During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous air facilities in Louisiana for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. The larger facilities were Army Air Bases (AAB) while the Army Air Fields ( AAFld) were lesser facilities. The map below shows both types as AAB and AAF.
Most of these air facilities were under the command of Third Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). In addition, the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) ran a significant number of airfields in a support role.
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 Air Technical Service Command Moisant Army Airfield, Kenner Sub-base of Naval Air Station New Orleans, Joint Use Now: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Harding Field, Baton Rouge 49th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Now: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport
New Orleans Army Air Base, New Orleans 37th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Now: New Orleans Lakefront Airport
Third Air Force Alexandria Army Air Field, Alexandria 517th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Later: England Air Force Base (1950-1992) Now: Alexandria International Airport
Esler Field, Pineville 333d Air Base Group Now: Esler Regional Airport
Lake Charles Army Air Field, Lake Charles Gulf Coast Training Center, 1942 82d Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Later: Lake Charles/Chennault Air Force Base (1950-1963) Now: Chennault International Airport
DeRidder Army Air Base, DeRidder 317th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Now: Beauregard Regional Airport
Army Air Forces Training CommandAAF Southeast Training Center Barksdale Field, Shreveport 5th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Flying Training, HQ AAF Training Command Now: Barksdale Air Force Base
Selman Field, Monroe 329th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron Now: Monroe Regional Airport
References
Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub .
External links Military Airfields in World War II - Louisiana