During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in South Carolina for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

South Carolina World War II Army Airfields
Part of World War II
Map Of Major South Carolina World War II Army Airfields   Third Air Force     AAF Training Command   AAF Contract Flying Schools  Multiple Commands
Type	Army Airfields
Site history
Built	1940-1944
In use	1940-present

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) and Air Transport Command (ATC) maintained a large base in Charleston.

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

Multiple Commands

• Charleston Army Airfield, 10.6 miles (17.1 km) northwest of Charleston

421st Base HQ and Air Base Squadron

Initially: Air Technical Service Command (29th Air Base Group, Distribution Point #2)

Also used by: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (16th Antisubmarine Squadron)

Later: Transferred to: First Air Force (113th AAF Base Unit)

Later: Transferred to: Air Transport Command (593d AAF Base Unit)

Later: Charleston Air Force Base (1952-2010)

Now: Joint Base Charleston (2010-Present) (IATA: CHS, ICAO: KCHS, FAA LID: CHS)

Third Air Force

AAF Training Command

Eastern Flight Training Center

• Shaw Army Airfield, 8.4 miles (13.5 km) west-northwest of Sumter

Army Air Force Flying School (Basic)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

Burt Gin Auxiliary Field

Rembert Auxiliary Field

Monaghan Auxiliary Field

Sumter Municipal Airport

Now: Shaw Air Force Base (IATA: SSC, ICAO: KSSC, FAA LID: SSC)

AAF Contract Flying Schools

Minor Airfields

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website https://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub . ISBN 1-57510-051-7
• Military Airfields in World War II - South Carolina

External links