During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Illinois for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Most of these airfields were under the command of First 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.
Army Air Force Training Command
Chanute Field AAF, Rantoul
Eastern Technical Training Center (Metrological School; adv. Specialities)
9th Army Air Force Base Unit
Was: Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993)
Now: Rantoul National Aviation Center (ICAO:
KTIP, FAA LID:
TIP)
Curtis-Parks AAF, East St. Louis
Contract Pilot School
Now: St. Louis Downtown Airport
George Field AAF, Lawrenceville
AAF Southeast Training Center
327th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Lawrenceville-Vincennes International Airport (IATA:
LWV, ICAO:
KLWV, FAA LID:
LWV)
Atterbury AAF, Columbus, Indiana
Sub-base of George AAF
Now: Columbus Municipal Airport (IATA:
CLU, ICAO:
KBAK, FAA LID:
BAK)
Sturgis AAF, Sturgis, Kentucky
Sub-base of George AAF
Now: Sturgis Municipal Airport (ICAO:
KTWT, FAA LID:
TWT)
Air Transport Command
Scott Field, AAF, Belleville
8th Army Air Force Base Unit
Now: Scott Air Force Base (IATA:
BLV, ICAO:
KBLV, FAA LID:
BLV)
Air Technical Service Command
Chicago MAP, Chicago
395th Army Air Force Base Unit
Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
Now: the Scottsdale neighborhood in Chicago, and the southeast side of Burbank, Illinois (see Ashburn Flying Field)
Orchard Place APT/Douglas AAF, Chicago
Joint use USAAF/Civil Airport
Later a joint use USAF/Civil Airport as O'Hare International Airport & O'Hare Air Reserve Station
Now: O'Hare International Airport (IATA:
ORD, ICAO:
KORD, FAA LID:
ORD)
