Louisiana World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous air facilities in Louisiana for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. The larger facilities were Army Air Bases (AAB) while the Army Air Fields ( AAFld) were lesser facilities. The map below shows both types as AAB and AAF.

Most of these air facilities 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). In addition, the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) 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
 * Moisant Army Airfield, Kenner
 * Sub-base of Naval Air Station New Orleans, Joint Use
 * Now: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport


 * Harding Field, Baton Rouge
 * 49th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Now: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport


 * New Orleans Army Air Base, New Orleans
 * 37th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Now: New Orleans Lakefront Airport

Third Air Force
 * Alexandria Army Air Field, Alexandria
 * 517th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Later: England Air Force Base (1950-1992)
 * Now: Alexandria International Airport


 * Esler Field, Pineville
 * 333d Air Base Group
 * Now: Esler Regional Airport


 * Lake Charles Army Air Field, Lake Charles
 * Gulf Coast Training Center, 1942
 * 82d Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Later: Lake Charles/Chennault Air Force Base (1950-1963)
 * Now: Chennault International Airport


 * DeRidder Army Air Base, DeRidder
 * 317th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Now: Beauregard Regional Airport

Army Air Forces Training CommandAAF Southeast Training Center
 * Barksdale Field, Shreveport
 * 5th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Flying Training, HQ AAF Training Command
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Barksdale Air Force Base


 * Selman Field, Monroe
 * 329th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Now: Monroe Regional Airport