During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in Florida for antisubmarine defense in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters, attack planes, and light and medium bombers. After early 1944, heavy bomber crews also trained in the State. The School of Applied Tactics and the Air Proving Grounds which tested and developed new capabilities were also located in Florida.
Most of these airfields were under the command of Third Air Force, the AAF Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC), or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). The 26th Antisubmarine Wing was headquartered in Miami. It controlled about forty percent of the AAFAC squadrons.
However the other USAAF support commands, Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) and Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command, also hadd a significant number of airfields.
It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields as most were converted into municipal airports, while others transitioned to the newly established United States Air Force in 1947.
Two remained as active USAF installations until 1960 and a third until 1962, at which time they, too, were converted into purely civilian airports, the latter as a commercial airport.
A fourth became a joint civil-military commercial airport hosting a Florida Air National Guard fighter-interceptor group until 1968 when the airport was permanently closed and replaced by a newly constructed international airport and concurrently constructed Air National Guard base also hosting the same Air National Guard fighter-interceptor group which today is a full fighter wing.
A fifth airfield remained as an active Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber, tanker and reconnaissance base with a tenant Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) air command and control squadron. The base later incorporating a commercial jetport and became a joint civil-military airport in 1962 until the closure of the USAF installation in 1975 and its conversion to a civilian commercial international airport in 1976.
A sixth airfield remained as an active Tactical Air Command (TAC), then Air Combat Command (ACC), fighter base until 1995, hosting an active ACC fighter wing, a collocated Air Force Reserve (AFRES) fighter wing, a collocated AFRES rescue squadron, and a TAC-gained Florida Air National Guard (FLANG) fighter alert detachment/operating location. Having been substantially damaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, it was converted to air reserve base status as a fighter base for the extant Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) fighter wing and a fighter alert detachment site for the FLANG.
The remaining airfields that transitioned from USAAF to USAF continue to function as modern day active U.S. Air Force installations under the operational control of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC). In addition, a former World War II-era naval air station was transferred to USAF in the 1950s and remains under the control of the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) with a tenant ACC-gained AFRC rescue wing assigned as its sole military flying unit. An Air Education and Training Command (AETC) flying training group is also a tenant command on another active naval air station.
Hundreds of the temporary airfield buildings also survive today, with some still used for aeronautical activities and others being used for a variety of other purposes.
Major Airfields Multiple Commands Jacksonville Army Airfield, north of Jacksonville I Bomber Command (1941) Transferred to: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943) 26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons) Transferred to: III Bomber Command Became sub-base of: MacDill Field (1943) Became sub-base of: Chatham Army Airfield, Georgia (1943-1944) Transferred to: Air Service Command (1944-1945) Later: Imeson Field Airport (1947-1968) Concurrent Use: 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Florida Air National Guard, (1947-1968) Now: Imeson Industrial Park (airfield closed; flight operations relocated to Jacksonville International Airport)
Third Air Force
Drew Field, west-northwest of Tampa HQ Third Air Force; III Fighter Command Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (1942-1943) 26th Antisubmarine Wing (Squadrons) 337th Fighter Group (Single Engine) 22d Bombardment Training Wing (Heavy) Drew Field Replacement Training Unit (Heavy Bombardment) Army Air Force Aircraft Warning Unit Training Center (315th AAFBU) 89th Combat Crew Training Wing Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Bartow Army Airfield Brooksville Army Airfield Hillsborough Army Airfield Now: Tampa International Airport MacDill Field, south-southwest of Tampa HO III Bomber Command 27th Air Base Group 55th Bombardment Training Wing (Heavy) 326th Army Air Force Base Unit Also used by: Air Transport Command Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Bonita Springs Auxiliary Field Brooksville Army Airfield Hillsborough Army Airfield Fort Myers Army Airfield Lakeland Army Airfield Now: MacDill Air Force Base Avon Park Army Airfield, east-northeast of Avon Park Initially Sub-Base of MacDill Field III Bomber Command 88th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Avon Park Replacement Training Unit (Heavy Bombardment) Later: Avon Park Air Force Base (1949-1956) Now: Avon Park Air Force Range and MacDill AFB Auxiliary Field Lakeland Army Airfield / Drane Field, southwest of Lakeland Initially Sub-Base of MacDill Field (Drane Field) III Bomber Command 60th Flying Training Detachment (Medium Bombardment) Transferred to: III Fighter Command (1943) Commando Squadron Fighter Training School Now: Lakeland Linder International Airport (1960-Present) Pinellas Army Airfield, north-northwest of St. Petersburg III Fighter Command Initially Sub Base of Sarasota Army Airfield Pinellas Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine) Now: St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport Concurrent Use: Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Army Reserve Army Aviation Support Facility
Dale Mabry Army Airfield, west of Tallahassee III Fighter Command 338th Fighter Group (Single Engine) Dale Mabry Replacement Depot 335th Army Air Force Base Unit (Replacement, Fighter) Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Thomasville Army Airfield (Georgia) Harris Neck Army Airfield (Georgia) Perry Army Airfield Carrabelle Flight Strip#2 Later: Dale Mabry Field (commercial airport) (1946-1961) Now: Campus of Tallahassee Community College (airfield closed) Bartow Army Airfield, northeast of Bartow III Fighter Command 54th Fighter Group (Single Engine) Bartow Replacement Unit (Fighter, Single-Engine) Later: Bartow Air Base (1950-1961) Now: Bartow Municipal Airport Sarasota Army Airfield, north-northwest of Sarasota III Bomber Command Later: III Fighter Command 337th Fighter Group (Single Engine) Sarasota Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine) Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Fort Myers Army Airfield Lake Wales Army Airfield Pinellas Army Airfield Punta Gorda Army Airfield Immokalee Army Airfield Now: Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Venice Army Airfield, south-southeast of Venice III Fighter Command Also used by 27th Service Group (Air Service Command) 53d Fighter Group (Single Engine) Venice Replacement Training Unit (Fighter, Single Engine) 422d Army Air Force Base Unit Now: Venice Municipal Airport
AAF Training Command Eastern Flying Training Command
Marianna Army Airfield, north-northeast of Marianna 17th Single Engine Flying Training Group (Advanced-Single Engine) 325th Army Air Force Base Unit Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Ellis Auxiliary Field Malone Auxiliary Field Bascom Auxiliary Field Alliance Auxiliary Field Later: Graham Air Base (1951-1960) Now: Marianna Municipal Airport Hendricks Field, east-southeast of Sebring Specialized Pilot Training School (Four Engine) 76th Army Air Force Base Unit Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Conners Auxiliary Field Immokalee Army Airfield Now: Sebring Regional Airport
Buckingham Army Airfield, east of Fort Myers Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School 38th Flexible Gunnery Training Group 328th Army Air Force Base Unit Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Naples Army Airfield Now: Buckingham Field Airport Tyndall Field, southeast of Panama City Army Air Forces Flexible Gunnery School 38th Flexible Gunnery Training Group 69th Army Air Force Base Unit Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Apalachicola Army Airfield Now: Tyndall Air Force Base
Eastern Technical Training Command' Boca Raton Army Airfield, northeast of Boca Raton 3501st Army Air Force Base Unit (Technical School, Radar) Airfield became: Boca Raton Airport Station became: Florida Atlantic University
AAF Contract Flying Schools
Avon Park Municipal Airport, west-southwest of Avon Park Lodwick Aviation Military Academy 61st Army Air Force Fight Training Detachment (Contract Flying) Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Avon Park Auxiliary Field#1 Avon Park Auxiliary Field#2 Avon Park Auxiliary Field#3 Avon Park Auxiliary Field#4 Now: Avon Park Executive Airport Lodwick Field, north-northeast of Lakeland Lodwick Aviation Military Academy 60th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School) Also: Royal Air Force training Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Coronet Auxiliary Field Haldeman-Elder Auxiliary Field Hampton Auxiliary Field Lodwick Auxiliary Field Northeast Auxiliary Field#1 Northwest Auxiliary Field#3 Gilbert Auxiliary Field Now: Closed 1957, currently recreation area Riddle Field, west-southwest of Clewiston Riddle-McKay Aero College 75th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School) Also: Royal Air Force training Now: Airglades Airport Taylor Field Airport, southwest of Ocala Greenville Aviation School Also operated: AAFSAT Ocala Bombing Range Now: Closed 1962, currently industrial park
Carlstrom Field, southeast of Arcadia Riddle Aeronautical Institute 53d Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School) 2148th Army Air Force Base Unit (Contract Pilot School) Also: Royal Air Force training Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Arcadia Airport Myrtle Auxiliary Field Southwest Auxiliary Field Sparkman Auxiliary Field Wells Auxiliary Field Now: Closed 1945, currently Desoto County Juvenile Correctional Complex Dorr Field, east of Arcadia Riddle Aeronautical Institute 54th Flying Training Detachment (Contract Pilot School) 2148th Army Air Force Base Unit (Contract Pilot School) Also: Royal Air Force training Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Dorr Auxiliary Field#1 Dorr Auxiliary Field#2 Dorr Auxiliary Field#3 Dorr Auxiliary Field#4 Now: Closed 1945, currently Desoto County Correctional Institution Chapman Field, south-southwest of Miami Civil, AAF, Navy training usage Riddle Aeronautical Institute Now: Closed 1947, partly Chapman Field Subtropical Horticulture Research Station
Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics
Orlando Army Air Base, east of Orlando (1941-1947) Initially used by: I Bomber Command (1941-1942) Initially used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command 13th Bombardment Group (1942-1943) HQ Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (1942) 9th Bombardment Group (Heavy) 50th Fighter Group (Special) HQ Army Air Force Interceptor Command School (1943) 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group Known sub-bases and auxiliaries Brooksville Army Airfield Bushnell Army Airfield Kissimmee Army Airfield Cross City Army Airfield (1942-1946); Cross City Air Force Station (1958-1970) Zephyrhills Army Airfield Airfield became: Orlando Municipal Airport (1946) Now: Orlando Executive Airport Ground Station became: Orlando Air Force Base (1947-1968) Ground Station transferred to: United States Navy as Naval Training Center Orlando (1968-1999)