During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Minnesota for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Minnesota World War II Army Airfields | |
|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |
  Minneapolis MAP Holman AAF Lobb AAF Flynn AAF Monticello AAF Map Of Minnesota World War II Army Airfields | |
| Type | Army Airfields |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1940-1944 |
| In use | 1940-present |
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
editAir Transport Command
- Minneapolis MAP, Minneapolis
- Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
- Now: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and
Minneapolis-Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station (IATA: MSP, ICAO: KMSP, FAA LID: MSP)
Air Technical Service Command
- Holman Field/St. Paul MAP, St. Paul
- Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
- Now: St. Paul Downtown Airport (IATA: STP, ICAO: KSTP, FAA LID: STP)
Army Air Force Training Command
- Flynn Field/Lake Elmo APT, Lake Elmo
- Contract flying training
- Now: Lake Elmo Airport (IATA: 21D)
- Monticello AAF, Monticello
- Contract flying training/Glider training
- Now: Returned to agriculture.
- Lobb Field/Rochester AAF, Rochester
- Contract flying training/Glider training
- Closed 1961. Now: Industrial site.
References
edit- 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 - Minnesota