Pennsylvania World War II Army Airfields

Infobox Military Structure
name=Pennsylvania World War II Army Airfields
partof = World War II
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type=Army Airfields
code=
built=1940-1944
builder=
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used= 1940-Present
demolished=
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events=During World War II, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Pennsylvania for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

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

Air Technical Service Command
* Connellsville MAP, Connellsville: Now: Connellsville Airport airport codes|VVS|KVVS
* Olmstead Field AAF, Middletown: 487th/496th Army Air Force Base Unit: Was: Olmsted Air Force Base (1947-1968): Now: Harrisburg International Airport airport codes|MDT|KMDT

First Air Force
* Philadelphia MAP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 431st Army Air Force Base Unit (Reduced): Now: Philadelphia International Airport airport codes|PHL|KPHL
* Reading AAF, Reading: 390th Army Air Force Base Unit: Now: Reading Regional Airport airport codes|RDG|KRDG

Air Transport Command
* Greater Pittsburgh APT, Pittsburgh: Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport: Now: Pittsburgh International Airport airport codes|PIT|KPIT
* Waynesboro MAP, Waynesboro: CC-Air Transport Command. Also used as a Primary Training facility for Pilot Training: Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport: Closed, 1950 Now: [http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/PA/Airfields_PA_SC.html#waynesboro non-aviation industrial site] .

* Other known airfields used by the USAAF were at Ebensburg, Milton, Beaver Falls and Williamsport. It has yet to be discovered the use the AAF made for those facilities.

References

* 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 - Pennsylvania]

External links