Colorado World War II Army Airfields
| Colorado World War II Army Airfields
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|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |
 Locations of major World War II USAAF Airfields in Colorado |
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| Type | Army Airfields |
| Built | 1940-1944 |
| In use | 1940-present |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Garrison | Second Air Force Army Air Force Training Command |
Colorado World War II Army Airfields were major United States Army Air Force (USAAF) training centers for pilots and aircrews.
During World War II these Colorado airfields were under the command of Third 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.
The Colorado Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) has an aviation archaeology (AvAr) program[1] that includes document research, site investigation, data gathering, and archiving of the history of these USAAF fields, as well as other abandon airfields throughout Colorado. AvAr researches, investigates, and archives the history and findings of military, commercial, and general aviation crash sites. It also includes old Lowry missile silos, and old navigational beacon.
Contents |
[edit] Major Airfields
Army Air Forces Flying Training Command (1942)
- Buckley Field AAF, Aurora
- Western Technical Training Command
- 336th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now:
Buckley Air Force Base
- Lowry AFB, Denver
- Western Technical Training Command
- 22d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Was Lowry Air Force Base (1938-1994) with Lowry Technical Training Center
- Now: Part of Denver urbanized area.
- Remains: Air Reserve Personnel Center and Defense Finance and Accounting Service
- Colorado Springs/Peterson Field, AAF Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Western Technical Training Command
- 373d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Peterson Air Force Base
- Emergency Landing Airfield
- Now: no trace of facility. Completely returned to natural state.
Air Technical Service Command
- Used as a maintenance / supply depot
- Stapleton closed in 1995 and redeveloped as urban area.
Second Air Force
- La Junta AAF, La Junta
- 402d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: La Junta Municipal Airport (IATA: LHX, ICAO: KLHX)
- Pueblo AAF, Colorado
- 360th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Pueblo Memorial Airport (IATA: PUB, ICAO: KPUB)
[edit] Known auxiliary facilities
- Arlington Auxiliary Army Air Field #4 (3 mi east of Arlington)
- Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.
- Las Animas Auxiliary Army Air Field #2 (19 mi northeast of La Junta)
- Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.
- Rocky Ford Auxiliary Army Air Field #1 (14 miles norhwest of La Junta)
- Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
- Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1575100517
[edit] External links
- Freeman: Abandon Airfields of Colorado
- Colorado AvAr Site Investigations of La Junta, Las Animas, Rocky Ford and Arlington Airfields
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