Nebraska World War II Army Airfields

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Nebraska World War II Army Airfields

Part of World War II

World War II USAAF Airfields in Nebraska
Type Army Airfields
Built 1940-1944
In use 1940-Present
Controlled by United States Army Air Forces
Garrison Army Air Force Training Command

During World War II, Nebraska was a major United States Army Air Force (USAAF) training center for pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. Nebraska was a favored because it has excellent, year-round flying conditions. The sparsely populated land made ideal locations for gunnery, bombing, and training ranges.

Along with the existing Fort Crook/Offutt Army Airfield, the USAAF established eleven airfields (AAF), under the command of Second Air Force, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado between 1942 and 1945. These were:

The training that was given to the airmen stationed at these airfields gave them the skills and knowledge that enabled them to enter combat in all theaters of warfare, and enabled the Allies to defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

The majority of these airfields were located in rural farmland, near small farming towns. The effect of stationing thousands of airmen brought the reality of war to rural and small town Nebraska. In addition to providing training for servicemen, the air bases provided jobs for many civilians. Civilians were employed in maintenance, repair, and secretarial work.

Today, Offutt Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force faciliity and Lincoln Airport hosts the Nebraska Air National Guard. The remainder of these airfields have long been closed and turned back into farmland or used as small rural airports. The memories of them still remain in the small towns which are very proud of the part they played in wartime.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • ArmyAirForces.Com
  • Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983

[edit] External links