Alabama World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Alabama for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of AAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of Third 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.

Third Air Force

 * Demopolis Army Air Field, 8 mi west-southwest of Demopolis
 * Detachment, 39th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Auxiliary of Key Field, Mississippi
 * Now: Demopolis Municipal Airport


 * Camp Sibert Army Air Field, 5 mi west-southwest of Gadsden
 * Support of The Chemical Warfare Service, Camp Sibert
 * Now: Northeast Alabama Regional Airport

AAF Training Command
AAF Eastern Flying Training Command


 * Courtland Army Air Field, 1 mi southwest of Courtland
 * Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Special, 4-Engine), 14 December 1942-30 June 1945
 * 446th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron 19 December 1942-30 April 1944
 * 2115th Army Air Force Base Unit 1 May 1944-1 November 1945
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Danville Auxiliary Field
 * Trinity Auxiliary Field
 * Bay Auxiliary Field
 * Leighton Auxiliary Field
 * Muscle Shoals Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Courtland Airport


 * Craig Field, 5 mi southeast of Selma
 * Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine) 16 December 1940-15 December 1945
 * 57th Air Base Squadron/57th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron 16 December 1940-30 April 1944
 * 2138th Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced, Single Engine) 1 May 1944-15 December 1945
 * Free French Air Force pilot training
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Anniston Army Air Field
 * Selma Auxiliary Field (Selfield)
 * Furniss Auxiliary Field
 * Henderson Auxiliary Field
 * Mollette Auxiliary Field
 * Autaugaville Auxiliary Field
 * Later: Craig Air Force Base (1947-1977)
 * Now: Craig Field Airport


 * Gunter Field, 2 mi northeast of Montgomery
 * Air Corps Basic Flying School/Army Air Forces Basic Flying School/ Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic), 8 August 1940-10 September 1945
 * 58th Air Base Squadron/58th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 3 October 1940-30 April 1944
 * 2131st Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Basic) 1 May 1944-13 December 1945
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * McLemore Auxiliary Field
 * Elmore Auxiliary Field
 * Mount Meigs Auxiliary Field
 * Taylor Field
 * Dannelly Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Montgomery Air National Guard Base and Montgomery Regional Airport
 * Deatsville Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Gunter Annex (Non-flying USAF facility)


 * Maxwell Field, 2 mi west of Montgomery
 * Air Corps Tactical School, 15 July 1931-13 May 1942
 * Hq, Southeast Air Corps Training Center/Hq, Southeast Army Air Forces Training Center/Hq, Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 1 September 1940-1 June 1946
 * Air Corps Replacement Center (Pilot)/Air Corps Replacement Training Center (Aircrew)/Army Air Forces Pre-flight School (Pilot), 21 February 1941-1 December 1944
 * 14th Air Base Squadron/14th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 1 September 1940-30 April 1944
 * 2132nd Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 May 1944-15 December 1945
 * Headquarters, Air University
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Passmore Auxiliary Field
 * Troy Auxiliary Field
 * Autaugaville Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Maxwell Air Force Base


 * Napier Field, 7 mi northwest of Dothan
 * Air Corps Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School (Single Engine)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced, Single Engine), 30 November 1941-19 October 1945
 * 73d Air Base Squadron/73rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 30 November 1941-30 April 1944
 * 2116th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced, Single Engine), 1 May 1944-January 1946
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Ozark Army Air Field
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Cairns Army Airfield
 * Wiksburg Auxiliary Field
 * Dothan Auxiliary Field
 * Headland Auxiliary Field
 * Goldberg Auxiliary Field
 * Hyman Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Dothan Regional Airport


 * Tuskegee Army Air Field, 7 mi northwest of Tuskegee
 * Army Air Forces Flying School (Basic-Advanced)/Army Air Forces Pilot School (Basic-Advanced), July 1942-14 April 1946
 * Base Detachment/318th Air Base Squadron/318 Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 10 November 1941-30 April 1944
 * 2143rd Army Air Forces Base Unit (Pilot School, Basic-Advanced), 1 May 1944-14 April 1946
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Griel Auxiliary Field
 * Shorter Auxiliary Field
 * Note: See Moton Field for Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
 * Now: Sharpe Field

Contract Flying Schools

 * Bates Field, 10 mi west of Mobile
 * Contract Pilot School, Glider, 6 July 1942-15 February 1943
 * 533rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 25 May 1943-1 April 1944
 * 4120th Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 April 1944-2 April 1945
 * Under Contract to: Waterman Airlines
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * St Elmo Auxiliary Field
 * Later: Sub-Base of Brookley Field (ATC)
 * Now: Mobile Regional Airport and
 * Roundel of the USAF.svg Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile


 * Decatur Field, 3 mi northwest of Decatur
 * Operated by 65th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
 * Under Contract to: Southern Airways
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Harris Station Auxiliary Field
 * Anderson Auxiliary Field
 * Beaver Dam Auxiliary Field
 * Poole Auxiliary Field
 * Tanner Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Pryor Field Regional Airport


 * Roberts Field Airport, 4 mi west of Birmingham
 * Contract Glider Training
 * Later: Auxiliary of Birmingham Army Air Field (ATC)
 * Now: Industrial site 33.51806°N, -86.87306°W


 * Hargrove Van de Graaft Airport, 3 mi northwest of Tuscaloosa
 * Operated by 51st AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
 * Under Contract to: Alabama Institute of Aeronautics
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Albright Auxiliary Field
 * Foster Auxiliary Field
 * Knauer Auxiliary Field
 * Moody Auxiliary Field
 * Rice Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Tuscaloosa Regional Airport


 * Moton Field, 4 mi northwest of Tuskegee
 * Operated by 66th AAF Flying Training Detachment (Primary)
 * Under contract to Tuskegee Institute
 * Known sub-bases and Auxiliaries
 * Calabee Flight Strip
 * Hardaway Auxiliary Field
 * Kennedy Auxiliary Field
 * Now: Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
 * Now: Moton Field Municipal Airport

Air Technical Service Command

 * Birmingham Army Air Field, 5 mi northeast of Birmingham
 * 310th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 27 May 1942-17 April 1944
 * 4139th Army Air Force Base Unit, 1 May 1945-unknown date
 * Joint USAAF/Civil Use
 * Also used by Third Air Force and Air Transport Command
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Birmingham Air National Guard Base


 * Brookley Field, 4 mi south of Mobile.
 * Mobile Air Depot Control Area/Mobile Air Service Command/Mobile Air Technical Service Command/Mobile Air Materiel Area, 1 February 1943-30 June 1968
 * 480th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 1 January 1943-1 April 1944
 * 4119th Army Air Force Base Unit/4119th Air Force Base Unit, 1 April 1944-28 August 1948
 * Also used by Air Transport Command
 * Was: Brookley Air Force Base (1948-1969)
 * Now: Mobile Downtown Airport

Minor Airfields

 * Fort McClellan Army Air Field, 6 mi north-northeast of Anniston
 * US Army Support
 * Now: Abandoned


 * Huntsville Arsenal Army Air Field, 6 mi southwest of Huntsville
 * US Army Support
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Redstone Army Airfield


 * Chilton CAA Intermediate Field, 1 mi northeast of Clanton
 * Undetermined USAAF Use
 * Now: Chilton County Airport


 * Thomas C. Russell Field, 2 mi south-southwest of Alexander
 * Undetermined USAAF Use


 * Weedon Field, 4 mi north-northeast of Eufaula
 * Undetermined USAAF Use