McCook Army Airfield was activated on 1 April 1943. It is located nine miles (14 km) northwest of McCook, a city in Red Willow County, Nebraska, United States and is southwest of North Platte, Nebraska. It was constructed in 1943 . The 2,100-acre (8.5 km2) site is bordered on all sides by level farm ground.
McCook AAF was one of eleven United States Army Air Forces training bases in Nebraska during World War II. The 2,100-acre (8.5 km2) base included three 150 by 7,500-foot (2,300 m) concrete runways, five hangars, and barracks for 5,000 men. It operated with three divisions: Base Services (hospital, chapel, theater, band, gymnasium, fire station, post office, photo lab, library, and military police); Maintenance and Supply (air service groups, post engineers, machine shop, warehouses); and Training (celestial navigation, gunnery and bombing, communications, radar, and aircraft maintenance). Approximately 110 buildings and structures were constructed.
712th, 713th, 714th, and 715th Bombardment Squadrons
Inactivated 4 December 1945
With the inactivation of the 448th Bomb Group, McCook AAF was inactivated and placed in reserve status under supervision of the 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center. The Airfield closed on 31 December 1945, and was acquired by the state of Nebraska from the War Assets Administration in 1947.
Hangar at McCook AAF, now used for farm storage
In 1950, the city of McCook took possession of the airfield for a municipal airport, however, found that its distant location from the city made it inconvenient. The city of McCook turned the McCook airfield back to the State of Nebraska in 1952.
Today the land is owned primarily by farmers and the Nebraska Bureau of Land Management. Most of the concrete runways have been removed except for a 20' strip on the E-W and SW-NE runways. About a dozen World War II-era buildings still exist at the former airfield in various states of deterioration including all the hangars.
Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
March 03, 2023
mccook, army, field, mccook, army, airfield, activated, april, 1943, located, nine, miles, northwest, mccook, city, willow, county, nebraska, united, states, southwest, north, platte, nebraska, constructed, 1943, acre, site, bordered, sides, level, farm, groun. McCook Army Airfield was activated on 1 April 1943 It is located nine miles 14 km northwest of McCook a city in Red Willow County Nebraska United States and is southwest of North Platte Nebraska It was constructed in 1943 The 2 100 acre 8 5 km2 site is bordered on all sides by level farm ground McCook Army Airfield2006 USGS OrthophotoIATA noneICAO noneSummaryAirport typeMilitaryOwnerUSAAFLocationRed Willow County near McCook NebraskaCoordinates40 18 25 N 100 42 07 W 40 30694 N 100 70194 W 40 30694 100 70194 Coordinates 40 18 25 N 100 42 07 W 40 30694 N 100 70194 W 40 30694 100 70194MapMcAAFLocation of McCook Army AirfieldRunwaysDirection Length Surfaceft m17 35 7 500 2 286 Concrete13 31 7 500 2 286 Concrete04 22 7 500 2 286 ConcreteAll runways removed except a 20 stripMcCook Army Airfield 1944 looking northeast McCook Army Airfield 1944 looking northwest Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditMcCook AAF was one of eleven United States Army Air Forces training bases in Nebraska during World War II The 2 100 acre 8 5 km2 base included three 150 by 7 500 foot 2 300 m concrete runways five hangars and barracks for 5 000 men It operated with three divisions Base Services hospital chapel theater band gymnasium fire station post office photo lab library and military police Maintenance and Supply air service groups post engineers machine shop warehouses and Training celestial navigation gunnery and bombing communications radar and aircraft maintenance Approximately 110 buildings and structures were constructed The airfield was activated on 1 April 1943 under the command of Second Air Force Headquarters Colorado Springs Colorado The host unit at the airfield was the 520th Operational Training Unit as part of Air Technical Service Command The 520th was assigned to the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing August 1943 March 1944 then transferred to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing in March 1944 for B 29 training McCook provided final training of heavy bomber crews for the B 17 Flying Fortress Consolidated B 24 Liberator and Boeing B 29 Super Fortress Some 15 000 servicemen and 500 civilians were stationed at McCook Bomber crew members received final proficiency training at the field before deployment in North Africa Europe and Pacific Theater of Operations Among the bomb groups trained at McCook were elements of the 8th 15th and 20th Air Forces These bomb groups saw combat in the European Mediterranean and Pacific Theaters The following USAAF Groups were stationed at McCook 454th Bombardment Group Heavy July October 1943 736th 737th 738th and 739th Bombardment Squadrons Deployed to Fifteenth Air Force in Italy B 24 Liberator 486th Bombardment Group Heavy September November 1943 832nd 833rd 834th and 835th Bombardment Squadrons Deployed to Eighth Air Force in England B 24 Liberator 465th Bombardment Group Heavy October 1943 February 1944 780th 781st 782nd and 783rd Bombardment Squadrons Deployed to Fifteenth Air Force in Italy B 24 Liberator 493d Bombardment Group Heavy November 1943 January 1944 860th 861st 862nd and 863rd Bombardment Squadrons Deployed to Eighth Air Force in England B 17 Flying Fortress 9th Bombardment Group Very Heavy May November 1944 1st 5th 99th and 430th Bombardment Squadrons Deployed to Twentieth Air Force in Tinian B 29 Superfortress 331st Bombardment Group Very Heavy November 1944 April 1945 355th 356th and Bombardment 357th Squadrons Deployed to Twentieth Air Force in Guam B 29 Superfortress 98th Bombardment Group Very Heavy 25 June 1 November 1945 343rd 344th 345th and 415th Bombardment Squadrons B 29 Superfortress Inactivated 18 November 1945448th Bombardment Group Very Heavy 8 September 4 December 1945 712th 713th 714th and 715th Bombardment Squadrons Inactivated 4 December 1945With the inactivation of the 448th Bomb Group McCook AAF was inactivated and placed in reserve status under supervision of the 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center The Airfield closed on 31 December 1945 and was acquired by the state of Nebraska from the War Assets Administration in 1947 Hangar at McCook AAF now used for farm storage In 1950 the city of McCook took possession of the airfield for a municipal airport however found that its distant location from the city made it inconvenient The city of McCook turned the McCook airfield back to the State of Nebraska in 1952 Today the land is owned primarily by farmers and the Nebraska Bureau of Land Management Most of the concrete runways have been removed except for a 20 strip on the E W and SW NE runways About a dozen World War II era buildings still exist at the former airfield in various states of deterioration including all the hangars See also Edit World War II portalNebraska World War II Army AirfieldsReferences Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Maurer Maurer 1983 Air Force Combat Units Of World War II Maxwell AFB Alabama Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 89201 092 4 External links EditNebraska s Army Airfields Rural bases 1 Abandoned amp Little Known Airfields Western Nebraska Image of McCook Army Airfield on Google Maps Webpage of 2Lt David V Moll Aviation From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title McCook Army Air Field amp oldid 1098905225, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
