During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Montana for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Montana World War II Army Airfields | |
|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |
  Cut Bank AAF Glasgow AAF Great Falls AAF Lewistown AAF Gore AAF Helena AAF Map of Montana 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 Second 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 support roles.
It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields. Many were converted into municipal airports, returned to agriculture, or retained as United States Air Force installations that served as 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
editSecond Air Force
- II Fighter Command
- Now: Cut Bank Municipal Airport (IATA: CTB, ICAO: KCTB)
- Glasgow Army Airfield, Glasgow
- II Fighter Command
- Now: Glasgow International Airport (IATA: GGW, ICAO: KGGW)
- Note: Glasgow Air Force Base (1957-1976) is NOT the World War II Airfield.
- Great Falls Army Airfield, Great Falls
- 352d Army Air Force Base Unit
- Was: Great Falls Air Force Base (1947-1955)
- Now:
Malmstrom Air Force Base (1955–present; runway inactive since 1997, limited to rotary-wing ops)
- II Bomber Command
- Now: Lewistown Municipal Airport (IATA: LWT, ICAO: KLWT)
Air Transport Command
- Gore Army Airfield, Great Falls
- Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
- 7th Ferrying Group
- 385th Army Air Force Base Unit
- Now: Great Falls International Airport (IATA: GTF, ICAO: KGTF)
- And: Great Falls Air National Guard Base
- Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
- Now: Helena Regional Airport (IATA: HLN, ICAO: KHLN)
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 - Montana