South Dakota World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in South 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-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
 * Mitchell AAF/MAP, Mitchell
 * 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
 * Now: Mitchell Municipal Airport


 * Pierre AAF, Pierre
 * 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
 * Now: Pierre Regional Airport

Second 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: Roundel of the USAF.svg Ellsworth Air Force Base (1953-Present)


 * Sioux Falls AAF, Sioux Falls
 * 335th Army Air Force Base Unit
 * Now: Sioux Falls Regional Airport / Joe Foss Field / Roundel of the USAF.svg Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station

Personnel Distribution Command
 * Watertown AAF, Watertown
 * 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det)
 * Now: Watertown Regional Airport

Army Air Force Training Command
 * Aberdeen AAF, Aberdeen
 * Contract Flying School
 * Now: Aberdeen Regional Airport