Leesburg Army Air Field

For the civil airport use of this facility, see Leesburg International Airport.

Leesburg Army Airfield, was a World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield, located 4.3 miles (6.9 km) east-northeast of Leesburg, Florida.

Leesburg Army Airfield
Part of Army Air Force Training Command
Located near: Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg Army Airfield - 1958
Leesburg Army Airfield Leesburg Army Airfield
Coordinates	28°49′23″N 081°48′31″W
Site history
In use	1940-1945

History

Construction began on the airport on November 24, 1941 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The airfield was commissioned in January 1943 as Leesburg Army Airfield (AAF). It was used as a United States Army Air Forces training airfield by the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base. Leesburg was a sub-base of Alachua AAF with the 322d Service Squadron performed third echelon maintenance and supply for the operational units assigned to the station.

The 313th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the airfield from 5 January-17 November 1943 training students with the P-40 Warhawk, with the 1158th School Squadron providing instruction in twin-engine fighter aircraft (predominantly the P-38 Lightning). Leesburg was also a repair depot with several aircraft supply and ground maintenance units. On 1 May 1944, the 910th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Fighter, Two Engine), took over the mission of the 313th Fighter Squadron, section "F" assuming the operations of the 1158th School Squadron.

Closure

The airfield was closed after the end of World War II and jurisdiction of the airfield was transferred to Air Technical Service Command (ATSC), whose mission was the transfer of any useful military equipment to other bases around the country. Under ATSC, buildings and equipment were sold and any useful military equipment was transferred to other bases around the country. The base was declared as surplus in 1946 and was turned over to the War Assets Administration (WAA) for disposal and return to civil use.

The facility was subsequently turned over to the City of Leesburg.

See also

• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
• 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.
• Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
• AFHRA search Leesburg Army Airfield
• World War II airfields database: Florida