Alachua Army Airfield , is a United States Air Force Air Force II airbase, located 6.8 miles (6.8 km) northeast of Gainesville, Florida.
Video Alachua Army Air Field
Histori
The construction of Gainesville Municipal Airport began in April 1940 as Project Administration Work (WPA) and, with 1941 construction taken over by the Army Engineer Corps as part of the expansion of defense forces in the United States before World War II.
This site was taken over by the United States Air Force Air Force, with the airport designated as Alachua Army Airfield . It began operating within months of December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
On March 2, 1942, the Gainesville City Council established the name of the airfield as John R. Alison Airport. John R. Alison is a local resident and a graduate of the University of Florida who serves with courage and distinction in World War II. He was chosen to serve as an observer in England and then served in Russia to train Russian leaflets.
Air Force Air Force School of Applied Tactics
Originally assigned to the Air Service Technical Command as maintenance and support of the airfields, in 1943, it was transferred to the Air Force Tactical Air Force School of the European Union (AAFSAT) tactical fighter Air Force. Headquartered in Orlando AAB,
The AAFSAT function is to train cadres of newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field conditions as the nucleus where new combat groups will be formed. AAFSAT operates several units from the airfield, including Dive Bombers, light attack bombers and observation planes. Later, the 50th Combat Group arrived in November 1943 with P-47 and P-51 fighters, engaged in combat missions over the Florida skyline.
Through the joint efforts of the City Commission and the Federal Government, the Service Center opened in Gainesville in July 1943 for other dances and recreations for soldiers. Civil-minded citizens form Girls Service Club and Masonic Lodge provides dormitory rooms for soldiers.
Third Air Force
The Air University training mission ended in late June 1944, when Alachua was officially diverted to the III Fighter Command. With the transfer, Alachua was assigned to the Third Air Force.
Different missions are ordered by the III Fighter Command, training of Air Command units for the Indian Burmese Indian Theater and the Burmese invasion. The Air Commando unit was formed to be part of the invading forces to operate from the Japanese airfield captured behind the main battle lines in India. Parachutis will be dropped in the field held by the enemy, and quickly the Allies will fly in combat units and transport to operate from the fields. As the battle moves further east, the commandos will leap forward and build a new base. In each case the pattern is the same: viewing an open space from the air, sending engineers and glider-borne equipment to hack the airstrip of the brush, and within hours, flew troops to harass the enemy and his lines. communication with the P-51 Mustang fighter and the B-25 bomber unit.
The 3d Air Command Group arrived for training in late June 1944 after it was formed and organized in Drew and Lakeland Army Airfield. Four Mustang P-51 fighter squadrons are trained at Alachua from June to October. In addition, the Commanders Squadron of Command with C-47 was trained at the airfield.
Closure
With the Air Commando unit moving out in late 1944, the maintenance mission of the Technical Service command was the base mission of the base. The airfield remains open; mostly saw temporary training aircraft from various training camps in Florida and South Georgia. The number of personnel was reduced, reassigned to other bases, and with the end of the European War, in mid-May 1945 orders were received from the Third Air Force that Alachua Army Airfield would be closed.
During the summer, buildings and equipment are sold with useful military equipment that are transferred to other bases across the country. The airfield was declared a surplus in September 1945 and handed over to the Army Engineer Corps on October 1, 1946. The Asset Administration of War awarded the facility to the city of Gainesville in 1948 as a civil airport. The airfield was moved to the city of Gainesville in 1948. At that time, the field was known as John R. Alison Airport and also as the Gainesville Municipal Airport. It currently operates as Gainesville Regional Airport, with scheduled flights and General Aviation operations. The area of ​​the airfield originally for cannon drills currently operates as Gator Skeet and Trap Club.
Defined main unit
Air Force School of Applied Tactics
- The 50th Combat Group, November 20, 1943 - February 1, 1944
- 81st Combatron Combatron (Special), November 20, 1943-1 February 1944 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
- Fighter Squadron 313, November 20, 1943-1 February 1944 (P-51 Mustang)
- Squadron Burning 465 (Light), 24 January-19 November 1943 (A-20 Havoc)
- The 667 bombing squadron (Diving) (then: 521 Combatron Squadron), 15 February 1943 - March 2, 1944 (A-24 Dauntless); (A-36 Apache)
- 3d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 3 February-6 March 1944 (L-2, L-3 Grasshopper)
III Fighter Command
- 3d Air Commando Group, August 20-October 6, 1944 (P-51 Mustang)
- Combat Squadron 1 (Commando), June 21-August 17, 1944
- 2d Fighter Squadron (Commando), June 21-August 17, 1944
- 3d Fighter Squadron (Commando), 7 August-6 October 1944
- 4 Combatron Squadron (Commando), August 21-October 6, 1944
- The 317 (Commando) Carrier Squadron, June 7-21, 1944 (C-47 Skytrain)
Maps Alachua Army Air Field
See also
- Florida World War II Airfields Air Force
- Air Force School Air Force Applied Tactics
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force History Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer (1969), Air Force Combat Squadron, World War II, Office of the Air Force History Study, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBNÃ, 0-89201-097-5
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force History Office. ISBN: 0-912799-12-9.
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Discovering Legacy History, Air Force History, and Air Force Museum Programs, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
- AFHRA Alachua AAF Search
- the WWII airfield database database: Florida
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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