South Carolina World War II Army Airfields
# South Carolina World War II Army Airfields

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.

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)

### 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)
