Mississippi World War II Army Airfields facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mississippi World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Type	Army Airfields
Site history
Built	1940-1944
In use	1940-present

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.

Major Airfields

Third Air Force

• Key Field, Meridian

39th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: 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

.* 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

Troop Carrier Command

• Grenada Army Airfield, Grenada

443d Air Force Base Unit

Now: Grenada Municipal Airport