Present)
Joint Civil/Army Airfield use
Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command
HQ 45th Bombardment Group (I Bomber Command) (1942)
HQ 26th Antisubmarine Wing (1942-1943)
Army Air Forces Pilot School (Miscellaneous Fields)
Operated by Pan American Airways
Later: : 408th Army Air Force Base Unit (Contract pilot training)
1595th Army Air Force Base Unit (First Foreign Transport Group)
1105th Army Air Force Base Unit (ATC Caribbean Wing)
Initially used by: 8th Pursuit Wing, III Interceptor Command
Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
HQ Caribbean Wing, ATC
427th Army Air Force Base Unit
Also used by: United States Navy
Later: Palm Beach Air Force Base (1951-1962)
HQ Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #1
Now Eglin AFB Aux Fld #1, Wagner Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #2
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #2 Pierce Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #3
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #3, Duke Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #4
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #4, Peel Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #5
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #5, Piccolo Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #6
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #6 Biancur Field and Camp Rudder (1 October 1958-Present)
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #7
Now: Eglin AFB Aux Fld #7, Epler Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #8
Now: Eglin AFB Auf Fld #8, Baldsiefen Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #9
Previously Eglin AFB Aux Fld #9, Hurlburt Field (1947-1955)
Now: Hurlburt Field
Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #10 (Dillon Field) (1943)
Now: Naval Outlying Landing Field Choctaw (United States Navy)
Santa Rosa Island Range Complex
Now: Santa Rosa Island Range Complex
Used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Civil Air Patrol Use
Used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943)
26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons)
Closed appx. 1945, now abandoned
Likely Emergency landing airfield
Closed appx. 1950, now farmland
Likely Emergency landing airfield
Likely Emergency landing airfield
Used by the Dugway Proving Ground Mobile Chemical Warfare Testing Unit
Now: Closed appx. 1945, now abandoned