Montana World War II Army Airfields
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 | |
Type | Army Airfields |
Site history | |
Built | 1940-1944 |
In use | 1940-present |
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.
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[]
Second Air Force
- , Cut Bank
- 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
- 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
- Now: Great Falls International Airport (IATA: GTF, ICAO: KGTF)
- And:
- , Helena
- Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
- Now: Helena Regional Airport (IATA: HLN, ICAO: KHLN)
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 - Montana
External links[]
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Montana
- 1940s in Montana
- Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the United States by state
- United States World War II army airfields