Arkansas World War II Army Airfields

Arkansas World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Blytheville AAF Walnut Ridge AAF Newport AAF Stuttgart AAF Adams AAF Map Of Arkansas World War II Army Airfields
Type	Army Airfields
Site information
Controlled by	USAAF Third Air Force
Site history
Built	1940-1944
In use	1940-Present
Garrison information
Garrison	Army Air Force Training Command

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Arkansas for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these 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.

Major Airfields

Army Air Force Training Command
Southeast Training Center/AAF Eastern Flying Training Command

• Blytheville Army Air Field, 3 miles north of Blytheville

Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Two Engine) / Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine); 3 May 1942-31 May 1945

326th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 21 July 1942-30 April 1944

2111th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944-16 June 1945

Became Blytheville Air Force Base / Eaker Air Force Base (1951-1992)

Now: Arkansas International Airport (IATA: BYH, ICAO: KBYH, FAA LID: BYH) (1992-Present)

• Newport Army Air Field, 6 miles northeast of Newport

Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic); 1 November 1942-30 April 1944

337th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 24 November 1942-30 April 1944

Later: Marine Corps Air Facility Newport

Now: Newport Municipal Airport (M19)

• Stuttgart Army Air Field, 5 miles north of Stuttgart

Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Two Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Two Engine); 20 September 1942-7 February 1945

426th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 20 September 1942-30 April 1944

2141st Army Air Forces Base Unit (AAFEFTC); 1 May 1944-7 February 1945

314th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Third AF); 7 February 1945-8 December 1945

Now: Stuttgart Municipal Airport (SGT)

• Walnut Ridge Army Air Field, 4 miles north of Walnut Ridge

Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic); 15 August 1942-1 September 1944

323th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 25 August 1942-30 April 1944

Later: Marine Corps Air Facility Walnut Ridge

Now: Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG)

• Adams Field, 4 miles east of Little Rock

(Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport)

12th Ferrying Service Detachment/12th Ferrying Service Station; 1 December 1943-31 March 1944

581st Army Air Forces Base Unit (12th Ferrying Service Station); 31 March 1944-20 September 1945

Now: Little Rock National Airport (IATA: LIT, ICAO: KLIT, FAA LID: LIT)

Known Secondary Facilities

• Carlisle (26 mi. NW Stuttgart)
• Cooter (10 mi. NE Blytheville)
• Hazen (19 mi. NNW Stuttgart)
• Hope Army Air Field (3 mi. NE Hope)
• Manila (13 mi. W Blytheville)
• Praireville (8 mi. SE Stuttgart)
• Steele (12 mi. N Blytheville)
• Ridge Army Air Base (4 mi. NE Walnut Ridge)

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 - Arkansas

Army Air Forces Training Command
Flying Training	Flying Schools Eastern Flying Training Command Central Flying Training Command Western Flying Training Command Specialized Schools Bombardier Contract Flying Glider Training Gunnery Navigator
Technical Training	Eastern Technical Training Command Central Technical Training Command Western Technical Training Command

USAAF Third Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Group Training Stations Replacement Training Stations Tactical Airfields
Units	Commands II Air Support Command III Air Support Command III Bomber Command III Fighter Command III Reconnaissance Command III Tactical Air Command Divisions III Tactical Air Division Wings 8th Fighter Wing 9th Fighter Wing 40th Bombardment Wing Groups Air Commando 2nd Air Commando 3rd Air Commando Bombardment 3rd Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 21st Bombardment 29th Bombardment 30th Bombardment Group 38th Bombardment 44th Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 90th Bombardment 91st Bombardment 92nd Bombardment 93rd Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 309th Bombardment 310th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th Bombardment 321st Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment 335th Bombardment 336th Bombardment 340th Bombardment 344th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 411th Bombardment 416th Bombardment 417th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 454th Bombardment 463rd Bombardment 483rd Bombardment 488th Bombardment Fighter 20th Fighter 31st Fighter 49th Fighter 50th Fighter 53rd Fighter 54th Fighter 56th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 81st Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 311th Fighter 332nd Fighter 337th Fighter 338th Fighter 339th Fighter 361st Fighter 369th Fighter 372nd Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 408th Fighter 414th Fighter 506th Fighter Fighter-Bomber 27th Fighter-Bomber 48th Fighter-Bomber 86th Fighter-Bomber 406th Fighter-Bomber 407th Fighter-Bomber Reconnaissance 2d Reconnaissance 9th Reconnaissance 10th Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 65th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance 70th Reconnaissance 75th Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance 423d Reconnaissance 424th Reconnaissance 426th Reconnaissance
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