Colorado World War II Army Airfields

During World War II, Colorado was a major United States Army Air Force (USAAF) training center for pilots and aircrews.

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) 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

Army Air Force Training Command

• Buckley Field AAF, Aurora

Western Technical Training Command

336th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Buckley Air Force Base

• Lowry AFB, Denver

Western Technical Training Command

22d Army Air Force Base Unit

Was Lowry Air Force Base (1948-1994)

Now: Part of Denver urbanized area

• Colorado Springs/Peterson Field, AAF Colorado Springs, Colorado

Western Technical Training Command

373d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Peterson Air Force Base

• Leadville AF Aux, Leadville

Emergency Landing Airfield

Now: no trace of facility. Completely returned to NATURAL state.

Air Technical Service Command

• Stapleton Field/Denver MAP, Denver

Used as a maintenance / supply depot

Closed 1995, Redeveloped as urban area.

Second Air Force

• La Junta AAF, La Junta

402d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: La Junta Municipal Airport

• Pueblo AAF, Colorado

360th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Pueblo Memorial Airport

Known auxiliary facilities

• Arlington Auxiliary Army Air Field #4 (3 mi east of Arlington)

Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.

• Las Animas Auxiliary Army Air Field #2 (19 mi northeast of La Junta)

Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.

• Rocky Ford Auxiliary Army Air Field #1 (14 miles norhwest of La Junta)

Used as an auxiliary field of La Junta AAF.

See also

• Second Air Force
• United States Army Air Force

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