Colorado World War II Army Airfields
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| Colorado World War II Army Airfields
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| Part of World War II | |
 Locations of major World War II USAAF Airfields in Colorado |
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| Type | Army Airfields |
| Built | 1940-1944 |
| In use | 1940-Present |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Garrison | Second Air Force Army Air Force Training Command |
During World War II, Colorado was a major United States Army Air Force (USAAF) training center for pilots and aircrews.
The USAAF established Six major airfields under the command of Second Air Force, headquartered at Colorado Springs Army Airfield, Colorado between 1942 and 1945, along with several minor auxillary fields and airsrips.
The mission of these bases primarily was wartime training of aircrews by Army Air Forces Training Command (A precursor to the current-day USAF Air Education and Training Command).
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.
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[edit] Major Airfields
- Buckley Army Air Field, 8 miles east of Denver.
- Now:
Buckley Air Force Base.
- La Junta Army Air Field, 3 miles north of La Junta
- Now: La Junta Municipal Airport (LHX)
- Leadville Army Air Field, 2 miles northwest of Leadville
- Now: no trace of facility. Completely returned to natuaral state.
- Lowry Army Air Field, 5 miles southeast of Denver.
- Was Lowry Air Force Base (1948-1994)
- Now: Part of Denver urbanized area.
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, later Peterson Army Air Base, 6 miles southeast of Colorado Springs
- Pueblo Army Air Base, 5 miles east of Pueblo
- Now: Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB)
[edit] Known auxillary facilities
- Arlington Auxiliary Army Air Field #4 (28 mi north-northeast of Arlington)
- Used as an auxillary field of La Junta AAF.
- Denver Municipal Airport (MAP)
- Used by AAF Material Command as a supply depot.
- Las Animas Auxiliary Army Air Field #2 (19 mi northeast of La Junta)
- Used as an auxillary field of La Junta AAF.
- Rocky Ford Auxiliary Army Air Field #1 (14 miles norhwest of La Junta)
- Used as an auxillary field of La Junta AAF.
[edit] See also
[edit] 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
[edit] External links
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