- South Dakota World War II Army Airfields
Infobox Military Structure
name=South Dakota World War II Army Airfields
partof = World War II
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type=Army Airfields
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built=1940-1944
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used= 1940-Present
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events=DuringWorld War II , theUnited States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields inSouth Dakota 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-dayUnited 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 theCold War . Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.Major Airfields
Air Technical Service Command
* Mitchell AAF/MAP, Mitchel: 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det): Now:Mitchell Municipal Airport Airport codes|MHE|KMHE
* Pierre AAF, Pierre: 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det): Now:Pierre Regional Airport Airport codes|PIR|KPIRSecond Air Force
* Rapid City AAB, Rapid City: 353d Army Air Force Base Unit: Was: Rapid City Air Field (1947): Was: Weaver Air Force Base (1948): Was: Rapid City Air Force Base (1948-1953): Now: (1953-Pres)
* Sioux Falls AAF, Sioux Falls: 335th Army Air Force Base Unit: Now:Sioux Falls Regional Airport (Joe Foss Field) Airport codes|FSD|KFSDPersonnel Distribution Command
* Watertown AAF, Watertown: 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det): Now:Watertown Regional Airport Airport codes|ATY|KATYArmy Air Force Training Command
* Aberdeen AAF, Aberdeen: Contract Flying School: Now:Aberdeen Regional Airport Airport codes|ABR|KABRReferences
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1575100517
* [http://www.airfieldsdatabase.com/WW2/WW2.htm Military Airfields in World War II - South Dakota]External links
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