Mississippi World War II Army Airfields

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

 * Key Field, Meridian
 * 39th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Key Field Air National Guard Base


 * Laurel Army Airfield, Laurel
 * 473d Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron
 * Assigned to Air Technical Service Command, (1944-1946)
 * Now: Hesler-Noble Field


 * Hattiesburg Army Airfield, Hattiesburg
 * 39th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Assigned to Air Technical Service Command, (1942-1945)
 * Now: Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport

AAF Training Command

 * Columbus Army Airfield, Columbus, Mississippi
 * Southeast Training Center, 1941
 * Eastern Flying Training Command
 * 30th (Advanced Twin-Engine) Flying Training Wing
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Columbus Air Force Base
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Columbus Auxiliary Field
 * River Auxiliary Field
 * Caledonia Auxiliary Field
 * Waterworks Auxiliary Field
 * Columbus Municipal Airport (Old)
 * Vaughn Auxiliary Field
 * Stinson Auxiliary Field
 * Starkville Auxiliary Field


 * Greenville Army Airfield, Greenville, Mississippi
 * Southeast Training Center, 1941
 * Army Air Forces Pilot Training School (Basic)
 * 74th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Assigned to Air Technical Service Command, (1945-1946)
 * Was: Greenville Air Force Base (1950-1965)
 * Contract Flying School* (1950-1953)
 * 3505th Pilot Training Wing (Basic, Single-Engine) (1953-1960)
 * Technical Training Center (1960-1965)
 * Now: Mid Delta Regional Airport
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Greenville Municipal Airport
 * Indianola Auxiliary Field
 * Walker Auxiliary Field


 * Greenwood Army Airfield, Greenwood
 * Eastern Flying Training Command
 * Army Air Forces Flying School (Basic)
 * 7th Basic Flying Training Group
 * Reassigned to Third Air Force (1945)
 * Now: Greenwood-Leflore Airport
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Paynes Auxiliary Field
 * Oxberry Auxiliary Field
 * Avalon Auxiliary Field
 * Curger Auxiliary Field
 * Tchula Auxiliary Field
 * Greenwood Municipal Airport


 * Gulfport Army Airfield, Gulfport
 * Headquarters, Eastern Technical Training Command
 * Joint use with Third Air Force (1944-1945)
 * Reopened as Gulfport Air Force Base (1951-1958)
 * Headquarters, Technical Training Air Force also Contract Flying School
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Gulfport Auxiliary Field
 * Hancock County Airport


 * Keesler Army Airfield, Biloxi
 * Western Technical Training Command
 * Basic Training and Technical Training Center
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Keesler Air Force Base

.* Greenville was designated as an "Air Base" by Air Training Command while operated as private contractor-operated training facilities in the 1950s.

AAF Contract Flying Schools

 * Cleveland Army Airfield, Cleveland
 * Eastern Flying Training Command
 * Contract Flying School: Cleveland School of Aviation
 * Now: Cleveland Municipal Airport


 * Fletcher Field, Clarksdale
 * 2154th Air Base Unit
 * Contract Flying School: Clarksdale School of Aviation
 * Now: Fletcher Field
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Clarksdale Auxiliary Field
 * Ellis Auxiliary Field


 * Jackson Army Air Base, Jackson
 * Contract Flying School: Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics
 * 35th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Roundel of the USAF.svg Jackson Air National Guard Base
 * Known sub-bases and auxiliaries
 * Augustine Auxiliary Field
 * Lee Auxiliary Field
 * Ratiff Auxiliary Field
 * Sutherland Auxiliary Field
 * Forest Auxiliary Field
 * Hinds County Airport
 * Lime Prairie Auxiliary Field

Troop Carrier Command

 * Grenada Army Airfield, Grenada
 * 443d Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Grenada Municipal Airport